Hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure, is a common problem in humans, but it can also be a serious problem for cats. While human hypertension is most often attributed to a stressful lifestyle, stress does not appear to play a role in the development of this disorder in cats. Instead, conditions such as kidney, thyroid and heart disease are to blame.
Visual abnormalities—including dilated pupils that do not constrict with light, blood within the chamber of the eye and blindness— are the most common clinical signs associated with feline hypertension. This condition is often suspected in any older cat suffering from kidney disease or hyperthyroidism, though the presence of a heart murmur may also signal a hypertensive state.
High blood pressure in cats can be detected with a device that measures blood flow in the arteries. This is similar to the blood pressure test performed on humans, but requires specialized equipment for animals.
Any older cat with hyperthyroidism or chronic renal insufficiency should have his/her blood pressure checked every six months. All cats over 12 years of age should also be checked regularly. If the cat’s blood pressure is too high, medications will be dispensed to help lower it. The blood pressure is then checked a few days later to make sure it is back to normal.
In order to lower chronic hypertension, the underlying disease that caused the high blood pressure to develop must be controlled. While hyperthyroidism, heart problems like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and chronic kidney failure are not curable in most cases, these diseases can be managed successfully in many cats.