Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Allergies in Cats -- Wheezing

What a prolonged case of wheezing in a cat.

I’ve been praying that it’s nothing more than a case of allergies in cats – or, in this particular case, allergies in Mittens.

Why not? After all, allergies are the most common cause of wheezing in cats.

Mittens, an affectionate if skittish, part-Siamese cat, has been wheezing for months on end. We still don’t know what’s causing her persistent wheezing.

Pixie, Mittens’ reluctant guardian (she acquired the cat willy-nilly), finally took her to the vet after weeks of foot dragging. (I hasten to add that Pixie is going through a turbulent time in her life, which has made it difficult for her to attend to things she normally would’ve managed easily.)

Wheezing in cats means there may be congestion in the lungs or sinuses. Congestion can be brought on by allergies or infection caused by bacteria, virus, or fungus. Another possibility is heart disease.

Mittens blood work was normal. Cat flu and pneumonia were ruled out. The vet told us that her chest x-ray showed an enlargement of the heart and “increased activities” in the area. Perhaps she had a tumor?

Based on her chest X-ray though, the radiologist thought that Mittens might have allergies. He gave her a cortisone shot, which immediately stopped the wheezing – for one day only, alas. Now, she’s back to wheezing. She sounds like she has a very, very stuffed up nose. Sometimes her breathing sounds completely normal; other times it’s quite labored, a gasping, high-pitched wheeze. Doesn’t appear to be any foreign object lodged in the nasal passageway.

The odd thing is that she has a healthy appetite and what appears to be a normal amount of energy. She has no nasal discharges, often a sign of respiratory infection. Except for the wheezing (which sometimes gets so bad that it interferes with my sleep, although apparently, not her sleep), she looks and behaves no different than when she was perfectly healthy.

Could it be asthma? It’s supposed to be one of the most common causes of wheezing in cats, and much more of a problem for cats than dogs. Asthma can be triggered by allergies. The wheezing sounds just like a person having an asthma attack.

Other causes of respiratory problems like wheezing in cats include:

Hairballs – Cats swallow fur when they groom themselves, and they sometimes cough and gag up hairballs. It’s not a problem usually, but if they look like they’re choking, take them to the vet immediately! An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of fur, as they say. Regular brushing can prevent the build up of hairballs.

Heartworms – Surprisingly, these parasites, which live inside the pulmonary (lung) arteries and the right side of the heart, can cause shortness of breath and coughing. Heartworms can be a serious condition leading to high blood pressure or heart failure. Preventing these nasty worms from growing inside your cat is your best line of defense because the drugs to combat these worms can cause side effects that can be quite dangerous to kitty.

Heatstroke – It’s easy for cats to get overheated if you leave them in a hot environment where they can’t escape or cool off. Cats can’t sweat like we do, so their international temperatures can quickly rise. The cat will start panting. If you can’t get the body temperature down quickly, the cat can collapse and even die.

In Mittens’ case, hairballs, heartworms, and heatstroke, have all been ruled out. So what is the cause of her wheezing? The vet didn’t seem to know.

Pixie suspects that Mittens has a tumor. If so, she would need surgery. And at 15 years of age, Pixie believes that Mittens is too old to benefit from surgical intervention.

I pray that the wheezing is nothing but allergies.

46 comments:

Unknown said...

How is Mittens doing?

One of my cats wheezed all the time. In his case, it was due to labored breathing caused by his enlarged heart and the fluid around the heart (also known as congestive heart failure). He had a myriad of other aliments (including renal failure and hypertension).

As for allergies, I currently own the only cat my vet has ever heard of in her 20+ years of experience who is allergic to humans! She's also allergic to lots of other things (both food and other environmental agents). It took us a while to figure rule out the other possibles you mentioned (fleas, fungus, upper respiratory infection, etc). But now that we know, she's doing much better!

Anonymous said...

Our cat Lindo started wheezing and make a choking sound. We took him to the Vet and he gave a shot for asthma and said it might be an allergy. He also took a chest x-ray. He was OK for a day and it started again. We went back and the Vet said he seemed fine and his lungs were clear. It started again, we have changed his brand of litter ( crystal) and are watching him to figure what is causing this. It is frustrating going back and forth to the Vet who don't seem that concerned.
Wini

Cheryl Chow said...

Niki,

Is your cat still doing better? I can't believe that any cat would be allergic to humans!

Mittens is doing great!

Cheryl Chow said...

Wini,

Hope Lindo gets well soon! If you're not happy with your current vet, can you get another one? A second opinion might be in order. A friend of mine did that and got much better care for her cat.

Good luck, and please keep us posted.

Anonymous said...

I found this blog, cuz I did a search on asthma and cats. My cat has been wheezing since yesterday. Someone on here mentioned litter.

That reminded me of several articles I've read of the dangers of commercial litter.

Has anyone switched to a brand that does not have so much dust in it? It's pretty expensive, but I'm going to try to find some. So far I've only seen it for order online.

Like another poster, my cat has a good appetite, which made me think - well it can't be too serious, but now I'm not so sure. Right now she is sleeping and I am keeping an eye on her and giving her Bach remedies.

ellen

Cheryl Chow said...

Ellen,

I will do some research on different cat litter and post it.

How is your cat now? Hope she's better!

Cheryl

ericachen said...

I know I'm commenting on an old post but I found it through google... how is your cat now? Is Mitten taking any medication? My cat has been wheezing but the vet says its probably just allergies. I have him on medication but its only been a few days so I don't know if its truly working. Any advice?

Btw, my cat was also allergic to his cat litter so I'm currently mixing Swheat Scoop and Worlds Best (original) which stopped the sneezing.

Cheryl Chow said...

Erica,

Thanks for asking about Mittens! She is off her meds. She's healthy and happy now. (Will be posting more news about her.)

If the vet says your cat's probably allergic, then the best thing is to just wait and see if the medication works. Since he was allergic to his cat litter he's probably allergic to other things in the environment as well. Do you have any idea what he might be allergic to?

I'll write a post about cat allergies soon.

Hope your cat gets well soon! If you care to, please update here in the comments section. Thanks.

Take care,

Cheryl

Anonymous said...

My happy healthy indoor cat named Nancy is 4 year old and started wheezing occasionally some months back. It seemed to be getting a bit louder though still infrequent and I got worried. I started thinking what was different now and the only thing I could come up with is litter. We have another kitty Heidi who had a urinary infection and was convinced our paper pellet litter was why she hurt so I had to switch and I made sure to buy a litter free of silica. We went with one with bentonite clay. We have used the litter for almost 2 years and it was even recommended by the vet, and in several holistic care books. I reread the ingredients (BENTONITE) today and researched more finding some horrible studies and helpful info which made me run out immediately and buy a new litter pans scoopers etc. I found World's Best Cat Litter locally it is made of corn which clumps and is a buttercup yellow color. The cats have already used it and seem to think it is pretty neat. On the site the company has a zip code look up for local retailers- http://www.worldsbestcatlitter.com/Home/default.aspx - also I found some respiratory meds recommended to help Nancy heal up after this mess- http://www.holisticpetinfo.com/conditions/respiratory.htm - I also want to recommend a book that is helping us greatly and covers all aspects of cat care/ health in a natural and realistic manner It is called "Whole Health for Happy Cats" by Sandy Arora. I hope all your kitties are happy and healthy and I wil update as Nancy progresses with the dosages we have given her and how the new toxin free litter is working.

Cheryl Chow said...

Thank you so very much for sharing! You've provided some wonderful resources and information. Fortunately, none of my cats (I'm currently taking care of three) are allergic to their cat litter. But I have a friend whose cat had this issue and it can be quite troublesome.

I have not read the particular book that you recommended. I think I'd like to pick up a copy when I can.

Please do keep us updated on how Nancy is doing.

Cheryl

Unknown said...

I hope Sweet Mittens is doing OK! I came here cuz my "Little Blackie" has been wheezing more lately. I wasn't sure what it could be but I did suspect Allergies. I will find out soon!

Cheryl Chow said...

Let us know what you find out about "Little Blackie."

Mittens is doing fine, thanks for asking. It turns out that her wheezing was due to nasal fungal infection. She's almost cured now. Will be going back to the vet for more testing.

Hope your kitty is doing better!

Cheryl

Unknown said...

Cheryl,

What tests did you do to diagnose a fungal infection? Bloodwork? Nose swab? Out cat is wheezing and did not respond to a cortisone shot. Our vet does not seem to know the range of problems that might cause wheezing, and we want to make sure all tests are done to determine any potential problem.

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I just found a cat the other night under a bridge during a thunderstorm. One of it's ears is bent almost over its eye and is thin as a rail! I brought it into my apartment for a slumber party with my other cat, who was less than thrilled. I gave it a flea dip and have been feeding it. It wheezes terribly when it breathes and acquired the name Weezy. I'm not really sure what to do with it or if it needs immediate vet attention. I'm sure the wheezing isn't good, and it looks in bad shape. I can't afford any more vet bills but I can't just kick him out! What should I do?? Any suggestions??

Anonymous said...

I was just searching for some answers to my cat sneezing/wheezing and saw this posting. My problem is a bit different and I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas for me. My cat is a senior at 19 years old. She has kidney disease. But has developed this upper respiratory issue. For a while, we gave her antibiotics but they seem to be working less well lately. Her eye is running and her nose is stuffy. I have drops but cannot get them in. I read somewhere about some homeopathic thing but can't find it now. Does anyone have any ideas about how to help her clear out her little nose? She's tiny-6 pounds-and hates being "held down". Help!!

Cheryl Chow said...

Hi Jen,

Gosh, I'm sooo sorry but for some reason I did NOT see your question! All comments are supposed to be sent to my email account but somehow this failed to get to my inbox. I'm afraid that it's been so long you've already given up on me. You probably won't see my response, but I'll comment anyway.

The fungal test that Mittens gets is bloodwork now that she's already been diagnosed. But initially, I think they did a biopsy. I'll have to ask the vet for details. They're closed now, so will try to get someone on Monday. So sorry about this!

Cheryl

Cheryl Chow said...

To the person who asked a question about a cat under the bridge....I'm sorry that I did not see your question until today. I was out of the country and did not have Internet access. Plus I'm having some difficulty getting these comments forwarded to my email account.

I'm afraid it's probably too late anyway, but I will respond.

I think that the cat definitely needs some sort of veterinarian care. Your local humane society may be able to offer low cost or possibly free care for a feral cat. You should call and find out. Good luck -- and if you ever read my response or come back to this site, please let us know what happened!

Cheryl

Cheryl Chow said...

To the person asking about homeopathic remedies....I'm asking around to see if anyone knows anything. I will post an answer here as soon as I find out anything.

Meanwhile, if anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to comment!

Thanks!

Cheryl

Daggie said...

I found this site and thank God for it.
My cat has been wheezing a bit for the past few months. She's a five year old calico (read: princess). She's an indoor cat so I eliminated the possibility of heartworms - as did our vet.
We just took Cariboo to the vet a couple of months ago for her regular check-up. She seems to be in excellent health, with the exception of being a little overweight, however she is also a long cat. When I mentioned the wheezing our vet wasn't too concerned since Cariboo is a happy, playful kitty.
But I have been noticing that the wheezing increases more when she's sleeping (she also snores a bit) and sometimes when we're holding her.
But all your comments made me actually consider the "litter" issue. We've been using "Sweath Scoop" litter for a little over a year, specifically since it is virtually dust free as it is made from naturally processed wheat.
Can a cat be allergic to wheat??
I know the wheezing can be also due to her weight, but in all honesty, during this year annual check-up, the Vet confirmed that Cariboo actually lost 6 oz.
Her wheezing is so sporadic I can't pinpoint what can be causing it. For example: right now she’s sleeping. 10 minutes ago she was wheezing so much that I actually wanted to wake her. Then she seemed fine and once again now I can hear the little, quiet wheezing. Or am I mistaking the wheezing for snoring? But can cats snore when they’re awake? Her wheezing now sounds the same as it does when she’s awake.

Cheryl Chow said...

Hi Daggie,

It's possible for cats to be allergic to wheat. I don't know if that's the case with your kitty. Maybe you can try some different litter, see if that makes any difference. And has the vet examined her to make sure there were no obstructions in her nasal passageway?

I suppose a cat can make "snoring" sounds when she's awake. I think there were times when Mittens almost sounded like she was snoring even though she was awake. But mostly, she was wheezing.

It's great that Cariboo seems to be in excellent health. Do continue watching her, though.

If you care to, please write back and tell us how she's doing. Good luck!

Cheryl

Unknown said...

Thank you Cheryl:)

Cariboo has been wheezing off and on. Yesterday evening it was rather loud to the point that we considered calling an emergency number for our vet. But once she woke up, she dove right into her food bowl, chased a few invisible flakes of dust and was again quite playfull.
Our vet is on holidays for a couple of more weeks, but we've decided that we will call and make an appointment once she's back. It won't hurt to follow up on that wheezing and we do worry that it may be either an allergy to something or perhaps a mild case of feline asthma.

Cheryl Chow said...

Hi Dagmara,

How is Cariboo now? Is she still wheezing? Is your vet back from the holidays? Hope the vet was able to determine the cause.

Mittens started sneezing again. Fortunately, a blood test and a visual exam showed that she was fine.

The vet said that Lydia, my other cat, may be suffering from hay fever. So I guess that's another possibility to consider.

If you have a chance, please let me know how Cariboo is doing.

Take care,

Cheryl

Sharon said...

Hi Cheryl, I have a 12yr old male Siamese. 2 yrs ago the vet noticed a mild heart murmour,that hadn't worsened at his last check up. Over the last mth he has changed from coughing to a definate wheeze. This is usually when he's curled up asleep in the basket he shares with my 3 other cats. It is still in frequent but sounds like he is struggling to catch his breath. He is immediately ok afterwards. Any ideas? Sharon

Cheryl Chow said...

Hi Sharon,

Have you taken your cat to the vet? It could just be allergies, or it could be something worse. He might have something obstructing his nasal passageway that needs to be removed. Or maybe it's something related to his heart. And, while it's unlikely, but there's always the chance of a tumor. At his age you don't want to take any chances.

Please let me know what you find out. Hope he gets well soon!

Cheryl

Unknown said...

Hi,

Your blog seems to be well read. If any of your readers are willing to know about cat allergy this website can help www.allergiestocatsrelief.com

Anonymous said...

hi my name is marcy and i found this page one late night because my 4 month old kitten named "Hotrod" is a lil black n grey tabby who me and my mother found when he was about 2 maybe 3 weeks old and we have been smothering him with love ever since but we noticed that he had a lil wheezy problem and we figured that since he was in as rough a shape that he was in that it could just be a sinus issue and he would get over it in time but now he is almost 5 months and he is still whezzing he is perfectly happy and in great health expect the wezz and he is also a indoor kitty also, but where we are stumped is if it was his sinuses they would have cleared up by now n he doesn't cough or anything but he wezzes almost 24 hours a day including while he sleeps and we are puzzled we first believed that it would have gotten worse or even picked its self up from when we would leave him at home during the day in the back room of the house and we would come home to him sleeping in our shower which is cold concrete and wet and to me that doesn't mix but we have stopped him from sleeping in the shower and we are still stumped like i said he is perfectly happy and health and playful and full of piss n vinegar too but me and my mother just need some help with our lil hotrod if you or anyone else can help please n thank you

Cheryl Chow said...

Hi Marcy,

Have you taken your kitty to the vet? I don't know what could be causing your cat to wheez like that, but in the case of Mittens, it was fungal sinus infection. If your cat has the same thing -- fungal infection -- then it will NOT clear up on its own. You MUST take the cat to the vet and get medication for it. Fungal infection is pretty persistent. Also, if you don't get the infection cleared up, there is a danger that it will progress into something worse. So please take your cat to the vet as soon as you can! And please let me know what you find out. Sending you and your kitty good thoughts! Hope he gets well soon!

Cheryl

winston salem cat hairballs said...

Thanks for the post. I enjoyed reading it. Fortunately, none of my cats are allergic.
Cats are the second most popular pets loved by millions of people all over the world. Whether you are a first time cat owner, or have been owned by several cats over the years, you know that there are a few cat health problems that you should be on the lookout for.

litter box buffalo said...

Hi, My cat's name is Alice. Whenever i notice something wrong with her, i rush her to the nearest vet.
One of the more serious cat health problems is Feline Immunodeficiency Virus or FIV and more popularly known as cat AIDS or kitty AIDS is another health problem that could affect your cat. This severely damages the strength of your cat to fight diseases and the symptoms of FIV are not conspicuous until the cat has been severely infected.
So let's all watch out for our pet's health!

veterinary specialty care said...

Hi. How do the cats get allergies?
I want to visit this clinic who provides comprehensive veterinary care for Dogs, Cats, and Small Pets such as Vaccinations & Preventive Care, Illness & Injury Care, Surgery and Internal Medicine, Dentistry, Radiology and Microchipping.

animal veterinarians said...

Is you cat feeling better now? You have to pay a visit to your nearest vet coz dogs health is always important.
Our Veterinary Pet Clinic provides comprehensive veterinary care for Dogs, Cats, and Small Pets such as Vaccinations & Preventive Care, Illness & Injury Care, Surgery and Internal Medicine, Dentistry, Radiology and Microchipping.

Anonymous said...

my cat is somewhere around 15 or 16 and she's has wheezing and heavy breathing for as long as i can remember. even snoring. she snores quite loud. i'm not sure as to if it's any kind of problem at all and i never thought about it till today when i was thinking of how much i love her. she is my baby. T_T

i was watching her groom and she kind of makes little snorts and stuff. every once in a while she'll sigh. but she never seems to have trouble breathing.
i wonder if it could just be with my cat that she's overweight. she's kind of a smaller cat but she's really big and fluffy for her size. when i say fluffy though i mean fluffy. i think if i shaved her she would probably be 5lbs lighter. haha not literally.

Simba\Rusty said...

Hi
My Cat Simba is 11 years old, he is a house cat, and he is a happy cat, calm, cool and not stressed. Simba loves to be around people to be petted, I never heard him growl or be mean. I took him a couple of times to the Vet he constantly grooms licking himself and scratches to a point he has leisure’s and scabs no infections. When I took him to the Vet they would put a cone around his neck that didn't work. Simba has a problem that the Vet cannot find what is wrong. Simba is very healthy an playful cat so I stopped going to the vet. He doesn’t have fleas, or ear mitts.
Whatever he has is not contagious, I have another younger cat Rusty he is 5 years old he is perfectly fine. Just a couple of months ago Simba started wheezing when he sleeps.
What I am thinking is that he has a physiological problem or he is allergic to something.
One thing I can't take him to the vet, as soon as I put him in a cage to take him to the car he pees.
Help anyone!!

Simba\Rusty said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

My cat Moxie has always been a healthy, shy but gentle and playful cat. There is a family dispute as to her age but we think she might be around 11. She's had hairball problems in the past. About 6 months ago she started to make a slightly different what-I-thought was a hairball sound. But it wasn't constant and she continued to be herself. Now in the last few weeks she has start to make a wheezy sound when she exhales. It is almost constant but silent when she is resting. Vet gave us an antibiotic and ruled out heart worm. She continues to eat and drink regularly. Xray did not show tumor or growth. Heart looked normal. Signs of breathing probs in lungs but lungs were normal. I've been reading this blog. Any other suggestions? Litter, food? House is dusty but always has been.

Cheryl Chow said...

What sort of litter do you use? I've heard that some cats can be allergic to clumping litter. If you're using clay litter, you might try something else, like ones made from paper or corn. And what do you feed Moxie? Again, some cats develop allergies to some substances in their food. Unfortunately, some cat foods contain ingredients that are harmful to cats. So you might want to do some research. Hope Moxie gets well soon! And please give us an update.
Take care,

Cheryl

Cheryl Chow said...

Simba/Rusty,

That is really strange about your cat Simba. Wheezing does sound like an allergy if he doesn't have any infections. Might he be allergic to his litter or food? Cats are known to develop allergies to them. And, it's too bad about Simba peeing when you try to take him to the vet. Have you tried Rescue Remedy to try to calm him down? Another option is to look for a
vet who makes house calls.

Does he get along with Rusty?

Good luck and please let us know how Simba does.

Take care,
Cheryl

Julia said...

Hi, everyone. I found this blog by googling "cats wheezing." I have three cats, acquired at different times, from different places. The first cat never had a problem, but the second one would wheeze sometimes. And then, the first cat started doing it too. I adopted a kitten in September, who is also healthy...but started the same wheezing yesterday.

My cats are indoor cats, fixed, and up to date on shots. My vet has ruled cat flu, or worms, or tumors, and doesn't think asthma would be a problem for three unrelated cats.

The second cat has been doing it for years, and it doesn't happen a ton.

And, aside from the wheezing, all three cats are healthy, clear eyes, nose and ears, good energy, and great appetite.

In short, my vet and I are baffled. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,

Julia

SewsLikeTheWind said...

I too just found this thread searching for information on wheezing cats. My 13 year old Violet began wheezing about 6 to 8 weeks ago. This was several months after a move and a change in litter so I went to Worlds Best non scented and cleaned away anything that might be annoying her.

Of course I took her to the new to us vet. I wish this had happened before the move as I had a world if confidence in my old vet. After the first visit it was suggested she start on Zyrtec and saline nasal spray. I was unsuccessful using nasal spray or drops (Violet can turn Violent). The Zyrtec does not seem to have any effect.

On the follow visit they did blood work and a chest X-ray. She does not have any disease or an enlarged heart. Her wheezing is a bit more pronounced this past week.

The vet now suggests a soft palate exam under sedation. If a pollop is found it'll be removed, as possible which I am scheduling this week.

Just need to vent this.

Anonymous said...

My cat "Meowy" has been wheezing for a while.
We thought about it and didn't want to take her to the vet since we did not have pet insurance. We stopped all the air fresheners and decided to give her albutrol. She did not take it very well.
What should I do.

Cheryl Chow said...

Sorry to hear that your cat "Meowy" has been wheezing. As I'm not a vet, I can't really diagnose or suggest a treatment for your kitty. It's tough if you're not in a position to take your cat to the vet. Wheezing can be caused by so many different things. Can you tell if there's an obstruction in your cat's nasal passage? What sort of cat litter do you use? Sometimes cats can get allergic to the litter, especially the ones with a lot of dust. You could try changing to a kind that will be less likely to trigger allergies. The best thing of course, is to take your cat to the vet. Perhaps you can contact the local humane society for help or ask the vet if he/she would consider a payment plan.
Good luck, and please let us know what you do!
Cheryl

Chad Boprie said...

Hello everybody!
We have been on quite the roller coast ride with our cat (Kelso). I don't know where to begin, but I will summarize things as much as possible. He is an indoor cat.

As a kitten, Kelso started sneezing. A lot! We took him to our vet, she prescribed a medicine (I don't recall it off of the top of my head) and he was fine for the most part.

Fast forward a year or two. He now has all kinds of respiratory problems. He has been sneezing/wheezing/gurgling/coughing/snoring on and off for four year. Our vet has treated him with various antibiotics, decongestants, and other medications. Everything seemed to treat his symptoms but they would often come back within a matter of weeks or months

He has had several x-Rays and bloodwork done. Everything comes back normal. Our other two cats are totally fine and healthy. Our dogs are healthy as well.

A few weeks ago, I noticed that he felt lighter and seemed to be eating and drinking less. I weighed him and he had lost 2 pounds since his last vet appointment which was 6 months ago. Our vet said to keep an eye on him. Well two more weeks passed by and he has now lost about two more pounds. At this point, we wanted a second opinion and took him to a cat specialist. They performed more tests and we chose to put a feeding tube in due to his refusal to eat. The vet said he is so congested that he can't eat and breathe at the same time so he is choosing not to eat.

He is tolerating the feeding tube well. He is eating some wet food on his own. However, since yesterday he started having more labored breathing and has been breathing through his mouth. We took him to the speciality clinic this morning and vet working today looked him over. He is now on a decongestant, steroid nasal drop, azirthomyocin, an appetite stimulant, another steroid, and one more medication.

They aren't sure what he has but they said his one nasal passage is like totally blocked off. There immediate thoughts are an infection or cancer.

We don't know what to do at this point and the vet wants to see how he responds to the medications. He is very lethargic and his breathing is labored. He definitely is uncomfortable. We are afraid we will have to put him down in the near future because we don't want to see him suffer. He is only 8 years old.

Thoughts? Does anyone else have any recommendations for a cat with these type of long term symptoms. I read some things about a fungal infection and litter allergies. We haven't explored that yet. Could he be allergic to the dogs or something they bring in the house???

My wife and I are very sad and discouraged. Nothing seems to be working. Our vets are doing an excellent job but they seem stumped too.

Anonymous said...

I thought my 11 year old love of my life, Leo, had developed a snore in his "old" age and thought nothing of it. Then he developed a cough for once a night for several evenings. Then I found him heaped on the bookcase, collapsed in respiratory distress. Overnight em vet stay with Oxygen and Lasix as they suspected heart failure but I knew lungs and hoped just a brief asthma attack or something to medicate. They found a lung totally shriveled up collapsed and a tumor/mass on the other and I had to say good bye to him. It's been six weeks plus and I am still totally CRUSHED and guilting myself that I thought the wheeze was a snore and that I didn't take him in first cough attack. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get your cats to the vet to be checked and avoid my horror.

Unknown said...

I have a 15 year old calico. She started wheezing. Took her to vet and they gave her a injection for her nasal passages. Said I should see improvement in 3 days. No improvement. Then she went on pills (clavaseptin) for 10 days. After 5 days no improvement. Then did x-rays. All good, no tumour, lungs and heart good.
The vet is puzzled. They have done all they can there. I did change my cat litter. The one I was using wasn't available anymore. So bought another brand that was fragrance free. But is wasn't. Used a little then returned it. Went to another pet store and they guaranteed fragrance and dust free. It is. But did this start with the other cat litter? My vet suggested that I take her to a vet that specializes in Internal Medicine. I don't want to stress my car out anymore right now. So I am watching her very carefully and see if there is any improvement in the next little while. She is eating, drinking, using her litter box, sleeping and stills wants to play, and loves to be brushed. I have spent a good amount of money on her but the thing that bothers me is anything helping. If all this is for nothing and they still don't have a answer, what do you do. I don't want her to be used as a guinea pig, if you know what I mean. Her breathing is not labored at all. I really watch
her. Any suggestions?

Cheryl Chow said...

Hi, Katherine,

So sorry to hear about your cat. How is she now? Any improvements? It's really hard to say what's going on with her since the x-rays didn't show anything. Still have to consider the possibility of the cat litter, and possibly her food. She sounds like she's doing well if she sleeps, eats, and plays. Is her wheezing changed at all? If it continues, then maybe -- after she's had time to recuperate from her previous vet visits -- then take her to an Internal Medicine specialist.

Wish you and your kitty the best of luck! Please keep me posted! Sorry about the delay in response, I was traveling and didn't see your message.

why do cats sleep so much said...


why do cats sleep so much
do you know ? i know