Urgent: Recognizing and Responding to Cat Breathing Problems

When we think of our pet cats getting ill, we very often think that their bodies will fight off whatever is ailing them and occasionally this is true. There are plenty of feline illnesses or conditions however that require priority attention. Just like with humans, breathing or respiratory problems can be extremely serious and require immediate veterinary care. When airways are sufficiently blocked or restricted, they need to be unblocked quickly. Irreversible damage or death are likely results if we wait too long to seek medical help for cats with serious breathing problems.

Respiratory or breathing problems in cats can occur at many different levels of seriousness and each level requires an appropriate response. Excessive and repeated sneezing for example is a respiratory condition that of course needs to be checked out rather quickly (especially if there is nasal discharge). Frequently this excessive sneezing is the result of a cat flu virus which is serious but it is obviously not on the same level as a cat that is straining to breathe or gasping for air.

When it comes to serious breathing problems which involve a cat straining to breathe, there are many different possible causes which can include; pneumonia, tumours, allergies, obstructions to the airways, heatstroke, and physical trauma to part of the cat’s respiratory system etc. The moment that you notice your cat is having trouble breathing or is panting quickly and it is not the result of physical exercise, you need to contact your vet ASAP and bring it in for an emergency checkup. If this happens on a weekend or at night, take your cat to an emergency veterinary clinic and you should have that location prepared in advance.

These days, another possible respiratory ailment that seems to be affecting many more people and pets is asthma. As we well know asthma is extremely serious and is often accompanied by wheezing or gasping for air. The causes of asthma are many but 2 common ones occur when the cat inhales irritants that hang out in the environment or as a result of an untreated infection. This may well leave the cat straining to breathe and cats at this level of distress will often try to breathe in additional air through their mouths. Cats almost never breathe in air through their mouths which is yet another indication of the seriousness of the problem.

Treatments for these problems are as numerous as the causes of the problems themselves. In the case of infections or asthmas, the treatment might well be as simple as antibiotics or steroids. In the case of allergic reactions, discovering what the cat is allergic to is obviously critical. Whatever the causes and the treatments are though, the outcome will likely be better the faster you bring the cat to the veterinarian.