The feline heart has four chambers, similar to the human heart.
The two chambers on the top of the heart are the atria (plural for atrium). The two chambers at the bottom of the heart are the ventricles. The left atrium and left ventricle are separated from the right atrium and right ventricle by a dividing wall called the septum.
The normal heart rate in a cat is 160 to 240, which is much faster than a human’s.
Heart-rate and rhythm abnormalities are fairly uncommon.
The most common abnormality heard with the stethoscope is a heart murmur. A murmur is the sound of turbulent blood flow and might indicate something is amiss. The discovery of a heart murmur during your cat’s physical examination warrants further investigation.
Some kittens have heart murmurs that disappear as they mature.
A persistent murmur in a kitten, however, should be investigated, as congenital heart diseases occasionally do occur. The sooner they are diagnosed and treated, the better the prognosis.
A cat’s heart easily beats over 100,000,000 times yearly.
The heart sits on a 45-degree angle between the front legs of your cat, with the top or base of the heart pointing towards the head.
A cat’s heart weighs around 20 grams.
A human heart weighs approximately 300 grams. A cat’s heart typically weighs only around 20 grams, but certain conditions can cause the heart to weigh more than this.
Your veterinarian listening to the heart with a stethoscope twice yearly as part of a wellness exam is the best screening test for heart disease.
Heart attacks sre very rare in cats.
Although heart disease is not uncommon in cats, heart attacks are very rare. Cats process fats differently to humans and this helps protect feline hearts from total failure.
