If the heart disease is diagnosed early enough long-term medication and other measures can slow the disease down but they will probably not stop it completely. It may help to change your cat's lifestyle to eliminate stress (although most cats lead pretty stress-free lives already).

Your vet will prescribe some drugs to improve the heartbeat and others to help get rid of the excessive fluid that can accumulate in your cat's chest and interfere with its breathing. Aspirin may also be prescribed (as in human heart disease patients) to stop the formation of blood clots. This drug can be dangerous in cats and the dose has to be carefully controlled. A single dose of aspirin may last as long as three days in your cat (not three hours as in people). NEVER give medication to your cat unless it has been prescribed by your vet.