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Stephen from Laguna Beach, CA asks:Do cats suffer from high blood pressure like humans do?

The incidence of elevated blood pressure problems is much lower in animals than humans, but problems still arise nonetheless. You did not mention if your cat suffers from any other illness. My guess is that he or she does. Feline hypertension is almost always associated with a secondary disease. The two diseases that we most commonly see in conjunction with high blood pressure are hyperthyroidism and kidney failure.


As in humans, hypertension may remain undetected for some time, hence its name "the silent killer." Generally speaking, when we see a senior cat (over age 8) in the clinic for blood work and the results come back showing thyroid or kidney problems, we will automatically take a blood pressure reading. The machine used is similar to the human equivalent, but the pressure cuff goes around the tail, and in most cases is tolerated well.

One of the most common symptoms in a cat is the sudden dilation of pupils that do not get smaller even when examined closely with a light. There may be a reddish tinge seen in the pupils, which can indicate hemorrhaging or detached retinas. Blindness may follow.


Hypertension in the cat is always serious and once indicated, check-ups should be given every three months. If the problem is related to kidney failure then a change of diet may be indicated or fluids prescribed etc but the high blood pressure can also be alleviated by special drugs. As always, early detection is key and this is a very good reason not to miss that yearly check-up. Cats tend to mask symptoms of illness and must rely on their owners to have their health status evaluated no matter how well they may appear to be.


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