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So in my quest to try to find out what is causing my cats asthma, I came across the theory that possibly is working.
From 2006 to 2010 my cat ate mostly dry food. In summer of 2010, my cat got very sick and thew up a lot. When I took him to the vet they didn't know why but they noted he may have kidney damage -- or it could be due to being dehydrated. I started him on prescription food and was encouraged to give him more water. Force feed if necessary. For about the next three years... I added wet food but it also risked kidney damage from the prosperous in it - so I kind of sporadically gave it to him just to increase his water. I also sporadically gave it to him either tap or bottled water. Over the next three years he sporadically had these attacks that I thought were hairballs. But they were like every 4 weeks. More in the summer with humidity.
March of this year... I moved to a new home. March was pretty bizzare because out of stress he didn't eat or drink a lot. In April I took him to the vet and he got a completely normal bill of health. No kidney problems. My vet encouraged me to take him off the dry prescription food and give him wet. Add water for good measure. I now went from 75% dry food to 100% wet grain free food. I gave him like 4 servings.. each got about 4 table spoons of water added FROM THE TAP. I even let him drink directly from the tap as he seemed to enjoy it -- at one point I thought it was going down the wrong way because he was messy with it.
The "attacks" kept coming and getting worse until I had to rush my cat to the ER at the end of May. He spent like 3 hours coughing. He was diagnosed with asthma but it was "mild" which I thought was strange if he had it for a while. I put him on steroids and bronciodilators but every-time the steroids were done he would be all mucus again.
Nothing really seemed to work. I couldn't understand how he could go from grain food to non grain and get worse. I started giving him coconut oil which I know has shown promise... nothing. How can it not even make a dent?
This Saturday, he was coughing again and seemed so full of phlem you could hear it when he meowed. -- on a total lark I gave him bottled water with food for two days...
Now typically once he starts showing symptoms he goes rapidly down hill. Monday, no attacks, can't really notice congestion. Tuesday, no attacks, can't really notice congestion. Wednesday, no attacks.. can't really hear a ton of phlem.
So today I wondered... could it be tap water? Well sure enough... chlorine can cause asthma. Most tap water contains chlorine. Though I couldn't find any hard data that suggested my current home has more chlorine than the last... it is entirely possible that it does. It isn't just him drinking it... but a long shower and there is a chlorine fog in the house all day. Chlorine is shown to effect small beings more... children and toddlers.
I am hopeful. I post my story in case it gives anyone else ideas or anyone else has noticed such a thing. I am cautiously optimistic.
From 2006 to 2010 my cat ate mostly dry food. In summer of 2010, my cat got very sick and thew up a lot. When I took him to the vet they didn't know why but they noted he may have kidney damage -- or it could be due to being dehydrated. I started him on prescription food and was encouraged to give him more water. Force feed if necessary. For about the next three years... I added wet food but it also risked kidney damage from the prosperous in it - so I kind of sporadically gave it to him just to increase his water. I also sporadically gave it to him either tap or bottled water. Over the next three years he sporadically had these attacks that I thought were hairballs. But they were like every 4 weeks. More in the summer with humidity.
March of this year... I moved to a new home. March was pretty bizzare because out of stress he didn't eat or drink a lot. In April I took him to the vet and he got a completely normal bill of health. No kidney problems. My vet encouraged me to take him off the dry prescription food and give him wet. Add water for good measure. I now went from 75% dry food to 100% wet grain free food. I gave him like 4 servings.. each got about 4 table spoons of water added FROM THE TAP. I even let him drink directly from the tap as he seemed to enjoy it -- at one point I thought it was going down the wrong way because he was messy with it.
The "attacks" kept coming and getting worse until I had to rush my cat to the ER at the end of May. He spent like 3 hours coughing. He was diagnosed with asthma but it was "mild" which I thought was strange if he had it for a while. I put him on steroids and bronciodilators but every-time the steroids were done he would be all mucus again.
Nothing really seemed to work. I couldn't understand how he could go from grain food to non grain and get worse. I started giving him coconut oil which I know has shown promise... nothing. How can it not even make a dent?
This Saturday, he was coughing again and seemed so full of phlem you could hear it when he meowed. -- on a total lark I gave him bottled water with food for two days...
Now typically once he starts showing symptoms he goes rapidly down hill. Monday, no attacks, can't really notice congestion. Tuesday, no attacks, can't really notice congestion. Wednesday, no attacks.. can't really hear a ton of phlem.
So today I wondered... could it be tap water? Well sure enough... chlorine can cause asthma. Most tap water contains chlorine. Though I couldn't find any hard data that suggested my current home has more chlorine than the last... it is entirely possible that it does. It isn't just him drinking it... but a long shower and there is a chlorine fog in the house all day. Chlorine is shown to effect small beings more... children and toddlers.
I am hopeful. I post my story in case it gives anyone else ideas or anyone else has noticed such a thing. I am cautiously optimistic.
