Anybody deal with a cat with respiratory allergies?

[Mighty Orange]

I took here to the vet got nothing for treatment.

 

[Dakera]

Usually, it's in the spring, with all the pollen, that one of my cats has sneezing attacks and runny eyes. I just have to prevent him from staying at the open window, and I give him some eye drops. Did the vet do any tests to check if it's not some reaction to something else?

 

[Kflowers]

ours is allergic to dust. Not a bad reaction to it, just coughing and sneezing if I'm a day late vacuuming. There are worse allergies, so this is doable. But, yes, in the spring, which seems to be right the %^%(^%&(* now, it's worse, so pollen is involved. No doubt is gets into the house whether or not we open the windows and mixes with the dust. From childhood experiences, leaving the windows open all spring will NOT make your allergies better no matter what certain people tell you. A/C helps, dusting with a damp cloth helps, vacuuming as often as you can stand it helps.

 

[Mighty Orange]

Took an X-ray. It's looking like an allergy. I need to go to unscented litter, just want to get rid of a few boxes. I'm currently running a Carbon filter for air by the litter box. Just received fish oil suppose to be an anti-inflammatory and Cosequin with boswellia . Boswellia is a very good lung anti-inflammatory. The commercial drugs I read about seem to do more harm than good. The exception being inhalers, but my bigger problem is I adopted 2 cats at 6 years old last year in March. Seems they were not to humanize the one with the asthma is impossible to pill, she still will not let you hold her. The brother finally lets me hold him. The other issue is the inhaler med is 400 bucks. Let see what happens. I may end up returning her to the foster shelter per contract.

 

[Kflowers]

Tell your vet you're thinking of returning her because of the expensive equipment he's suggesting.

We had one vet start with suggesting the inhaler before the x-rays. Truth, our cat does fine as long as we dust with damp cloths and vacuum once a week. She only coughs if we are a day late in doing that. No medicine, no inhalers. Just saying, you may not need the fancy stuff, but the vet may be programmed to jump to it. Our cat has had this 'dust allergy' since she was two, she's almost 10 now.

One vet who saw her immediately said inhaler. Did x-rays and said, "Not yet but I see pre-asthma." Sent the x-rays to the specialist (pricy, but in this case worth it) who said, "there is no indication of asthma or pre-asthma." You might want a second opinion. If you get one go to a vet outside your current vet clinic and one whose practice is not owned by the same corporation.

I'm not saying your cat doesn't have asthma or won't need meds, but it is a place to start while you figure out what you can afford and what you can't. It's possible your vet has no idea this would be a strain on your budget. I've met people who think $100 is throw away change. Shocking, but they are out there and seem to think just because they have money everyone does.

 

[Mighty Orange]

Thank you for your help. Money is an issue for me, I worked blue collar all my life and never had a big chance to sock away millions into a bank account. I'm going to continue with my original plan. I got her to eat some food treated with fish oil and Cosequin. All I wanted to do was help a bonded pair stay together and have a good life.

 

[Mighty Orange]

I have been searching for something that peanut butter well tolerate and work.
I decided to give Respir gold a try from pet well-being. It has Bozwellia in it, which is a fantastic anti-inflammatory. So I put 12 drops in her water, and she hasn't done the extended neck gasp since. She even jumped up on my sink this morning and meowed me to death.

So I'll keep an eye on her, just did not want to do Steroids. By the way I also use the Bozwellia for my arthritis pain.

 

[Kflowers]

One cat I rescued had what the vet called stress asthma. (this vet worked in a big practice and had over 10 years experience at the time.) The cat was an adult and had been hit by a car at one time legs a little wonky, shot with pellets, attacked by a feral colony and was snatched away from someone who wanted to eat him. So, yes, he had a stressful life. Some cats are stressed by living in the shelter.

We didn't do anything in particular for him except give him regular food, nice places to sleep and nooks to hide in, a safe place to be - the house, he never went outside again, a peaceful atmosphere - no loud noises or music, no screaming, no running around the house, TV low sound, gentle pets. Fortunately, he didn't need to be pilled. The vet didn't suggest an inhaler or the like (they didn't do that then.) After six months of peace, quiet, and safety his breathing normalized, the asthma was gone.

I'm sure there are people who will believe he was misdiagnosed and never had asthma, but once you've heard asthma, you know it. Doesn't matter, this is what happened in my experience. This you can do for the kitten.

Again, cats can be stressed to the max by being in a shelter with all the other animals and constantly changing people and strangers staring at them. Cats are prey animals and all that tells them they are in danger.

One of the best things you can do for your cat is keep her with her brother.

Peanut butter is good, most cats like it. The cats I've known prefer the peanut butter with fat and sugar in it, Peter Pan, not the natural just peanuts smashed up though some like that. Jiff hasn't gone over well and has suffered a big recall recently.

 

[Docs Mom]

I second the best idea.......

Keep her with her brother. You did a special thing to adopt a bonded pair.....

 

[Mighty Orange]

I just love cats, I could not see them separated. Everything needs something to love.