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First Description of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Phenotype in Apparently Healthy Cats in Morocco: An

Hanaa El Atmani1, Faouzi Kichou2, Alberto Tarducci3

  • 1Unit of Equines and Small Animals, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Reproduction, Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Institute, Rabat BP 6202, Morocco.

Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|June 26, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Subclinical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Phenotype (HCM-Ph) affects nearly 10% of apparently healthy cats in Morocco. This common heart disorder in cats can lead to fatal outcomes, emphasizing the need for veterinary awareness.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Cardiology
  • Feline Medicine
  • Cardiovascular Research

Background:

  • Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Phenotype (HCM-Ph) is a prevalent myocardial disorder in cats globally.
  • Existing research indicates prevalence rates between 8% and 34%, but data from Morocco was lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of HCM-Ph in apparently healthy cats in Morocco.
  • To describe epidemiological and echocardiographic features of affected cats.
  • To compare feline patients in the ACVIM stages B1 and B2.

Main Methods:

  • Echocardiographic screening of 81 apparently healthy cats.
  • Data collection on epidemiological factors and echocardiographic measurements.
  • Comparison of cats classified into ACVIM stages B1 and B2.

Main Results:

  • The overall prevalence of HCM-Ph was 9.88% in the studied cat population.
  • Affected cats were typically young (median age 4 years) with a male predominance (75%).
  • Echocardiographic findings included left ventricular hypertrophy, normal ventricular diameters, preserved function, and variable left atrial enlargement. Stage B2 cats were older and had greater hypertrophy than stage B1 cats.

Conclusions:

  • Subclinical HCM-Ph is common in apparently healthy Moroccan cats.
  • Veterinarians must recognize HCM-Ph's clinical significance due to potential fatal cardiovascular events.
  • Myocardial hypertrophy and age may play roles in clinical staging and risk assessment for HCM-Ph.

Keywords:
cardiomyopathyechocardiographyfelineheart diseaseleft ventricular hypertrophy

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