You need to check my Cat’s Blood pressure?

Post by Zoe Forward, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (canine/feline)
Carolina Pets Animal Hospital

Cats get high blood pressure problems(hypertension) just like people. We may not detect our aging furry friend has this issue from her behavior at home. The signs are subtle, and in many cases may be chalked up as "getting older." What are red flags that should make you suspect blood pressure issues? Your older feline may seem less social, grumpy, or may spend more time hiding. Sound like common behaviors in most older felines? That's the problem!

In people hypertension is associated with profound headaches. Therefore, we suspect cats experience the same problem, which leads to those behaviors listed above.  

What causes high blood pressure in cats? Usually hypertension occurs secondary to another problem such as kidney failure or heart disease or overactive thyroid disease. However, some older cats develop primary high blood pressure, which means it is not due to any other issue.

 

Treatment? Antihypertensive medication is the answer. We also must to treat any underlying condition (such as heart disease or kidney disease). Of course, this sounds daunting – giving your cat medication every day for the rest of her life, but this is one medication that can easily be compounded into anything from a transdermal gel that you rub on the inside of her ear to a liquid to a chewy treat. The pill, itself, is quite small and easy to hide in food for most cats (and inexpensive this way).

Outlook for the hypertensive cat? In cats where the only problem is hypertension, then this can usually be controlled with medication and regular blood pressure monitoring. If there is an underlying problem the the overall prognosis for your cat depends on that problem. For example, hyperthyroidism is also usually straight forward to treat and control, but chronic kidney failure can be trickier to control and will progress over time.

Prevention? Your cat’s blood pressure should be checked twice a year when over the age of 9 years old.