High blood pressure in cats

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a significant concern for our feline friends for two reasons. Firstly, it is a relatively common problem, particularly in older cats. And secondly, feline hypertension may “fly under the radar”, causing no obvious outward signs for a while before suddenly triggering potentially serious health issues.

To keep your finger on the pulse of healthy feline blood pressure, we’ve summarised the common causes and symptoms of hypertension in cats, and provided some simple recommendations for proactively monitoring your kitty’s cardiovascular health.

Understanding high blood pressure in cats

Blood pressure is the pressure that is exerted against the walls of arteries by the blood that fills them. The maximum pressure (known as the systolic blood pressure) occurs when the heart contracts to pump out blood through the body. The minimum pressure (known as the diastolic blood pressure) occurs when the heart relaxes to refill with blood.

The systolic blood pressure is the most important measurement to consider when a cat is being assessed for hypertension.

Causes and risk factors

Cats can develop temporary elevations in blood pressure due to the stress of the veterinary hospital environment; this is known as the “white coat effect”. In a healthy cat, this is unlikely to be problematic.

At least 80% of chronic (long-term) feline hypertension cases appear to develop secondary to another underlying health condition, known as secondary hypertension.

The most common causes of secondary hypertension in cats are chronic kidney disease and hyperthyroidism, so these diseases are therefore considered to be significant risk factors.

Less commonly, cats may develop primary hypertension, where there is no obvious underlying trigger for their increased blood pressure.

Common signs and symptoms

Significantly increased blood pressure can cause injuries to tissues and organs within the body, and tends to particularly affect the eyes, brain, kidneys and heart. This is known as target organ damage or TOD.

Cats with TOD can develop symptoms of:

Eye damage:

• Bleeding within the eyeball
• Abnormally dilated pupils
• Sudden blindness

Neurological (brain) symptoms:

• Confusion
• A wobbly walk or a general loss of balance
• Unusual behaviours
• Depression
• Seizures

Heart changes:

• Abnormal heart sounds such as murmurs or a gallop rhythm

Kidney damage:

• Involving increased loss of protein through the kidneys, which can contribute to kidney health deterioration and therefore result in progressive symptoms of kidney disease including increased drinking, increased urination, and weight loss

Monitoring your cat’s blood pressure

The good news? You can proactively monitor your cat’s blood pressure to help detect “silent” hypertension before any obvious issues have occurred.

Hypertension is most common in cats 10 years of age and older and/or those with known risk factors such as chronic kidney disease or hyperthyroidism.

That’s why it’s important to have your cat’s blood pressure checked:

• At least every 12 months for healthy cats between 7-10 years of age
• At least every 6-12 months for healthy cats 10 years of age and older
• Immediately in any cat who has been diagnosed with a known risk factor for hypertension (such as chronic kidney disease), and then at least every 3-6 months thereafter

A systolic blood pressure of less than 150mmHg is considered normal in cats, with a minimal risk of target organ damage. As blood pressure increases:

• 150-159mmHg = borderline hypertensive with a low risk of TOD
• 160-179mmHg = hypertensive with a moderate risk of TOD
• ≥180 = severely hypertensive with a high risk of TOD

Remember that stress in the hospital environment can temporarily increase a cat’s blood pressure, so to facilitate the most accurate measurements, it’s best to book your cat in specially for blood pressure measurement visits, so your veterinary team know to take your cat to a quiet area and perform this check before any other potentially stressful procedures are performed.

Monitoring for common risk factors such as chronic kidney disease or hypertension with regular general health checks (following the same age-based schedule as above for blood pressure monitoring) is also a proactive way to stay on top of your cat’s blood pressure. Ideally, this would involve a physical examination and basic blood and/or urine tests.

Treatment of high blood pressure in cats

Treatment for hypertension in cats usually involves the use of amlodipine, a long-term daily medication to help relax blood vessels. Cats with chronic kidney disease or hyperthyroidism will also require other medical and/or dietary therapy to help manage these conditions too.

In cats experiencing dangerously high spikes in blood pressure and/or obvious signs of target organ damage, admission to hospital may be required for more intensive treatment and monitoring.

When to see a vet

If you notice any signs of target organ damage in your cat (such as eye changes, wobbliness, confusion or other unexplained behavioural changes), it’s strongly recommended to have them assessed by a vet as soon as possible, so that their issue can be diagnosed and treated to help prevent further progression of symptoms.

Early symptoms can improve with appropriate treatment, although blindness due to significant retinal damage may unfortunately be permanent.

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10 Aug 2026