Asthma. I betcha. Keep us posted what the vet says. I had an asthmatic cat who couldn't be given steriods for it bc she was in diabetic remission and so we got the inhaler. She hated it but it helped.
So glad she is ok. I would still be worried about “ inflammation in the chest” though. I found this on possible causes. Maybe take her for a second look etc to make sure. My Tess was not diagnosed with hcm until she was in complete heart failure even though I took her in 2 days before that with on and off rapid breathing and they told me I was crazy. Same for Angie when she became severely anemic, she was breathing rapidly but stopped when we got to the er dvm. Good idea to de - allergize everything as it could be that also.Post-vet update: the vet watched the video and listened to Kila’s chest. She said she seemed fine, chest sounds were normal, gums normal. Wasn’t sure about the noise in the video but said it could have been a reverse sneeze or an allergen that irritated her.
She offered to do an x Ray and I accepted for peace of mind. The x Ray showed a small amount of inflammation in the chest but vet said it’s not enough to cause worry, especially if she’s not panting or open mouth breathing. The x Ray also caught something strange in her belly, a light-colored spot, so she vet asked if Kila might have eaten anything out of the ordinary. I haven’t seen her eat anything but she’s home alone at times. I asked if it was something we should be worried about but she said as long as Kila’s still eating, drinking, and using the litter box okay, we shouldn’t be concerned.
Not much of a diagnosis but at least I know she’s not on her deathbed. I’m still not convinced it’s not allergy related so I may try to remove some common allergens around our apartment to see if that makes a difference.
I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye on her and the vet said to not hesitate to call if she gets worse or if new symptoms crop up. I keep a little spreadsheet of info that I log in every day (how much she eats, if she goes to the bathroom, any odd behavior, etc.) so I'll always know if something's up. Yes I'm a bit of a helicopter cat parent.So glad she is ok. I would still be worried about “ inflammation in the chest” though.
Not sure if anyone had mentioned smoke as possible allergy/asthma triggers- if you like to burn candles, incense sticks or most importantly open fireplace, you may want to reconsider.I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye on her and the vet said to not hesitate to call if she gets worse or if new symptoms crop up. I keep a little spreadsheet of info that I log in every day (how much she eats, if she goes to the bathroom, any odd behavior, etc.) so I'll always know if something's up. Yes I'm a bit of a helicopter cat parent.
Based on how the vet talked about the x-rays, she genuinely didn't seem concerned, which does put me at ease despite all the possibilities. She even pointed out that Kila appeared to be generally relaxed in the video I took -- not hunched over, no uncomfortable posture, etc. So that on top of regular appetite and the fact that it passed is a good sign that it's not too severe.
Kila's already acting much more like herself today after resting up. She's got some residual anxiety from the vet's trip so I'm hoping this'll be her last trip in for a while, fingers crossed. Two times in two weeks is a lot!
This is really good advice for a lot of reasons but particularly because it helps illustrate how differently asthma can present when it's diagnosed. Ireland's progression was different from She's a witch 's cat's progression though our cats have one really important thing in common: the lack of "visible distress." Ireland's symptoms have been almost totally invisible to us, though what she had -- the two cough attacks, some panting after hard play when she was a kitten, and occasional mouth breathing -- was enough for me to watch her breathing over the years. Asthma was always in the back of my mind, even when she was showing no symptoms at all.Not sure if anyone had mentioned smoke as possible allergy/asthma triggers- if you like to burn candles, incense sticks or most importantly open fireplace, you may want to reconsider.
I’d also be worried about this inflammation, it’s never a good thing, so it’s great you’re keeping a close eye on her. Hopefully it’s not chronic. Was it in her respiratory airways area? Do you have a copy of an image if you decide to ask for another opinion? How old she? How long have you had her?
I have an asthmatic kitty, her lungs have always sounded perfect, and she was always relaxed when coughing, maybe apart from first few time when she wasn’t used to it. But mostly, she wouldn’t even stop playing when the attack came, maybe pause for a while, but without any visible distress. Luckily we caught the disease early.
If I were you, I’d watch for and record every cough if it repeats (hopefully not!!!) and notice the frequency. They are different opinions when to involve steroids medication, some would say no to steroids if the cough happens only every 2 weeks. Some say that any airways inflammation and cough requires it, to minimize the risk of irreversible changes in the lower respiratory track.
Best of luck and I hope she’ll never cough again!
She's actually not a kitten -- she's 3! But she's had a lot of changes lately. Today she seems fine, hungrier and more alert than usual even. Thanks so much for your kind words. She's had a hard life up until now and I want to do right by her.I'm so glad you were able to get her to the vet today and that the x-ray eased your mind. I think you mentioned that she is still a kitten. One thing I remember from when my Tumbles was a kitten was that would always sleep A LOT just before a growth spurt. Kittens grow in their sleep, so maybe that's the cause of the deep and extra sleeping she was doing. You're a good pet parent and very attentive. My vet always tells me to trust my gut because I know my cat best and I know what's normal and not normal for my kitties.
We haven't burned any kind of candles since we got her, and we don't have a fireplace. I've been trying to think of what was going on when the attack started and what could have possibly triggered it. The change in litter is the biggest standout to me, as we had just changed it less than an hour before the coughing started. She's been in there and used the box a few times since then though and no respiratory issues, but I'm still switching it for the respiratory litter ASAP.Not sure if anyone had mentioned smoke as possible allergy/asthma triggers- if you like to burn candles, incense sticks or most importantly open fireplace, you may want to reconsider.
I’d also be worried about this inflammation, it’s never a good thing, so it’s great you’re keeping a close eye on her. Hopefully it’s not chronic. Was it in her respiratory airways area? Do you have a copy of an image if you decide to ask for another opinion? How old she? How long have you had her?
As far as I know, she did not have any kind of respiratory issue at the rescue where we got her from. Though the owner of the rescue mentioned a week or so before we were able to pick her up that some of the cats were passing "a cold" around (I'm assuming that's shorthand for a URI) so it's possible she might have had one recently. I could message the rescue owner and ask, we're on good terms.I have one other question, too, since Kila was recently adopted. Did she have a respiratory infection either at a shelter or just after you brought her home?
That is great she is ok and feeling better. The x ray would have showed fluid build I think if there were any. I hope she relaxes after the dvm ordeal soon And doesn’t have to go back. You are a great cat parent to write everything down etc.I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye on her and the vet said to not hesitate to call if she gets worse or if new symptoms crop up. I keep a little spreadsheet of info that I log in every day (how much she eats, if she goes to the bathroom, any odd behavior, etc.) so I'll always know if something's up. Yes I'm a bit of a helicopter cat parent.
Based on how the vet talked about the x-rays, she genuinely didn't seem concerned, which does put me at ease despite all the possibilities. She even pointed out that Kila appeared to be generally relaxed in the video I took -- not hunched over, no uncomfortable posture, etc. So that on top of regular appetite and the fact that it passed is a good sign that it's not too severe.
Kila's already acting much more like herself today after resting up. She's got some residual anxiety from the vet's trip so I'm hoping this'll be her last trip in for a while, fingers crossed. Two times in two weeks is a lot!
Could be asthma or allergies etc. I hope it helps her, I have never heard of that litter.Morning update: Kila let out another hack / cough this morning, just one, right after she used the litter box. She seemed fine just afterwards, begging for her breakfast and eating it without incident. I noticed that she hasn’t been covering her urine when she’s gone in the box either. Maybe to avoid kicking up dust?
I know I can’t be sure of the cause but I’m heading to Petsmart on my lunch break today to get that respiratory litter. My partner works from home so he’ll be able to keep an eye on her during the day.
This is what I'm hoping as well. She's been itching and grooming a lot since we got her and she definitely doesn't have fleas (vet combed her over when we brought her in and she's been on Revolution), which is why I lean towards allergies. I noticed her nose whistles a little bit when she's sleeping and she'll sometimes go into little grooming frenzies where she licks and scratches a lot. She tends to lick/scratch more when we play with her (she'll play for a few minutes then stop to groom a certain spot, then keep going).I pray your little one just has a stress related cold or allergies. It really could be not more than that!
Definitely try getting rid of the potato! That's what ended gassiness and vomiting for Edwina, our other cat. We have these cats on a very low-carb diet, which also seems to be a plus for keeping inflammation down. (In that interest, I've also cut out nearly all fish for Ireland.)But she's been rather gassy lately and her stools have been a bit wet. Some of the Weruva foods have potato in them so we're trying ones without now to see if that makes a difference over time.
Oh no, I'm sorry to hear about the hack/cough! Yes, the litter box. Does Kila kick a lot in the box? Ireland does, it's ridiculous (I call it her "scissor kick," it's a very vigorous cross-paw effort that goes on for a long time) and, worst of all, she practically sticks her nose in the box when she does it. I hope the Dr. Elsey's helps Kila, too. Also: since that litter's so expensive, don't forget to flip through the coupon book on the side of the box to get $1 off. (And check out the rebate on Dr. E's site, too. I'm not sure about boxes and bags so you might have to ask about that.) And another also: one of our regional stores (Loyal Companion) sells Dr. E's for several dollars less than Petco and Petsmart so it's worth shopping around when you have the chance. (On the other end of the price spectrum, one of our independent stores was offering it for more than $20 a box!)Morning update: Kila let out another hack / cough this morning, just one, right after she used the litter box. She seemed fine just afterwards, begging for her breakfast and eating it without incident. I noticed that she hasn’t been covering her urine when she’s gone in the box either. Maybe to avoid kicking up dust?
I know I can’t be sure of the cause but I’m heading to Petsmart on my lunch break today to get that respiratory litter. My partner works from home so he’ll be able to keep an eye on her during the day.