Chanel came to me straight from the alley where she had apparently been living for years when a CAWS volunteer found her. She seemed about six years old, and from kittenhood, probably had not eaten very well. And as we learned, these nutritional deficiencies can have serious consequences.

One nutrient she likely did not receive was taurine - an essential amino acid found in meat, but not in vegetables. Veterinary science has discovered that a lack of taurine can result in the heart disease cardiomyopathy. As a result, taurine is now added as a supplement in cat food, and is listed in the nutritional labels, where you can check for this important ingredient.
What is cardiomyopathy? Affected cats may have:

difficulty breathing
rapid respiratory rate
weight loss or poor condition
tire easily with exercise, or
signs of weakness or paralysis of the rear legs

Despite the chronic nature of the disease itself, cats often appear to develop symptoms quite suddenly, especially difficulty in breathing and rear leg weakness.

Why can the symptoms occur so suddenly? In part, it's based on the concept of survival of the fittest. Although much domestication has occurred in our feline friends, ancient instincts are still part of their functions. So to ensure potential predators may not determine they are ill, they try their best not to show their vulnerability. And in many cases of heart disease, when the symptoms do show up, it's generally too late.

Such was the case with Chanel. From the time I first noted her labored breathing to the day when she left for the heavenly catnip gardens, was a scant eight weeks. At first, all the typical tests were run to determine the cause of her problem. But an x-ray showed Chanel was in trouble; Chanel's veterinarian removed 150cc's of fluid from her lungs at that time. And after an EKG and ultrasound, she was diagnosed with dilated cardiomypoathy.

She did well in the ensuing days; she took heart medication, megadoses of taurine, and a diuretic to further help reduce the fluid in her lungs. This regimen of care increased her comfort, but the damage to her poor heart had been done, years before. She passed on having spent time as a wonderful member of my household, and after having received all that veterinary medicine could do for a dear cat who had not had a very good life in the beginning.

Labels: Cat, cat health, health care, nutrition