Dog ate chocolate?

ask a vet

Cat died suddenly.

Species: Cat
Breed: none - born on a far
Age: 1-2 years
Hi and thank you for your time

My son met me at the door in tears as 1.5 year old Jasper had just died. He was a black farm cat - one of a litter of 5. We had him since weaning and he was a very affectionate wee man. The only odd thing was a slight weakness in his back legs he shared with his sister (my friend kept her) that their vet put down to the large litter size and the cramped space in utero. He did get into a few fights months ago before neutering but there was a swollen eye and a scabbing pimple on his temple only last week. No fleas or ticks. I wormed him 6 weeks ago using a prescription wormer. He did not have vaccinations.

He was an outdoor cat who hunted birds and mice in the field at the back of the house. Chris was towelling him dry this morning and then he arched his back in spasm, his tongue protruded and he mewled. A couple of choking noises followed and he fitted and then collapsed and died. My son tried to revive him in the only way he knew how by blowing in his mouth and compressing his chest but to no avail.

I am sure other readers may have similar experiences and I was hoping your experience might shed some light on what has happened to an otherwise bright and bouncy and very chatty cat.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

I'm sorry to hear about Jasper. The most common reason for a young cat to die suddenly is a condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This is a problem that some cats can be born with that causes the walls of the heart to be too thick. Cats can live normally with it and have no clinical signs of illness and then suddenly can die.

Anything like poisoning or a serious illness should have shown signs of him being sick before he passed away.

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. If this was HCM please know that there was nothing that anyone could have done.

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?


Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Cat aggressive with new kitten. I just got a new kitten but one of the cats in my house is attacking him. Ever... (17815 views)

Lab not eating. Dakota, my lab, has stopped eating over the last couple of weeks and is losing... (13576 views)

Kitten with white gums. My kitten is 8 weeks old she just wants to lay around she was playing with the other... (26181 views)

congested kitten Hi,i recently took in a stray kitten & a few days ago she started coughing on &... (13353 views)

Xylitol in fruit toxic to dogs? Hello Dr. Marie, I've recently become very aware of the dangers of xylitol with... (40399 views)

Peach stone or pancreatitis? My dog ate a peach stone. It appeared to give no problems, but two to three weeks... (9065 views)

Scrubbing Bubbles toxic? My Toulouse is a male. I discovered one day that after I would exit the shower &... (27400 views)

Seizure and diarrhea. Hi. My dog had a seizure this morning. her legs started shaking but she still had... (36960 views)

Blood in urine. I have taken my dog to 2 vets, and had numerous tests. I noticed she was peeing... (6910 views)

Diarrhea and not eating. My saluki started with a foul smelling yellow diarrhea. Then she slowly stopped... (7542 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. 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.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.