Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common form of heart disease in the cat. HCM is a heritable disease in some breeds of cats such as the Maine Coon and Ragdoll. Distinct causative mutations have been found in these breeds and there may be other clinical presentations. This suggests that HCM In cats is a diverse disease. The Sphynx breed has been reported to have a predilection for HCM. The records of 18 cats (11 female, 7 male) were evaluated for characteristics of HCM and for a familial etiology. The age range of affected cats was 0.5 to 7 years (median, 2 years). The results indicate a familial disease, at least in some cases, with multiple (four) affected cats occurring within one family. The mode of inheritance suggests an autosomal dominant trait similar to that of the Maine Coon, though a prospective breeding project would be needed to determine the exact mode. The age of onset appears to be younger in Sphynx than other cat breeds studied. Further studies are warranted to evaluate for a causative mutation. [VT]Winn has recently funded grant W12-009: Fine mapping for Sphynx cat hypertrophic cardiomyopathy gene.
Related articles: Meurs KM, Norgard MM, Kuan M, et al. Analysis of 8 sarcomeric candidate genes for feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy mutations in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. J Vet Intern Med 2009;23:840-843.
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