Cat Has Asthma - Driving Myself Crazy!

[mayabear]

My kitty has asthma and I am going crazy because nothing I do seems to help her. Sometimes she seems so uncomfortable and not herself. She didn’t even want to play with her favorite toy!

I feel like I’m doing everything I can. I:

• Give her .25 terbutaline 2x day, and 1/2 tab Prednisolone tab when it seems like it's flaring up more. I don’t want to give her the Pred but I feel like I don’t have a choice sometimes.

• Have 2 air purifiers which run constantly, except when I'm not home and at night. One of which has a light on it that indicates air quality. If it turns red and I don't know why, I freak out. I also freak out if she has symptoms when the air is good.

• Have an air quality monitor which I check often.

• Have a humidifier. I thought maybe the a/c is causing dry air, which is a trigger.

• Switched to Dr. Elsey's respiratory relief litter.

• Don't use harsh cleaning supplies.

• Keep the windows closed if the pollen is high (advised by the vet).

• Put Jackson Galaxy "Breathe Easy" in her food every day and Jackson Galaxy "Stress Stopper" in her water every day.

• Have Feliway plugs (I have 3, maybe not enough? Maybe not the right placement? I'm limited to where I can put them).

• Try to vacuum and dust as much as possible, yet there always seems to be dust!

• Haven't even been cooking, running the dishwasher, or doing laundry because I'm afraid it will trigger an attack (when I say "attack" I mean coughing like she has a hairball). I switched to unscented The Ecology Works Anti Allergen Solution Laundry Detergent and Ecover Automatic Dishwasher Soap Tablets, but have not used them yet since I just switched, and am actually still afraid.

• Been coming home earlier from work (more like 7pm instead of 8pm). Maybe me getting home late is stressing her out?

• Not listening to music because I am afraid the sound will stress her out.

• Maybe it's stress because we moved recently (hence the stress stopper and Feliways). We moved about a month ago and the apartment is still not "home." I had to get new furniture but I'm afraid to start moving stuff around, not just because of potential dust, but also because I hate to keep making noise and changing her environment. I know that I have to just get it done, but she started having an attack one day when I was unpacking. I read that you should keep your cat as calm and stress-free as possible, so of course I feel terrible.

• I thought moving would help. My last apartment was like a cave. Small, dark, and had no air flow. We smelled everything that people cooked. The neighbor's Taco Tuesday used to bother her (actually, me too), even with the air purifier on. My apartment now is much bigger, and I rarely smell anything.

• I'm constantly struggling with: leave the air conditioner on or off (what if there's dust in the vents that I can't see?), open the windows or keep them closed (I personally need air flow and the air quality monitor suggests opening the window to air the place out, but if there's pollen, that might worsen the situation), should I clean now or wait until she naps? What if she doesn't nap soon?! She tends to follow me around. Is it better to clean and risk her having an attack?

• I'm obsessed with the idea that there might be mold somewhere-because of google. There must be black mold in the washer/dryer, washer/dryer closet, and walls! I'm constantly sniffing for weird smells.

• The cabinets do have a smell kind of like spices from the prior tenant. It's been a challenge getting it out. I tried washing with baking soda and vinegar, leaving baking soda in there, leaving vinegar in there, leaving both in there, adding an activated charcoal pouch. It lingers...I haven't even been able to put anything in one cabinet because the smell is still so strong, kind of like vegetables. But, if it is the cabinets, what do I do???

• I write incredibly long threads on cat forums.

Her vet before I moved, who's familiar with the situation (I bet they are glad I moved so I stop calling them all the time!), suggested an inhaler, which I have but never used. Maya is not going to let me do that. And there has to be a better way than giving her terbutaline, pred, AND an inhaler.

Maybe it's important to note that taking her to the vet is really a last resort. The closest 24/7 one is 25 min away. Even when I give her something beforehand she gets extremely upset. I found a vet that will make house calls, but I only used once when she recently had an ear infection and then URI. He examined her and everything was fine.

I'm supposed to go away later this month for 3 nights and am seriously considering canceling and eating the $2k because I haven't found a vet I trust with this situation. If she's going to be home by herself for most of the day, how will the sitter know if she's struggling? Especially if she's not familiar with feline asthma. Also, if the place isn't "home" yet, I don't want to leave her alone when she's still stressing about it. How am I supposed to relax?

As I said, I'm driving myself crazy. Literally. I'm constantly checking on her which I'm sure isn't making her feel better. If I hear a noise in the other room my heart stops because I assume its her coughing. I try to go in another room when I cry like she won't know, because I feel like that's stressing her out too. I know she knows, though.

Am I worrying too much? Am I too obsessed?

 

[duckpond]

You may be worrying just a bit too much, but i understand, im a worrier too with my guys.

It sounds like you are doing all you can. I have a kitten with mild asthma, and i have done most of the things you do as well. All Unscented products in the home, dust, vacuum, wash all cat beds and blankets weekly, that kind of thing. With my guy i had to go totally away from clay litters. All of them caused hacking for him. I use a combination of two litters, one is Abound, a grass litter that i get from kroger. the other is Littermaid walnut litter that i get from walmart. I would use either one on its own, but i like them mixed in equal amounts. The walnut tracks a bit less, the grass clumps a bit better. They has no dust or smell, and my guy does very well with them.

I dont change up my routine otherwise. I always try to keep things stress free for my guys, but they live in a normal household environment. we listen to music, watch tv, move stuff around all that, but at a normal level, nothing so loud the neighbors would complain And i try to stick to a fairly consistent play and feeding schedule, brushing. Cats do like routine, but like us they can adjust when needed.

Cats have asthma, just like people do. Keep the house dust free, scent free as possible, and maybe try to relax a little? She may hack occasionally, my guy does too, but as he has gotten older, he is 3-4 now, it has gotten better.
Do what you can, and relax and enjoy her a little, both of you enjoy your new home. Do keep us updated on her.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

You are not obsessed - you are just a good pet parent.

I think you should reconsider the inhaler. That is the only thing that helps my boy (I am in an apartment, too). Keep using the Dr. E RR. It is good stuff - the least dusty I have found.

Do you have the Rx for the inhaler? You can get the Aerokat chamber from Amazon, it is about $ 60.00, but does not need to be replaced.

My boy doesn't like the inhaler, but tolerates it and enjoys his treat after he gets his 10 breaths (there is a little flapper so you can see how many breaths are taken). That is breaths "per 1 puff". Not 10 puffs.

There is only so much we can do in an apartment. We have no control over vent issues, etc. But you are giving her love and a home.

It may be wise to cancel your trip unless you can bring her with you. I think you would worry all day. I am to the point I can't travel without my cats these days. It is what it is and I hate leaving them.

 

[lalagimp]

What really helps Stewart and Amalie is weight management. Stewart was over 16 lbs and having attacks every week. He's cool enough that he'll use the inhaler with an Aerokat chamber, and we have Flovent if the attacks are persistent, and if they are random, we'll use Albuterol. He's 12 1/2 lbs and gets maybe an attack or two per month it seems (at least with someone home) and so he'll get albuterol. And when he sees you coming with the Aerokat, he swears he's fine and starts holding his breath and stops coughing. He's really smart. We have to patiently wait for the chamber to show 10 ticks that he's breathed in his dose, and then we let him on his way.
Amalie will not use the inhaler. Right now she's 8 1/2 - 9 lbs. Losing a pound in the last year has really changed her frequency. We would treat with oral prednisolone 1 pill each day for a week, and then 1 pill every other day for a week. Then we wouldn't have to treat again for almost three months. She's on a course right now, and I'm pretty sure we haven't given her a course in the last six months. She's been doing really well. The prednisolone works very fast and after the first pill, it usually eliminates the attacks, but we use a course to tame down whatever inflammation started putting her into fits in the first place.

 

[silkenpaw]

It’s natural to worry, especially with a cat as sensitive as yours. Do not be afraid to give her prednisolone. Yes, it is a strong medication, but it’s really a wonder drug when it comes to treating inflammation like that which occurs with asthma. And cats have fewer adverse reactions to it than people do.

I hope you get the asthma under control. Has your vet considered giving her the prednisolone on a regular basis? It might be worth it if it means she’s more stable. It sounds like part of the reason you are driving yourself crazy is because you don’t know what to expect from day to day.

Has your kitty been tested for allergies? If her asthma is caused by allergies, allergy shots would help. I give my cat allergy shots every week. Most of the time she doesn’t even notice and it has helped her a lot (she was itchy, not asthmatic).

And remember that life is a compromise. The ideal situation is a theoretical construct. All you can do is your best.

 

[1 bruce 1]

How about a humidifier?
Ours seems to do so poorly without the AC on if it's warm. If the humidity outside is high, he's worse, but if the AC is on and running yet a humidifier is going he's all happy. I don't know why!
Do you have carpet or rugs that need vacuumed? Our vet advised keeping them out of the room that you're vacuuming because it can really kick stuff up.

 

[1 bruce 1]

OK so I had to do stuff after my last post but wanted to add..
Stress can certainly do this. Even if the move was a good thing, moving = stress and this was not "caused" by you. You moved because it was a good thing for him, and he'll adjust. Just make the routine normal and try your best to keep yourself acting stress free, happy, and relaxed.
I am preaching to the choir. I don't follow my own advice most of the time but when we act stressed out over them, it sometimes DOES make the situation worse, they love us and when we feel bad, it affects them!
ALL my cats came down with a terrible URI during a very exciting (but stressful!) time a few months ago. They were moved to another section of where we live, and were stressed about it but settled in quickly. We were putting in 12-14 hour days. I don't think this "caused" the URI but stress can be hell on an immune system, and if it's already under or over active it can definitely be affected worse.
I've said it here before to owners like you that have shown they have done SO MUCH for their cat...go easy on yourself, and give yourself some credit. Lots of people out there think cats are second class pets, and if an asthmatic cat was having problems they wouldn't even consider helping them or moving (MOVING!!!!!...mans most natural enemy! ) so their cat would be more comfortable. I think you're doing fine.

 

[mayabear]

What really helps Stewart and Amalie is weight management. Stewart was over 16 lbs and having attacks every week. He's cool enough that he'll use the inhaler with an Aerokat chamber, and we have Flovent if the attacks are persistent, and if they are random, we'll use Albuterol. He's 12 1/2 lbs and gets maybe an attack or two per month it seems (at least with someone home) and so he'll get albuterol. And when he sees you coming with the Aerokat, he swears he's fine and starts holding his breath and stops coughing. He's really smart. We have to patiently wait for the chamber to show 10 ticks that he's breathed in his dose, and then we let him on his way.
Amalie will not use the inhaler. Right now she's 8 1/2 - 9 lbs. Losing a pound in the last year has really changed her frequency. We would treat with oral prednisolone 1 pill each day for a week, and then 1 pill every other day for a week. Then we wouldn't have to treat again for almost three months. She's on a course right now, and I'm pretty sure we haven't given her a course in the last six months. She's been doing really well. The prednisolone works very fast and after the first pill, it usually eliminates the attacks, but we use a course to tame down whatever inflammation started putting her into fits in the first place.

How about a humidifier?
Ours seems to do so poorly without the AC on if it's warm. If the humidity outside is high, he's worse, but if the AC is on and running yet a humidifier is going he's all happy. I don't know why!
Do you have carpet or rugs that need vacuumed? Our vet advised keeping them out of the room that you're vacuuming because it can really kick stuff up.

I have a humidifier. It helped in the winter, but I don't know if it helps now because she went in the other room when I had it on. I don't think it was because of the humidifier, I just think she wanted to go in the other room, but my experiment was inconclusive.

OK so I had to do stuff after my last post but wanted to add..
Stress can certainly do this. Even if the move was a good thing, moving = stress and this was not "caused" by you. You moved because it was a good thing for him, and he'll adjust. Just make the routine normal and try your best to keep yourself acting stress free, happy, and relaxed.
I am preaching to the choir. I don't follow my own advice most of the time but when we act stressed out over them, it sometimes DOES make the situation worse, they love us and when we feel bad, it affects them!
ALL my cats came down with a terrible URI during a very exciting (but stressful!) time a few months ago. They were moved to another section of where we live, and were stressed about it but settled in quickly. We were putting in 12-14 hour days. I don't think this "caused" the URI but stress can be hell on an immune system, and if it's already under or over active it can definitely be affected worse.
I've said it here before to owners like you that have shown they have done SO MUCH for their cat...go easy on yourself, and give yourself some credit. Lots of people out there think cats are second class pets, and if an asthmatic cat was having problems they wouldn't even consider helping them or moving (MOVING!!!!!...mans most natural enemy! ) so their cat would be more comfortable. I think you're doing fine.

Aw thank you that makes me feel a little better

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! Can you paint those cabinets? The interiors? There are no-VOC paints developed to cover odors, check with a paint store or home improvement stores.
You've done a lot, don't let her asthma hold you hostage.
Would there be a vet tech who could check on her while you're gone?

 

[mayabear]

Thanks everyone. A vet saw her on Wednesday and gave her a cortisone shot, and said to give her 1/2 Pred tab 1x day for a week then try every other day, then every third day, etc. He said she should feel better in about a week. After he left, she started coughing. Not a full on attack, but still. Isn't the cortisone shot supposed to stop that?

I'm still really concerned because she doesn't seem to be getting better and I'm concerned there's really mold somewhere. I'm having the ac units cleaned today but I'm concerned if it is mold, there's already been damage. We've been here a month. I've asked two vets about allergy testing. If someone comes to look at her I'm not sure what they can even do. I'm freaking out. I can't stop crying. I just want to have a good home.

Does anyone have experience with mold?

 

[duckpond]

I would guess the cortisone shot will help, hopefully a lot, but maybe not stop all coughing. I know when my husband has an attack and takes his meds he is a lot better, but doesn't stop it 100%

Its only been two days, hopefully she will be better soon.

You can have someone come check for mold if you think that's a possibility. I have no experience with it. But i know you can have your home checked. But i think if you had a major mold problem you would have symptoms too? Have you?

 

[mayabear]

I would guess the cortisone shot will help, hopefully a lot, but maybe not stop all coughing. I know when my husband has an attack and takes his meds he is a lot better, but doesn't stop it 100%

Its only been two days, hopefully she will be better soon.

You can have someone come check for mold if you think that's a possibility. I have no experience with it. But i know you can have your home checked. But i think if you had a major mold problem you would have symptoms too? Have you?

I noticed my nose has been a little runny and burning. It hasn't been all the time, but I'm extra concerned now because I've been reading about mold and symptoms and I'm having them. Next step is having someone look at the a/c units. It might be especially noticeable because it's been so hot and we've had the a/c on a lot. I'm concerned b/c we've been here for a little over a month. What kind of harm has it caused to both of us?

 

[1 bruce 1]

Thanks everyone. A vet saw her on Wednesday and gave her a cortisone shot, and said to give her 1/2 Pred tab 1x day for a week then try every other day, then every third day, etc. He said she should feel better in about a week. After he left, she started coughing. Not a full on attack, but still. Isn't the cortisone shot supposed to stop that?

I'm still really concerned because she doesn't seem to be getting better and I'm concerned there's really mold somewhere. I'm having the ac units cleaned today but I'm concerned if it is mold, there's already been damage. We've been here a month. I've asked two vets about allergy testing. If someone comes to look at her I'm not sure what they can even do. I'm freaking out. I can't stop crying. I just want to have a good home.

Does anyone have experience with mold?

I was concerned about mold, too.
Last winter we moved this cat and his buddies out of their usual hang-out zone so we could do some heavy duty fixing up. We tore up floors and things were inspected...no mold.
Even without a wall to wall carpet (we tore this out thinking the dust was causing this) he's still had some attacks, mostly minor.
Last time our guy was at the vets for the day in an oxygen crate and some shots to help calm his airways, he coughed a little on the way home. I know that panicky, fluttery feeling but he came home, coughed a bit, slept the day off and was fine!
I know a few asthmatic humans, and they all have their triggers but each one has said they'll occasionally need their inhaler for no real reason and weren't around a trigger. Most say stress (physical, emotional, etc.) can bring on a minor attack, and I think this may be what you and I have both seen (our vets are outstanding and treat him so well, but creatures of habit cats don't always relish a day at "hospital camp"!)
I can't help with the mold question, but is there anyone you can call that would be able to test just to make sure and ease your mind?

 

[1 bruce 1]

I noticed my nose has been a little runny and burning. It hasn't been all the time, but I'm extra concerned now because I've been reading about mold and symptoms and I'm having them. Next step is having someone look at the a/c units. It might be especially noticeable because it's been so hot and we've had the a/c on a lot. I'm concerned b/c we've been here for a little over a month. What kind of harm has it caused to both of us?

Also consider where your little cat would be if she was with an owner who had a cavalier attitude about their well being. Not many people would be doing half of what you are! I know you're strained emotionally but as I said earlier...give yourself just a bit of credit for your proactive way of handling this.

 

[Furballsmom]

What 1 bruce 1 said, you deserve a lot of credit, exactly that

 

[Furballsmom]

What happened with the a/c unit cleaning? How is your kitty doing - any better?
Do you have a way to address the odd smell in the cabinets?

Also from what I'm reading, cats and humans can recover from breathing mold, with addressing any mold issues in the living areas and with antibiotics.

What did you decide about leaving? Could you find a vet tech to check in on her?

 

[mayabear]

Also consider where your little cat would be if she was with an owner who had a cavalier attitude about their well being. Not many people would be doing half of what you are! I know you're strained emotionally but as I said earlier...give yourself just a bit of credit for your proactive way of handling this.

Thank you. I actually never thought about that - how a lot of people wouldn't be doing what I'm doing. Maybe that's why I feel like I'm over-worrying-b/c people don't get it. I'm glad some people do!

 

[mayabear]

What happened with the a/c unit cleaning? How is your kitty doing - any better?
Do you have a way to address the odd smell in the cabinets?

Also from what I'm reading, cats and humans can recover from breathing mold, with addressing any mold issues in the living areas and with antibiotics.

What did you decide about leaving? Could you find a vet tech to check in on her?

The a/c vents were fine, actually. I talked to the Super and he said they are due for maintenance, though.

A potential cat sitter came and Maya did not like her at all! The woman had a bunch of cats and maybe Maya smelled them. Maya's the only cat in the house- She had to be moved from her first foster home b/c she wasn't doing well with other animals. It worked out for me b/c I only wanted one kitty and it was pretty much impossible to adopt just one kitten, but it comes with it's own set of challenges, I guess. She would have been perfect, though-used to be a vet tech, has experience with asthmatic cats and administering medicine...but the stress for Maya would be too much.

However, her last sitter had a cat or 2, and the other 2 potential cat sitters had dogs, AND, come to think of it, her first sitter worked in an animal hospital(!) and she never acted the way she did around this woman. She acted almost as if she was a vet. Didn't hiss but definitely "yelled" at her to leave. She is usually very friendly. It could have been b/c she's not feeling well or just didn't like her for some reason. I have a couple other names, and I'm looking into getting the terbutaline in pill form. That will make me feel better if I have to go with someone with less experience with this type of situation.

BUT I'm starting to think her current behavior is something different. She doesn't even have a sever case, it's mild asthma. I can't imagine that everything I'm doing isn't helping, so now I'm thinking, maybe a Pred side effect? Not wanting to play (or for like, a minute), increased appetite...She lays in a position in her cat tree like when she has an asthma attack but does't.

I just want her to be happy!!!

 

[Furballsmom]

oh goodness, can you ask your vet about if it's side effects of the Pred? and how to test your theory?

 

[greycat2]

THe Preds can do that. I had a cat on Preds for his IBD and it can make them hungry and it can change their attitude a bit. Hopefully not to bad though as each one is different.

I also had 2 cats with asthma as well - both mild. You are doing a good job with them. I do still have the Aerokat spacer here just in case its needed again.

Not sure if its been mentioned or not, but could she be allergic to something she is eating that could cause the flare-ups? Some cats, like us humans, can have food allergies? Could also be mold somewhere.