But the cardiac x-ray often looks normal and won't show the thickness of the heart muscle. Electrocardiography - records the electrical activity of the heart during and between contractions and may pick up abnormalities, such as muffled breathing sounds, extra heart sounds, or gallop rhythms due to the heart chamber enlargement. This is usually the determining test of whether a cat has cardiomyopathy and will allow vets to categorize the disease. Cardiac Catheterization - this will make a specific diagnosis. But because anesthetic risk is high in cats with heart problems, and a definitive diagnosis doesn't change treatment in most cases, this procedure is rarely done.
Treatment depends on the type and severity of the disease and on what owners are willing to do.
If the cat is totally without symptoms, therapy may not be necessary. But once clinical signs of heart failure are apparent, intervention with drugs is necessary. Vasodilators such as enalapril may be used as well to reduce blood pressure. But owners should never give aspirin without consulting a veterinarian. While this medication is harmless to most humans, it can be toxic to cats .