Cat Asthma ???

indianhead

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I have a 12 year old Maine Coon in good health, who recently had his annual physical and all was well.

Because of his long hair, he is bothered periodically by hairballs and vomiting.

Recently he has developed a loud cough or wheeze that lasts about 30 seconds and then goes away. He is in no distress and if an attack comes while he is lying down, he doesn't even bother to get up.

These attacks are similiar to what a cat goes through when trying to cough up a hairball. Except in this case, there is no hairball and no vomit, just this loud cough or wheeze that goes away quickly.

I have had cats for over 30 years and never had one with this problem.

Any thoughts?
 

xocats

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I can think of several possible causes for your kitty's coughing. I hope that it is just a little fur caught in your kitty's throat but worse case could even be..HCM. If it were me & I had any doubts because of your kitty's age & breed...I would have my vet check this out if it continues. Also...do a search on this forum for coughing, asthma, HTC etc & see if any of the symptoms look the same as your kitty's.
Good Luck...update this thread about how your kitty is doing please.

Lei
 

jeanw

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It sounds like the asthma my cat had. It is diagnosed by x-rays, an exam and symptoms. I would suggest taking your cat to the vet. Asthma which is untreated can be very serious. I don't want to scare you - with treatment your kitty will probably be just fine.
 

joanne511

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We just took our girl Chloe into the vet last week because I was afraid she might have asthma. I found this site to be helpful: http://www.fritzthebrave.com/asthma/symptoms.html

The vet told us we'd probably have to do an x-ray - and even that might not show anything. In the meantime, because Chloe's risk is so low, we are monitoring her breathing and behavior. According to the vet approximately 40-45 breaths a minute is normal. Cats with asthma tend to breathe faster.
 

sashacat421

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Originally Posted by JeanW

It sounds like the asthma my cat had. It is diagnosed by x-rays, an exam and symptoms. I would suggest taking your cat to the vet. Asthma which is untreated can be very serious. I don't want to scare you - with treatment your kitty will probably be just fine.
Agreed. Sasha gets a tiny bit wheezy from time to time, and he is 13. He grooms his little sister, Saba, who is a Coon/Tabby. I do not know where you live, but ever since we moved up to the mountain foothills where there are lots of fir trees - he's developed a slight weakness for mold! Coupled w/grooming Saba, we've noticed a slight change like yours.
 

catgal

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I have went through the same thing with Minmin. She was experiencing the exact same symptoms you are describing. She had to go through many tests before being diagnosed with asthma. She is now on the inhalers and doing extremely well.
I now have the same situation happening with another cat. All the symptoms lead me to believe that she also has asthma. I will have to get her checked out and if necessary will treat her. I am at a loss for words in understanding why this is happening.
 
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