The cat's life span and quality of life depend on the type and severity of heart disease that is present. With dilated cardiomyopathy, cats that respond to taurine administration and survive the first few weeks of therapy have a good prognosis.
Cats experiencing heart failure generally have a worse long-term prognosis than cats whose disease is identified before symptoms become severe.
Many cats on appropriate medications live for years with well-controlled heart disease. By identifying the specific type of disease and instituting appropriate medical therapy, the veterinarian can help affected cats live longer and have a better quality of life than cats that are left untreated.
