When you adopt a cat, you’re preparing for them to be part of your family for at least a decade or more. But sometimes, seemingly healthy cats die unexpectedly at any age. Having a pet pass away suddenly can be painful, especially if you don’t know the cause. There are several different reasons that a pet might die with no visible signs leading up to the death.
Here are five of the more common causes of death that can happen to cats of all ages without warning.
The 5 Common Causes of Sudden Death in Cats
1. Trauma
Death via trauma is unfortunately common, especially in outdoor cats. Some types of trauma-related deaths can include vehicle accidents, animal attacks, falls, and other accidents. The rate of death by trauma is much lower for indoor-only cats, but it’s not impossible. Chances of an injury that leads to death can be lowered by limiting your cat’s ability to roam and minimizing possible sources of injury in your home and yard. Ensuring that your cat is spayed or neutered can further help limit their desire to wander.
2. Heart Disease
Many vets cite heart disease as the most common unexplained death in cats. Although some types of heart disease can have a variety of signs, other heart diseases have few, very subtle ones, or none at all prior to a cat’s death.
Examples of feline heart disease include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy, and restrictive cardiomyopathy, with the first being the most common. These diseases often cause secondary changes that lead to blood clots, which can also cause sudden death in affected cats.
Unlike dogs, heartworm doesn’t tend to be as common in cats and is more commonly a respiratory issue rather than a true heart disease. However, since heartworm can be preventable with a monthly preventative, and it can still cause sudden death in cats, it is a good idea to speak with your veterinarian about prevention options.
3. Stroke
Cats can die suddenly from strokes, which are interruptions of blood flow to the brain. They can be caused by blood clots or by ruptured blood vessels in the brain. Strokes can have a variety of signs, including weakness, inability to walk, seizures, sudden blindness, and sudden death. One cause of strokes in cats is high blood pressure and it is preventable and treatable. Once your cat becomes a senior (generally 9 years of age or older), they should have their blood pressure checked at least once a year, to catch any early signs of this disease.
4. Toxins
Another common cause of sudden death in cats is toxin exposure. Poisoning can occur when your cat ingests or comes into contact with a toxic substance. Even small amounts of certain toxins can cause death. Poisoning can lead to a range of signs, including vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, fever, shallow breathing, and lethargy.
The most common deadly cat poisons include medications, fertilizers, antifreeze, insecticides, and rodent poisons. Keeping dangerous substances out of reach of cats will lower the risk of toxin poisoning.
5. Septic Shock
Septic shock is a rapid failure of the body due to widespread infection. Although septic shock is often the end stage in infections with clear causes or signs, such as an injury or long-term signs of infection, it can sometimes occur suddenly, with only mild signs or none beforehand. The signs of septic shock include refusal to eat, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, fever, a distended abdomen, and difficulty breathing.
Final Thoughts
It’s not pleasant to think about the ways that our beloved pets can die without warning. But in the event of a tragedy, searching for answers and explanations can help us process our grief. Learning about common causes of death can also help us prepare for and prevent certain conditions, especially death via trauma or poisoning.
That said, many of the dangers on this list aren’t preventable. It’s natural to look back after your pet’s death and wonder if you could have done something differently, but accepting that an unexpected death was natural and not preventable can also help bring you healing and peace.
Related Reads:
- How Common Are Blood Clots in Cats? Vet-Approved Signs, Causes & Care
- Cat Diseases & Illnesses: 7 Common Types (Vet Answer)
Featured Image Credit: Iryna Mylinska, Shutterstock
2 Responses
My 5 week old kitten just died! Don’t know why. Do kittens have “sudden death” ?
Hello Patricia,
thank you for your message, although we are terribly sorry to hear about your kitten. Unfortunately, kittens sometimes do suffer from “sudden death”, however there is always some reason behind it as you may read in our another article: Why Do Kittens Sometimes Die Suddenly? Vet-Verified Causes & Facts
Once again, we are very sorry this happened to your kitten. We hope that you and the mother cat are doing alright and that the future will be brighter.
Best wishes.