Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in the domestic Shorthair cat

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common heart disease in cats. It causes thickening (hypertrophy) of the heart musculature, especially the left ventricular wall. It limits the volume of the left ventricle and therefore the ability to pump blood efficiently to the body. The disease impairs heart function and can lead to other complications, such as thrombus formation. Clinical symptoms include breathing difficulties, coughing, lethargy and weakness.

There are several hereditary forms of the disease. One of the possible causes of HCM in the domestic shorthair cat is a missense mutation c.5647G>A in the MYH7 gene, which encodes a component of cardiac muscle myosin.

The inheritance of the mutation is currently unknown, but it is thought to be autosomal dominant in nature, as it is in humans. A genetic test can identify the genotype of an animal and is a useful tool for breeders to prevent unintentional breeding of affected individuals.

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References:

Schipper, T., Van Poucke, M., Sonck, L., Smets, P., Ducatelle, R., Broeckx, B.J.G., Peelman, L.J. : A feline orthologue of the human MYH7 c.5647G>A (p.(Glu1883Lys)) variant causes hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a Domestic Shorthair cat. Eur J Hum Genet 27:1724-1730, 2019. Pubmed reference: 31164718.