Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure which is a common condition in older cats. The most common reason for a cat to have high blood pressure is as a result of another, underlying medical condition such as kidney disease or an overactive thyroid gland.
High blood pressure can cause damage to a cat’s body, the most serious of which are:
- bleeding into the eye and changes to the retina, potentially causing detachment. This can affect a cat’s vision and even blindness.
- bleeding into the brain which can cause “odd” behaviour such as a wobbly or drunken gait, seizures, dementia or coma.
- thickening of the heart muscle leading to heart failure.
- damage to the kidneys and potentially kidney failure.
Owners should have their cat’s blood pressure checked regularly. It’s a great way to identify an issue before it affects other organs in the body. If your cat is 7 or over, owners are advised to regularly attend health clinics where their cat’s blood pressure can be measured. Early identification means treatment can be provided before damage to other organs can take place.
If you’re wondering how a cat’s blood pressure is taken, visit our YouTube channel to see the process in action. As a Cat Friendly Clinic we ensure the cat remains as calm and stress free as possible in order to get an accurate reading.
Learn about our Senior Cat Clinics
For more information on other issues that may affect an older cat, download our leaflet on hypertension in elderly cats and if you have any concerns about your cat’s blood pressure or health in general, call the team on 01772 639800 OR 01253 766352 or open a chat in PetsApp.
