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Species: Cat Breed: Domestic Shorthair Age: 2-5 years
My 3-yr old robust, healthy male house cat suddenly dropped dead in the middle of the night. No symptons of anything wrong, no eating problems, no urinating or defacating problems, no vomiting, coughing or breathing problems. What could it have been? When I found him, he had white, bubbling foam coming out of one nostril and a clear, slimy, foul smelling discharge with a small reddish discharge coming out of the other nostril. His mouth was slightly open and dry. Could this be indicative of a respiratory problem, stroke, blood clot, heart attack or something else? His sudden, inexplicable death is so troublesome to me and causing me difficulty in accepting it. Can you give me any ideas what might have caused it? Thank you.
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Dr. Marie replied:
The most common reason for an apparently healthy cat to die suddenly is a condition called HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy). This is a condition where the walls of the heart are too thick. Cats can go from totally healthy to suddenly in heart failure and death in minutes.
However, one thing that doesn't fit with HCM is the foul discharge from his nose. This sounds like there could have been something else going on. A few possibilities include electrocution (i.e. from chewing on a wire) or aspirating an object into his lungs.
Ultimately the only way to know would be to have a post mortem exam done.
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Veterinarian, Dr. Marie created this site to be able to provide quick, accurate veterinary advice online. She would love to help with your pet's problem!
Dr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.
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