They eyes will have a whitish blue cast to the area of the pupil. Treatment is unnecessary. Prevention of hereditary cataracts is by not repeating the breeding. Caused by an abnormal thinning or thickening of the heart muscle which interferes with blood flow through the heart. Signs include a marked decrease in activity, the need to rest in the middle of the play periods, great difficulty in awakening from sleep, and as the disease progresses one may see coughing, difficulty breathing, fluid build-up in the abdomen and a general loss of condition.
Treatment is dependent on which type of heart muscle abnormality is present.
There is no cure for this disease, treatment helps to alleviate symptoms and reduce he work load on the heart and attempt to prolong life. The cause is not completely understood. A high ash content of the diet and possible underlying bacterial or viral infections, and even some genetic predisposition may all play a part. This condition is rarely seen in animals on a low ash cat food. Treatment depends on the size of the stones.