Why does my cat suddenly have asthma-like symptoms?

There may be two reasons for your cat's asthma-like symptoms. The first is irritant causes. When cats are exposed to irritants in their environment or the surrounding air, they may develop symptoms similar to asthma, such as pollen, perfume, and dust in the air. The second is hairball stimulation. If cats do not regularly eat hair removal paste, they may误食 their own hairballs, thereby stimulating the respiratory tract and causing symptoms similar to asthma.

Symptoms of Asthma

Feline asthma is a chronic disease mainly caused by allergies, sometimes accompanied by coughing. Possible allergens include grass, pollen, smoke, sprays, dust from cat litter, flea powder, and dry cleaning powder. Cats with asthma mainly show signs of extending their necks, opening their eyes wider than usual, some drooling, followed by a loud wheezing sound, which usually lasts for several seconds or minutes, and coughing, causing symptoms similar to vomiting.

Diagnostic Methods for Asthma

The diagnosis of feline asthma mainly relies on medical history investigation, X-ray examination, and tracheal cytology. The medical history investigation depends on the owner's detailed description of the cat's entire course of illness, preferably with a video recording of the onset of illness at home. Chest X-rays show clear bronchial vascular patterns. Tracheal cytology mainly reveals neutrophil infiltration, especially whether eosinophils increase.

Treatment for Asthma

The treatment for feline asthma involves cough suppression, anti-allergy, and preventing secondary infections. If the asthma is sudden and likely caused by allergies, it is recommended to take the cat to the hospital for anti-allergy treatment, and severe cases may require oxygen therapy. If the cat has frequent asthma attacks, it can be given oral prednisolone regularly to alleviate symptoms. Cats are not as sensitive to hormonal drugs as expected and can be taken for a long time.