It depends on the situation. Some hernias may never cause problems for your cat, and they can live a normal life. However, it’s not advisable to ignore a hernia because some can become life-threatening. For example, a hiatal hernia can obstruct your cat’s airway and put pressure on the lungs, which can make it difficult to breathe and potentially lead to respiratory failure. Having a proper diagnosis can give you peace of mind, even if the hernia isn’t endangering your cat. After fixing a hernia, they can usually go back to their normal life without issues. While uncommon, cats who had a hernia once may experience a recurrence of it in the future.