Breathing issues in cat, feline asthma?

[latteandcaramel]

Hi,
I recently adopted a male neutered cat from the shelter back in May. He is around 1 year old now and we had just gone through a round of antibiotics to get rid of giardia and before that, he also had a tapeworm issue that we took care of. I was informed that he grew up in a hoarding situation, and the shelter that I went to pick him up at seemed pretty overcrowded with cats also.
Recently, I've observed him having two episodes of difficulty breathing. He will crouch low with his elbows protruding out and do these quick little inhales and forceful exhales. It looks like he is having a hard time breathing but never lasts more than a minute. Afterwards, he is playful and his eating/toileting habits have not changed. Having never seen this before, I picked him up and started hitting his backside, thinking that he might have something lodged in his airway. This then occurred a second time only a few days later. I've also noticed that he does breathe pretty heavy after playing but had always just assumed that was normal. I've also heard him occasionally making a noise, like one that humans might make if they have mucous stuck in the sinuses, at rest and wasn't sure if that was normal or if he might have a cold.
I already have a vet appointment scheduled, but just wanted to see if anyone here has experienced something similar that might be able to shed some light on the situation.
Thank you!

 

[fionasmom]

Asthmatic Cats – TheCatSite Articles
Why Is My Cat Panting? [And What To Do About It] – TheCatSite Articles
Asthma maintenance?

Welcome to The Cat Site! Your new baby is very lucky to have a good home after his earlier experiences. You are doing the right thing to take him to the vet. This does not sound to me as if anything is lodged in his throat, but there is no way to be certain. It does seem to be a breathing issue, although I think that if it were a URI you would see other symptoms like runny eyes, sneezing, or conjunctivitis. Only a vet can tell you for sure. You did not mention how close together the two events were. If this is sudden onset and seems very persistent or critical, get to the ER or ask for an earlier appointment. Hitting his backside would probably not dislodge anything. If something were stuck in his throat, you would probably see more of a gagging, pawing at the mouth, and panic. If it were something smaller that were there for a while, it might affect his ability to eat or swallow. There is a Heimlich maneuver for cats but if you had any interest in learning it, remember that a cat is tiny compared to the adult human that most of us learned to do the maneuver with. If he will let you see into his mouth while you gently hold his tongue, you might be able to see if there is anything. Having said that, I have never owned a cat who would comply with that.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

fionasmom beat me to all the good stuff! That's lovely, you didn't have to wait to get the information! If you would, let us know how he is doing!

 

[Jcatbird]

You already did the best thing by watching him carefully, observing something new in his behavior and calling to get a vet appointment. You got the best advice here too. Try not to worry and keep doing what you are doing. We’ll hope it’s just something like a hairball and the vet will guide you on what to do for that. Thank you for taking this kitty in to such a great and loving home! Please do update us.

 

[stephanietx]

Do you burn scented candles, air fresheners, or use carpet deodorizer at all in your home? Sometimes those things can cause breathing issues in cats.

 

[latteandcaramel]

Asthmatic Cats – TheCatSite Articles
Why Is My Cat Panting? [And What To Do About It] – TheCatSite Articles
Asthma maintenance?

Welcome to The Cat Site! Your new baby is very lucky to have a good home after his earlier experiences. You are doing the right thing to take him to the vet. This does not sound to me as if anything is lodged in his throat, but there is no way to be certain. It does seem to be a breathing issue, although I think that if it were a URI you would see other symptoms like runny eyes, sneezing, or conjunctivitis. Only a vet can tell you for sure. You did not mention how close together the two events were. If this is sudden onset and seems very persistent or critical, get to the ER or ask for an earlier appointment. Hitting his backside would probably not dislodge anything. If something were stuck in his throat, you would probably see more of a gagging, pawing at the mouth, and panic. If it were something smaller that were there for a while, it might affect his ability to eat or swallow. There is a Heimlich maneuver for cats but if you had any interest in learning it, remember that a cat is tiny compared to the adult human that most of us learned to do the maneuver with. If he will let you see into his mouth while you gently hold his tongue, you might be able to see if there is anything. Having said that, I have never owned a cat who would comply with that.

Hi, thank you for responding!
I have not noticed him having any further episodes. I'm pretty sure nothing is stuck in his throat since I didn't notice any of the gagging or pawing at the mouth behaviors. He also seems to eat and swallow fine, he occasionally will throw up, but I think that is from eating too fast? I usually check his vomit just to be sure it's not something concerning and sometimes it turns out to be hairballs, but I've never noticed any difficulty swallowing for him. I didn't know that there is a Heimlich maneuver for cats, good to know and I will be looking up information regarding that!
Yeah, he doesn't like it when I look into his mouth, tried doing that a few times and wasn't very successful. The vet appointment is scheduled for next week and I've already looked up a few 24/7 emergency animal hospitals in my area just in case things get worse. Hopeful since I haven't seen any further episodes of difficulty breathing for him.
Thank you!

 

[latteandcaramel]

Do you burn scented candles, air fresheners, or use carpet deodorizer at all in your home? Sometimes those things can cause breathing issues in cats.

HI,
I actually don't use any of those. I was scared that he might have ingested something since I recently bought him a lot of cat toys. I've also noticed him occasionally gnawing/eating some of the plants in the apartment, so wasn't too sure if that might be a cause. His vet appointment is next week and hopefully, we can maybe run some tests just to be sure.
Thank you for responding!

 

[latteandcaramel]

You already did the best thing by watching him carefully, observing something new in his behavior and calling to get a vet appointment. You got the best advice here too. Try not to worry and keep doing what you are doing. We’ll hope it’s just something like a hairball and the vet will guide you on what to do for that. Thank you for taking this kitty in to such a great and loving home! Please do update us.

Hi,
Thank you! Just hoping it isn't something too serious. I hated having to give him medications for giardia and had to hold him for a while afterward just so he can calm down. So hoping this might not involve some nasty tasting meds. He has not had any further episodes and is doing well as of now. Will be seeing the vet next week and hopefully get some answers or advice.
Thanks!

 

[amandag1]

Please have his heart examined too, labored breathing can be a sign of heart disease