What Is Feline Asthma?
Feline asthma occurs when there is a chronic inflammation of the bronchioles, the small passageways of the lungs. The asthma causes these passages to thicken and collapse as the cat inhales, making breathing extremely difficult. The onset of asthma typically occurs sometime between the ages of 2 and 6. A higher incidence of the condition is reported in female and Siamese cats. The severity of feline asthma varies in cats and usually gets worse over time. Symptoms The symptoms of asthma vary based on the severity of the cat’s condition, but the most common symptoms are wheezing and coughing. Early symptoms may be overlooked or misdiagnosed because the coughing that occurs is a dry, hacking cough similar to how a cat acts if she has a hairball. Cats with a mild case of asthma may only have occasional bouts of wheezing and coughing. Severely affected cats may have daily attacks with labored breathing and panting. These severe attacks can be life threatening. Triggers Asthma attacks are tr
