floyd@burdvax.UUCP (Floyd Miller) (03/11/85)
I dont' mean to cause any undue alarm, but .... Last August, my Cat, GiGi, died of a hypotrophic cardio-myoptrophy (don't worry about the spelling - it means a heart weakened by a thickening of the heart muscle). The doctor at the UofP Vetinary Hospital said that the condition could have existed for some time and that they usually don't see the Cats until it's too late because a Cat will tend to compensate for poor circulation until it just can't anymore or until something happens like (in GiGi's case) a blood clot develops. I discussed, with the doctors, my Cat's history and recent behavior, which had included occasionally misplaced "poopies". The doctors at UofP made no mention, but I later was told that persistant bowel or other hygene related problems can be caused by heart or circulatory problems. I am resolved to observing, more acutely, the behavioral patterns of future Cats and having medical examinations when unusual behavior becomes apparent.