Cats breathing: Allergies or

[LittleMishi]

Hi, My little girl is 10 years old. She has always had strange breathing. I have had many conversations with my vet about it over the years and she does not seem to be very concerned about it. My kitty has never had watering eyes, nasal discharge or any other symptoms that she is ill in any way and her lungs always sound clear. She does however sneeze a number of times a day. She eats, drinks and uses the litter box just fine. Her teeth seem to be in good shape with no infections. Her breathing sounds very bad to me a lot of the time. Sneezing, wheezing, loud breathing and hard to get a good breath. Of course when I take her to the vet she shows none of these symptoms. I have asked the Vet if it may be allergies or asthma and she doesn't seem to think so. The last time I took her to the Vet was in May. She said the only thing that she would recommend is to have a procedure done that would involve putting my cat out and inserting a probe into her nose to see if there is a blockage of some sort. The problem is my husband and I are really scared of her being put under anesthesia at 10 years old. We lost our other cat about a year ago to a very sudden illness and he was soooo very special that we are still not over it. I guess I am just looking for any advice or information that may help me with her condition. Has anyone had this problem with their kitties. I know some breeds of cats can have issues with breathing but she is not a purebred.

Thanks

 

[Kris107]

Have they done a chest xray?

 

[poolcat]

Could you make a video of her while she's having a breathing episode? If you sent it to your vet, it might change the way she feels about what's going on. You could also ask for a lung x-ray, if you think it's asthma. Do a search on YouTube for 'cat with asthma' to how that compares to what your girl is doing.

There may be something in your house that she's sensitive to, which would explain why she doesn't show signs of it at the vet clinic. If you don't already have air purifiers, I suggest getting some for the rooms she hangs out in. Be sure they have true hepa filters. You could make other environmental changes, too. Start using clear laundry detergent, stop using cleaning products that have aromas or toxic chemicals in them. Make sure nothing is causing smoke in your house.... no smoking, candles, fireplace burning. Essential oils can also be a problem for cats.

Edit: No aerosols either!

 

[FeebysOwner]

I think the video is a good idea! Ask the vet what other procedures could be done (head x-ray or CT) that might not require as much sedation as the nasal scope. They should do tests beforehand to make sure your cat is in good enough health to require sedation.

It sounds to me like the vet thinks there may be some occlusion somewhere in the nasal cavity area, which might have been there all her life. If that is what the vet thinks, are there other options to help? If they would find an occlusion, ask what are the options for treatment? If they would do a scope and find something like a polyp, can it be removed at the same time, or would it require a secondary procedure? Get your vet to speculate on the possibilities and treatments, if they will.

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi. I would start with a chest X-ray and go from there

 

[LilithBatmanZoom]

Aww poor baby. I have a cat that sneezes all the time. After multiple blood test and X-rays the vet came to the conclusion that he has feline herpes. It’s very common in cats and sometimes it flares causing sneezing. Probiotics seem to help. I would definitely get an X-ray done to be sure

 

[LittleMishi]

Have they done a chest xray?
[/QUO No. I have asked the Vet about that and she doesn't think a chest x ray is necessary because her lungs sound clear and she shows no sign of infection.

 

[Kris107]

I'm sure others might chime in, but I would potentially consider advocating for one. When I took my girl in it was because she wasn't eating, not for breathing stuff. But when they did the xray they saw the scarring in the lungs. But you know your cat the best - if you really think she has something that needs treatment, then push for it. "hard to get a good breath" is not normal for a cat.

 

[Astragal14]

I second poolcat 's suggestion of making a video, it's the best way to help your vet understand what your cat is going through. I hope it's just allergies and it's encouraging that her lungs are clear and she has no sign of infection.

There is a quick and easy test you can do at home to see if it helps her breathing - keep her in a small bathroom and run the hottest shower you can for about 10 minutes. You want to room to be steamy, so a larger bathroom may require more time.

One of my cats has allergies and this often helps her breathing by reducing the swelling in her nose. She has some of the symptoms you described (wheezing, loud breathing) and her symptoms increase when allergens increase (she's allergic to dust, molds and some trees and grasses). If this doesn't help your cat, then you may be dealing with other possibilities, such as an obstruction, a polyp, feline herpes or something else.

 

[NekoM]

Is she a Persian or Exotic cat?