By Jennifer Reed
The staff at The Drake Center are pet owners just like you! And just like you, our pets get sick. They get arthritis, kidney disease, allergies, dental disease, mast cell tumors and, yes, even fleas from time to time. Two of our staff members also have cats with feline asthma—and they are here to help!
Loree is a technician at The Drake Center. Her cat, Mia, is 11 years old and has been diagnosed with asthma for over a year. Jennifer is The Drake Center’s media relations specialist. Her cat, Tigerlilly, is 5 years old and was diagnosed with asthma two months ago.
What is feline asthma?
Similar to human asthma, feline asthma refers to chronic inflammation of the lungs. This type of inflammation is caused by “hyper-responsive” airways. The small breathing tubes in the airways, called bronchi, can react to a number of different stimuli, including:
Inhaled debris or irritants, such as cigarette smoke, perfume, hairspray, air and carpet fresheners or dust from cat litter and scented laundry detergent
Environmental pollens or mold
Infectious agents, such as viruses or bacteria
Parasites, such as heartworms
Direct exposure to these irritants cause the airways to constrict or narrow, making it difficult for the cat to breathe. Muscle spasms in the bronchi and a buildup of mucus in the airways also lead to episodes of coughing and wheezing.
What are the clinical signs?
Symptoms of asthma in cats include:
Persistent coughing and/or wheezing
Respiratory distress
Squatting with the neck extended during coughing episodes
Gagging or vomiting
Open mouth breathing
Loree: The first symptom I noticed was the coughing. It almost seemed like she was trying to vomit up a hairball. I tried giving Mia Laxatone for hairball control, but it didn’t help. When the coughing became more frequent, I brought her to the vet.
Jennifer: Tigerlilly’s symptoms were very similar. She would have coughing episodes in which she would assume a squatting position with her neck extended. I assumed she was trying to vomit up a hairball, but the coughing never produced anything. That’s when I asked her vet for help and she suggested taking X-rays to look at her lungs.
How is feline asthma diagnosed?
Several tests, including blood work, chest X-rays, bronchoscopy, cytology and airway lavage, may be used to diagnose asthma.
Loree: Based on Mia’s history, we started with chest X-rays, which showed an “increased bronchio-interstitial pattern.” We then had the X-rays reviewed by a radiologist, who diagnosed the pattern as inflammatory and recommended steroids to treat the asthma.
Jennifer: First, we ruled out the possibility that this was a gastrointestinal problem by trying Laxatone, a laxative used to lubricate the GI tract and reduce hairballs. When the coughing persisted, we took chest X-rays, which revealed some changes in her bronchi known as “peribronchial cuffing” or bronchial wall thickening. We then ruled out bronchitis as the cause of the changes by putting her on an antibiotic trial and rechecking the X-rays. The second set of X-rays showed no change to the inflammation, so we knew the cause was asthma.
How is it treated?
While there is no cure for feline asthma, it can be easily managed. Treatments for feline asthma include:
Corticosteroids: Inhaled steroids are used to decrease inflammation, dilate the airway and decrease mucus production. For use in cats, inhalers are used in conjunction with an air chamber and face mask, such as the AeroKat system, to allow for more comfortable and effective administration. Steroids may also be given as a daily pill .
Bronchodilators: Short-acting "rescue inhalers" allow for delivery of medication deep into the lungs during an asthma attack.
Controlling the environment: Any factors known to aggravate breathing problems should be avoided. This may including trying different brands of cat litter or eliminating cigarette smoke from the home.
Loree: First, we started with an antibiotic trial, which did not improve the coughing at all. Once the radiologist reviewed Mia’s X-rays, we began treating her with steroids instead. I started Mia on an inhaled steroid twice daily and also gave her oral Prednisolone for the first few weeks while we waited for the effects of the inhaler to kick in. A year later, she is still receiving her inhaler regularly.
Jennifer: Once bronchitis was ruled out, I was instructed to start Tigerlilly on an inhaled steroid twice daily and use a “rescue inhaler” for any coughing fits. Even after a couple months, I can see a big difference!
How is your cat doing now?
Loree: Mia is doing great! She has always been a good patient and readily lets me treat her.
Jennifer: Tigerlilly has been so much happier since we began treating her. It’s wonderful to see her feeling better!
What advice would you give to other pet parents dealing with feline asthma?
Loree: Stick with it and be consistent! At first, the inhaler can be a bit tricky, but it is amazing how quickly most cats seem to get used to it. It’s almost like Mia knows it is helping her. Being sure to give it on a regular basis has also been helpful. If I miss a couple days, she starts coughing again. I would also recommend keeping track of when the coughing happens. Mia definitely coughs more in the winter and I am a little more diligent about keeping her treatment consistent during those months.
Jennifer: Start slowly. Because management of Tigerlilly’s asthma is going to be a lifelong effort, I really wanted to start off on the right foot and make her treatment a pleasant experience. I did this using a lot of positive reinforcement. For the first week or so, I didn’t even give her any medication. I simply held the mask over her nose for as long as she would let me and rewarded her with a treat. We slowly worked on holding the mask in place for longer and longer periods of time before adding the medication. I even gave her treats in between puffs. Now when I pick up her inhaler, she comes running!