Feline Asthma

[BaileyAndSammi]

I've been reading a lot about feline asthma. I know there's not a "cure" but does anyone know if there is anything to help alleviate the asthma temporarily?

[spooky]

maybe you can put the cat in the bathroom while you have the shower running on hot so she/he can breathe the steam.

it works for my mom who gets asthma from cats...

i have three. she NEVER comes over!

[CTCat]

You can use a small amount of prednisone (from your vet) and /or use an inhaler. There is a product I believe called the aerocat with a face mask that you can hook to albuterol or whatever the vet give you. YOu place the mask over the cats face and let him inhale for 10 seconds. I got an infant inhaler mask and it works just as well.

[BaileyAndSammi]

Spooky, thanks for the suggestion but I don't have a shower. I only have an old fashioned claw foot tub. Maybe I could put a humidifier in there and sit with Sammi in there. She loves the bathroom.

CTCat, I read about the AeroKat too. I wonder if you have to get it from the vet?

See, I'm not even sure if Sammi has feline asthma because she has never had an asthma attack, she just wheezes when she breathes. It doesn't seem to bother her at all, it's just how she breathes. She never even seems in pain. I thought first before taking her to the vet I could try some at home remedies to stop her wheezing.

[coaster]

if she can run and play, exercise vigourously to get her breathing hard, I really doubt she has asthma. an allergy maybe? has she always had noisy breathing?

[BaileyAndSammi]

Yeah she is quite the little exerciser, especially when Da Bird comes out. It never gets her breathing hard and she never has to "catch her breath". I was thinking allergy too, but I'm not sure to what because she has ALWAYS had noisy breathing.

[coaster]

it would be worth giving the humidity a try, just to see if it makes any different. you could just fill the tub partially with hot water and close the door. that would raise the humidity in there quite a bit, but take a little longer.

I'm going to keep watching your topic; I'm interested to see what you find out.

[CTCat]

When cats have an asthma attack, they tend to sit low and hunched...almost like coughing up a hairball...only their neck is extended more. ONce they start coughing, they rarely get better without intervention.

[coaster]

Originally Posted by CTCat

When cats have an asthma attack, they tend to sit low and hunched

how often would they do this, and what would set it off?

Tommy has been doing this about once a day ever since he got over a cold about three weeks ago. He engages in strenuous activity without any breathing problems, and there's no wheezing is regular breathing. The vet has listened to his chest with a stethoscope and had no comment.

[BaileyAndSammi]

"In some cases asthmatic attacks may be triggered by exposure to inhaled allergens such as tobacco smoke, kitty litter dust, sprays and carpet deodorizers. In many cases the initiating cause is unknown.
Feline asthma is a chronic condition with recurring attacks."

That is what my cat owner's vet guide says.