Cat Chat Feline Forum

Hi all, we recently added to our fur family by adopting an adorable now 10 week old kitten called Kevin.

He went to the vet for his first vaccinations and health check today, and the vet mentioned that he had a slight heart murmur. She didn't seem worried and said they usually grow out of it?

I just wondered if anyone has any experience of this and how the cat developed and if they did grow out of the murmur?

I was told a year old Tig had a heart murmur but a couple of years later when I asked they couldn't find it...

That's encouraging thanks!

Grade 1-2 heart murmurs in kittens are not unusual as like babies when born their heart valves are open and close over a few days/weeks in most cases but some take longer. If it is this then by 5/6 months it should have gone, if not then a low level heart murmur won't usually cause problems but needs annual checks to make sure it is not getting worse and require meds down the line. The biggest concern with murmurs is blood clots leading to thrombosis and for this a low dosage Asprin can be given (under vet advise) which just like in humans keeps the blood thinned and so prevents clots.

Certainly not worth to much worry but also not to be ignored.

Thanks for the advice

So we took Kevin to be neutered on 29th December as he's now 4 months and is desperate to get outside! We figured of hes chipped and chopped (!) at least he's identifiable if he does sneak out and he's not going to roam too far!!

Anyway, when we took him they rang us to say they were going to use gas and a dog anaesthetic (!) on him as he still has his heart murmur and it's safer for him that way. They didn't give it a number but called it a 'low grade' murmur. No mention was made of any medication so I think we're just to keep an eye on him until his next check, but I find myself getting worried when he and our other cat are playing and he's been running around for a while. I'm sure I'm just being an over protective mummy?

If they're not worried, I wouldn't be. My old Giddy had a low grade heart murmur for years, never treated (vet wasn't worried) and she lived well into her 19th year!

Thanks!! I think I'm just overly worrying as these are the first cats I've had since I was a child so really my mum looked after the health of my previous cats. Also my husband and I don't have any human babies yet so they're our babies!

The vast majority of cats suffering from low grade heart murmurs will live symptom free BUT a large amount will get a thrombosis suddenly due to a small blood clot so your vet may appear un concerned but I would always raise the concern of blood clots.

I have seen far to many young and old cats with murmurs lost suddenly and painfully to thrombosis.