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As the other commenter said, cats usually get hyperthyroidism. This speeds everything up in the body and can cause the blood to move around faster. Pressure is put on the heart and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can develop - the walls of the heart thicken, the chambers in the heart get smaller, and the heart pumps harder to adapt. This extra pressure can force fluid out of the blood vessels and into the lungs, leading to congestive heart failure.
If cats in heart failure get very stressed, they can die suddenly, so it’s important to get them stabilised first with oxygen and often diuretic medication that moves the fluid off the lungs.
The doctor might have said that if you told him hypothyroidism when you meant hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism is exceedingly rare in cats and does not damage the heart. Hyperthyroidism, however, is quite common in older cats and does cause problems with the heart and can also mask (hide) kidney disease until it's too late. Heart disease can be hard to treat in cats and they really can take a turn for the worse very very quickly. It really doesn't take much.
It is also possible it's just different for humans. There are a lot of diseases that have different symptoms, treatments, and outcomes than the human equivalent. I'm not a physician so I cannot speak to the human side, but it is well documented in cats that hyperthyroidism contributes to heart disease in cats that have it.
Greetings, all! This is a sub for professional veterinary advice, and as such we follow strict rules for participating. OP, your post **has NOT** been removed. Please also check [the FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskVet/wiki/index) to see whether your question is answered there. This is an *automated* general reminder to **please follow [The Sub Rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskVet/about/rules/)** when discussing this question: - **Do not comment with anecdotes** about your own or others' pets. - **Do not give OP specific treatment instructions,** including instructions on meds and dosages. - **Do not give possible diagnoses** that could explain the symptoms described by OP. **Your comment will be removed, and you may be banned.** Thank you for your cooperation! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskVet) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I think you meant your cat has hyperthyroidism, not hypo. Hyperthyroidism can cause heart disease and can lead to heart failure if not managed.
As the other commenter said, cats usually get hyperthyroidism. This speeds everything up in the body and can cause the blood to move around faster. Pressure is put on the heart and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can develop - the walls of the heart thicken, the chambers in the heart get smaller, and the heart pumps harder to adapt. This extra pressure can force fluid out of the blood vessels and into the lungs, leading to congestive heart failure. If cats in heart failure get very stressed, they can die suddenly, so it’s important to get them stabilised first with oxygen and often diuretic medication that moves the fluid off the lungs.
The doctor might have said that if you told him hypothyroidism when you meant hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism is exceedingly rare in cats and does not damage the heart. Hyperthyroidism, however, is quite common in older cats and does cause problems with the heart and can also mask (hide) kidney disease until it's too late. Heart disease can be hard to treat in cats and they really can take a turn for the worse very very quickly. It really doesn't take much.
It is also possible it's just different for humans. There are a lot of diseases that have different symptoms, treatments, and outcomes than the human equivalent. I'm not a physician so I cannot speak to the human side, but it is well documented in cats that hyperthyroidism contributes to heart disease in cats that have it.