Just found this site from CT

[BPK]

Unfortunately I found this site while doing a search on my son's 6 year old cat that suddenly died today. This was an in the house cat would not go outside. She was very timid but extremely friendly. If you weren't paying attention to her she would put her paw on your arm to say hey I'm here. She was well taken care of, always to the vet, all her shots and suddenly laid down under the Christmas tree and sounded like she was coughing and suddenly died. My kids rushed her to the vet but it was too late. Apparently this is common and the vet thinks heart disease? I guess we need to learn more if this is hereditary because one of the offspring of this cat, before it was eventually fixed, from 4 years ago is a very large male we have here and he will climb up in your arms, much like his mother, extremely over friendly. Not the bitey type. We are all just in shock this New Years eve, not the way to bring in a new year. Baby Kitty RIP!

[spirite]

I'm so sorry about your kitty. My brother and sister-in-law's first kitty died very suddenly at home too. I don't remember how old he was - not more than 7 or 8, and he was also a strictly indoor cat, he didn't seem to be in any pain or discomfort, and one morning they woke up and found he had passed away. They didn't take him to the vet to have a necropsy done, but I have heard that heart disease is usually the culprit in these cases. I don't know if it's hereditary, but someone here surely will.