Asthma or Heart Problems?

Last week my 10 year old cat stopped eating for a day. I got him to start eating again but after a week, he still was eating very little. Last night, he seemed to be panting & having trouble breathing. I took him to the vet & they did a chest xray. It showed that his lungs were inflamed & you could see the "tamlines" & "doughnuts." But another thing she mentioned was that his heart was a bit large. She said this could be because my cat is a pretty big cat. His heartbeat was normal though. She said it could either be asthma or a heart problem. She gave him steroids & Lasix. It's only been a few hours since the visit but I'm still worried because he's still breathing quickly. Has anyone ever experienced anything similar?

Yes. I'm sorry to tell you pretty big cats are prone to heart problems. The Rogue died of this shortly before his third birthday. Vets didn't really look at his heart because he was so young.

If he hasn't improved tomorrow, I'd bring him back to the vet, or any emergency vet. Normal heartbeat is encouraging, though!

Do you mean big cats as in fatter or size-wise? Merlot is a healthy weight, just a big sized cat. I'll definitely bring him back tomorrow if he isn't better. I wish I knew how to help him breathe easier.

Size-wise. The Rogue was 20+lbs of mostly muscle, but he also stopped eating on his own in his last two weeks. It's because those big ones might have some Main Coon in them, who are known to carry genetic mutations for heart trouble.

If it is not the heart, you can try a steam bath. Basically just steam up your shower and let him breathe the air. I did try a pot of steaming water and a towel over both the Rogue's and my head at the time. Looking back, I'd rather rushed him to the emergency vet sooner.

Oh I see. Since getting the medicine today, he's actually eaten a normal amount. But if it is his heart, is there anything I can do about it? I've tried to look up several things, but it doesn't say too much about treatment other than medication

Eating is the best sign! Hope it's not the heart. There isn't much to do about it other than hospitalizing a cat and having him live on machines and tubes for half a year or until you decide he has suffered enough (at least that's what the emergency vet told me).

Thank you for your replies & input. I really appreciate it