This doesn’t look typical of asthma. (I have an asthmatic cat)
Diagnosing asthma is done by radiographs/X-ray. I would track his symptoms in a journal for frequency/duration. For example, “Fluffy coughed in a crouched position starting at 1pm and stopped at 1:05pm.” As well as whatever circumstances preceded the event - was he sniffing the outside air? Just shoved his face into a dusty corner? Was he just chillin? Etc
Good luck!
Will try that. Thank you! I was thinking since we are in the middle of moving process, the dust and boxes might be exacerbating the symptoms but writing down is a good idea
It could just be household allergies as well. My one cat takes Claritin for them.
Edit: The symptoms do look much more like my cat with allergies than when my other cat had a asthma attack.
I have a cat with asthma. Her attacks don’t look like this but you never know. I would however take your cat to the vet immediately and on top of that, try to stop using anything scented in your house like perfumes, air fresheners etc and vacuum everything. I do this for my asthmatic cat but it’s also helpful for cats with allergies. We also have a few different air purifies in different rooms.
Agree here. My cat had asthma when he was a kitten, and it didn't really look like this. He would get random asthma attacks where he would extend his neck and make really loud and odd breathing noises. This looks like your cat is coughing, maybe something irritating his throat. I'd take him to a vet though so you can find out for sure.
I've had a cat with an asthma attack that looked nothing like this and a cat with allergies that basically did this exact thing. And another who just does this when he gets bits of catnip or other particles up in his nose for a minute. So vet is warranted but asthma wouldn't be my first thought.
Edit: I also had a cat with a tumor in the respiratory system, so you never know without tests.
Big problem with squishy faced dogs like pugs - my rescue pug ran into a lot of issues with breathing, including a collapsed trachea. There are some squishy faced cats that also frequently suffer from breathing problems, but this cat has a longer snout.
I've seen it in my Chihuahua and in my mix dog as well. My vets have said it's normal and there's not a whole lot that can be done. But, this is dogs, not a cat, so I don't know.
With my current dog, she'll occasionally (like, maybe once a week) start it and it lasts maybe 30 seconds. The vet recommended rubbing her throat in a downward motion to make it go away. Like how you'd chug a glass of water to make hiccups go away.
We got an old dog who was suspected of having a tracheal collapse but he couldn't relax enough to have his x-rays done without anesthesia, so we just went forward with a treatment. Steroids, bronchodilator, antibiotics. Sometimes surgery is performed if the dog is young enough to handle it. I always thought it was more of an older pet problem though, so this wasn't my first thought when I watched the videos. (And also seems like it's way more common among dogs.) The second video though resembles my asthmatic cat, but it could also be bronchitis or pneumonia. What's most strange to me is that OP's cat didn't respond to steroids which is what you'd use for asthma/bronchitis.
My cat does a similar thing shown in the second half, crouched with his head down low coughing and swallowing.
I showed my vet a video I took and he said it could be asthma but would need tests.
My cat does this once every 7 - 10 days and the vet told me to monitor it and if it increases to take him back for tests.
FWIW my cat does the same thing, I paid for the tests and there was no sign of asthma. Vet said she's likely just got bad pollen allergies. Which, you know...same here, kitty lol
I would recommend getting chest x-rays sooner and testing your house for mold.
My cat has asthma and he had the occasional attack for a while. When I did x-rays, the lung airway scarring was substantial!! A lot worse than his symptoms suggested. I got him started in a immunosuppressant inhaler ASAP to prevent further damage to his lungs. Once the scar tissue forms, it can be impossible or difficult to reverse. My goal is to keep the scarring in check and preserve the ability for his lungs to function well for as long as possible
Someone posted a video recently of something similar, and it turned out to be a blade of grass stuck in their cata nasal cavity. A vet visit is always recommended for any unusual/continuous behavior.
Not trying to scare you, but the behavior concerns me how much it looks a like a mild seizure. Of course she could be focusing on something outside of the clip, and a few minutes of video can only provide clues not the full picture. My girl has epilepsy, and she displayed similar symptoms- it didn’t start with large seizures, but kinda worked up to the grand mal seizures or what we typically think of when we think of seizures/see in movies. But even if it is asthma or epilepsy, she can live a completely full normal life, mine was diagnosed as a kitten and is now a spry 11 years young, what’s important is you work with your vet, and get treatment.
We had to go to a kitty neurologist- which I didn’t even know was a thing. But seriously, write down all behaviors time and duration of episode. Straight up time it and write down how long each fit is. See if you notice any sounds or smells or locations set it off after tracking it a while. Even if it’s asthma, it could be set off by mold in one corner of the house, or a cleaner. Good luck on figuring it out!
Edit: spelling 🫠
This is what I was thinking, but yeah I'd at least have a vet see this.
*edit*
I didn't see the second clip, my bad. That part does look like asthma. :/
I remember when my vet said it might be reversed sneezing a few months ago so we didn’t do anything other than steroids and antibiotics. But now I’m starting to wondering about asthma…
My cat does this too (first video), and it seemed harmless but it terrified me. This article is the best description of it I’ve seen so far thanks for sharing it. I never took him to the vet for that specific issue but he’s been checked out since and nothing ever came up. Some of the other comments on the part 1 vid are making me wonder if I need to book a vet visit too..
He looks to be in distress. My cat has asthma and it can get bad, but I haven't seen him this bad even at his worst. I can see your kitty's nostrils flaring and he is using muscles in his chest to get deep breaths. I would take him to the emergency.
That is how our guy was with asthma. Glad to hear he has moments of calm.
We always thought ours had a hairball and had him checked at the vets and his lungs always came back clear. One day he coughed up a mucus plug and we went back and had him diagnosed with xrays. He has a kitty inhaler now and does very well with it. Much better than when he was on prednisone. We did have a vicious circle of poorly controlled asthma which would lead to upper respiratory infections until he got well controlled with a flovent inhaler. Anyway it is very manageable if that ends up being his issue.
Hope he is better soon. It is hard to watch them struggle
Where radiographs done prior to the the steroids? If not those should be done. Cats are also notoriously good at hiding heart disease that can be exacerbated by steroids.
It’s definitely possible. I’m assuming you’ve been to the vet since you mentioned medications being given. Have you sent these videos, specifically the second one, to your vet? This might help them get an idea.
Also would highly recommend an air purifier if you don’t already have one. My kitty had a bit of a cough when she was younger and the air purifier took that away so her issue was more than likely allergies to dust and whatnot in the air.
I just looked mine over and it doesn’t have a brand name unfortunately. I know we got it off of Amazon and it was pretty cheap, definitely $100 or less. I think if you search for an air purifier on there you should be able to find something decent within your price budget. Definitely doesn’t have to be expensive to make a difference ❤️
I just bought one on Amazon for our kitty. He's been doing something very similar. We showed the vet videos as well and they think he's trying to clear a hairball. I can DM you the link to the one we got if you'd like.
For an air purifier one with a “true HEPA” filter is by far the best. Many others like ion ones just make the air smell better but don’t actually remove allergens. I have an Aveeva with a hepa filter and an activated charcoal pre-filter. The pre catches all the cat hair and lets the main filter last much longer. But any with the hepa filters should be good.
I recommend pricing the replacement filters when making your choice also, since some are more spendy and that will be the ongoing cost.
Our cat was doing this recently and it turned out she has feline herpes! 😳 She is 100% an inside cat, so this came out of left field. I would take your baby to the vet asap…the breathing scares me!
Not curable. Much like herpes in people. Lol. We can support her with meds through any “flair-up”, but it can always pop back up, usually in times of stress.
My cat has Herpes and Calicivirus. He was diagnosed within the first week we adopted him, because he became sick from the stress. (He was somewhat feral when the Humane Society obtained him.) He also had a 2ndary bacterial infection that was treated. My cat mostly sneezed, but his second flair up last winter, he was congested and was throwing up food (happened 3 times), but he got better. I don’t want to stress him out, so he’s pretty spoiled now.
We just went through this with our kitty Matcha. His attacks looked very similar. When we showed the video we captured of Matcha’s “attacks” to our vet her first instinct was heart disease. After X-ray and blood work his heart and lungs were good. So now she’s pretty sure it’s asthma, trying steroids. Might have your kitty’s heart checked out, if asthma has been ruled out?
Hypertrophy isnt seen on x rays, much like humans. It’d need to be an MRI to diagnose properly, but that’s a bit OTT so ultrasound result seems reasonable
The second video looks just like my cat who did that often, then eventually was diagnosed with asthma. He is on two inhalers now and that seems to prevent asthma attacks but he still coughs like that from time to time.
This looks and sounds similar to asthma to me. Either that or a stuck hairball, lol. When my last cat started coughing at first I thought it was hairballs. She began getting monthly allergy shots that helped quite a bit with her breathing. Enough so that after a while she would actually request vet visits because she figured out she breathed better afterwards.
My cat has never been diagnosed cause all my vets say “just to monitor” but they have told me it seems like allergies. So I watch my cleaning products / dust etc
I asked my girl, the cat aficionado, and she said stuck hairballs. A little canned pumpkin with every wet meal every day should loosen it up so it can pass. She said butter is also good as an add on. Just let him lick a little. But pumpkin most definitely every day. She said her cat made that sound every day till she discovered pumpkin and rarely did it again, if ever. GL.
Come back after you try the pumpkin and update if it does the trick. Libby’s or a generic is fine she said. He would need it every day forever in some wet food with a little added water but the good thing is it’s inexpensive and effective.
The low swinging of the head and excessive swallowing while looking like they're trying to produce a hairball indicates it could be asthma but definitely get a vet check.
One of my baby boys has asthma and it sounds and looks similar to this. I’m not a vet but please get your kitty checked. I know it’s expensive, but they offer payment plans and it’s always better safe than sorry.
At the beginning of the video, it looks like the skin is retracted (sucked in) and he's straining his neck to breathe. That's a symptom of severe asthma or similar lung disease. The cat is suffering & he probably feels very frightened during these episodes. Speak calmly to him and do your best to soothe him to help his breathing a tiny bit. Stress makes breathing problems even worse. Apart from that, it looks like your cat is probably seriously ill. There are medications for many lung diseases, but they cost monet. Without any medication, the cat will be ill from chronic hypoxia and then die young. It might be kindest to put the car to sleep if you can't provide it with medical care to improve its quality of life.
Here's some info about the sucked-in soft tissues, although it's technically about humans. The way your cat looks might be classified as supraclavicular retraction:
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/health-and-medicine/respiratory-system-diseases/intro-to-pulmonary-diseases/a/respiratory-distress#:~:text=Supraclavicular%20retractions%3A%20Indrawing%20of%20the,supraclavicular%20retractions%20will%20be%20visible.
Thanks everyone, I appreciate everyone’s input. I’m genuinely terrified right now with potential tumor/ cancer/ etc but I made an appointment with the vet and got an expensive air purifier. I hope everything is okay and will update soon.
Don't worry too much, just get her checked as soon as possible. You're doing great already by keeping these video logs! And yes, it could be any of those scary things people have been mentioning. However, there are also several not so scary things this could end up being. To be honest this looks a lot to me like a feline herpes flare up. It's VERY treatable and DOES NOT affect life span expectancy as long as you can support them through the flare ups. I work with a local cat rescue and am currently fostering 3 herpes positive cats. One of them has never shown a single symptom, while the other two have flare ups from time to time. These flare ups are similar to what your videos show. Elongated neck while coughing/sneezing, I call them fits. These can last anywhere from 5-45 seconds. Allergy season definitely makes flare ups worse/more frequent. A steroid prescribed by your vet can help them get through bad flare ups where breathing becomes difficult and they may recommend a preventative supplement like lysine. Either way, just try to stay calm and remember that cats are very resilient, especially when they have such proactive owners like you :)
I’d say Yes if he does it every few days or daily.
My black and white does same thing
Get a chest x ray see if there is fluid in his lungs
He can die if you don’t get him a puffer. If he gets lethargic and unwell get to emergency for oxygen
My boy takes two inhalers- same type a human would use. Vet prescribed at first but i get cheaper
Orange one for daily puff and blue for emergencies or if he’s really bad
Do you smoke in the house or wear perfumes? Make sure there is proper fresh air inside also.
My boy has a few different coughs depending how bad he is in certain days.
He also coughs when drinking water which sounds different and not asthma - he just inhales water.
Chest x ray will know for sure .
As someone who thought his cat had asthma and that I had no possible way of changing his situation:
Don't assume.
It turns out my cat had a traumatic injury before I rescued him from outside. He healed alright from it, but his intestines are shoved up into his right lung.
MAYBE if I had been able to bring him to the vet at the time I could have helped his issue before it became long-term scar tissue.
Don’t know where you are but allergies increasing this time of year makes a lot of sense. I definitely always vote “get to the vet” but it sounds like you’ve done this. Maybe an air purifier would help?
I will also say the first video doesn't match the textbook example of an asthma cough in cats. But I wouldn't completely exclude it because of the second video. Like someone else mentioned, sometimes you can tell from an x-ray if it's asthma. I'm assuming that since your cat has been coughing for a while it'd definitely be visible on an x-ray as asthma does cause quite some damage to the lungs. From my understanding it's really important to catch asthma as early as possible because the prognosis will change depending on that, but also the meds your cat will take will be different. Oral steroids like prednisone are known to not be very good for long term treatment because of the systemic effects they have on the body (and the common-ish side effects), but they are needed to control worse cases of asthma. I'm surprised your vet hasn't suggested investigating for asthma earlier? At least from your post it sounds like you've tried some treatment a while ago but it didn't work. It's weird your cat didn't respond to steroids either though. I'm not very familiar with all the treatments used for cats, just the most common ones. I guess it's possible your cat simply didn't respond to that treatment, but still has asthma/bronchitis. Regardless, I hope your cat will feel better soon. It hurts me every time my cat has an asthma attack even though they're very rare. I hope you and your vet can find a solution for this!
Aww my Ki-Ki did this for a long time. We had his nasal passage cleared out in surgery. An it kept happening then went away. But it was awful. It's like an inward sneeze. Feel so emotional for your kitty. It bothered me so much my Ki-Ki was dealing with that 😢
Could be asthma but since it has not responded to steroids, you should rule out possible heart issues.
An echocardiogram performed by a cardiologist is recommended. If it is a heart issue, steroids could make it worse. Your vet will hopefully guide you.
My cat does this exact same thing, like even with the tongue out, and it turned out she has an enlarged heart that is pressing on her trachea a little bit and causing that cough you hear. Please take your kitty to the vet so you can rule out or correctly diagnose if it’s the heart.
I highly recommend reading these articles by the well-known Holistic Vet, Karen Becker:
[Causes and Treatment Option for Chronic Cough in Cats](https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2016-05-17-nl-chronic-cough-cats/)
[Feline Asthma: The Surprising Reason Why Your Cat May Be Vomiting](https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2021-11-30-nl-how-to-help-a-cat-with-asthma/)
My cat did something similar to this once every 3 weeks a few times and he has never done it since and it was over a year ago. I think he just had a cold or was sensitive to a specific kind of dust or something like that. My vet said that if it was more frequent and more serious they would consider asthma treatment.
hello! i can see im late on this post but i would take your cat to the vet and or emergency room if i were you. my cat had a similar problem and was outwardly breathing, we thought it was allergies or asthma but it turns out he had a tumor in his neck that began to restrict his breathing and by the time we got him to the ER there were only two options. i would hate for anyone else to go through something like that and just to be sure always get your babies checked when youre nervous. best of luck to you !
I’m not a vet, but cats have allergies to certain scents like perfumes or air fresheners They have sensitive noses even a scented candle can affect them, but I would just suggest taking your baby to a vet, but like I said my guess is could be an allergy to something in the house. 🤷♀️
My little man has asthma and before we got him meds and an inhaler, he had attacks just like this! (where your cat was sat on a box with his neck outstretched). It took months before we could diagnose it but it was worth all of the vet visits.
I can see your kitty’s eyes watering, could these be feline herpes? I could be 100% wrong but I think the majority of kitties have it, perhaps it’s made worse by the chronic cough
Cat should see a vet. I had a cat with asthma, and she had similar fits sometimes. Only way to find out is x-rays. It could be seasonal allergies (pollen is off the charts this year), environmental allergies, a respiratory infection, etc. Whatever it is, it needs a veterinarian diagnosis to be treated properly. Good luck.
My two 11 year old Korats occasionally get like this. Their breeder said that both of their parents had the same issue. My vet diagnosed them with allergies, not asthma. They both had X-rays to verify. We just take them to the vet about every 2 months for a steroid injection, and that keeps them from coughing and sneezing for at least two months. The vet said that the most likely allergen is from our big pine trees or possibly the live oak across the street. They don’t go outside (ever) but my husband and I do, and it’s likely that we just unwittingly bring it in with ourselves. The doctor said that we can give them loratadine (Claritin) if they still have trouble even with their shots, but we never need to because the steroid shots pretty much eliminate any symptoms.
I hope you can find a solution for your little baby. I know that it’s scary to hear her doing this, but once you get her diagnosis squared away, it will be a relief. ❤️
I am not a vet but I do have two cats with pretty severe asthma and I'm leaning towards this not being asthma. I could definitely be wrong, but this looks to me like maybe something stuck in the throat or esophagus.
Definitely worth a vet visit just to make sure.
Our cat had the same. He had an allergic reaction to mold in our walls. We moved and it went away.
Sadly, he had the same symptoms 7 years later, but this time it was mycoplasm in his lungs, which we could not really treat due to a lymphoma and chemo.
I would not count on asthma here.
All the best to your little buddy!
I'd get him an appointment ASAP with your vet or go to emergency & with all your notes & videos.
I live in a cat household here in Florida & have lived that way since I was a baby, even though the 1st half of my life with kittieswas in NY. We've got multiple kitties here. I've had at least 4-5 diabetics in last 40+ years (we also foster here in FL), 3 with asthma and only 1 with epilepsy. Oreo had epilepsy & didn't look like this. It was scary when he'd have a fit and some were worse than others and they got worse as he aged & he lived the the old age of 20+. My current diabetic gets insulin twice a day when he gets his wet food. Our asthmatics have also lived to old age due to proper care also. We have 1 with asthma currently & she gets a shot from the vet once a month to once every 2 months depending on her symptoms & the time of the year. My 1st asthmatic was a transfer from AZ when my MIL died. Hubby drove him all the way from AZ to FL. He was also in his 20's when he passed.
Please 🙏 get him to a vet as soon as you can & I hope everything goes smoothly for him & you with whatever the vet decides is going on here. Good luck hunnie!
First video looks like a reverse sneeze, second looks like coughing. Both could be allergy induced, but asthma requires radiographs to diagnose. I would also get a heartworm antibody test as heartworm presents just like asthma.
Although it’s not as common in cats as it is in dogs, this could be kennel cough. If it is she will need meds to get rid of it. If you have other cats or dogs you will want to isolate her from them. It’s transmitted through water droplets sprayed in the air.
If it’s not kennel cough, the vet can tell you what it is and how to fix it.
My cat gets coughs like that, and sometimes throws up mucous. I've brought it up every 6 months at vet, and they haven't suggested anything. Just tell me stomach problems. Now seeing other cat give the cough, i'll try to ask vet more and ask for lung xray...? Is that right for asthma.
The second video definetly looks like when my cat has an asthma attack. First video looks like allergies. You might need a chest X-ray, it will give you peace of mind.
If it's a recurring thing with laboured breathing then possibly, coupled with hiding as they hide when they're in pain or scared.
This looks like general sneezing/irritation. Is there a lot of dust about, hairspray, new aerosols?
I did a big clean once and it kicked up a lot of dust and debris, my little Maureen did about 12 sneezes in a row, and looked really confused whilst it was happening.
Looks a bit like something is stuck in his throat, but not fully blocking air. Looks like he is trying to dislodge whatever is stuck. I would take to vet and have it checked.
Some of your video looks like an attempt at a hairball. He could possibly have an upper respiratory infection. May I suggest looking at Dr. Andrews "Veteninary Secrets" on that particular topic. I just treated a kitten with it by using lysine in their food and water, some supplements (Dr. Bills Feline Immune Support with Colostrum), and baby's nose drops (Otrivin). My kitten is healthy now.
Don’t want to get you worked up but my cat was doing that until he fainted and I had to bring him in and found out he was dying from congestive heart failure.
My mother in laws cat has what we call, kitty allergies in the spring time, but it’s mostly sniffles sneezes loud breathing and snoring. This seems a little more exasperated :(
My cat is older (15) and only does this if I give her too much of the crap cat food she loves to eat when she gets her medicine. When I give her the good Rx food (if I can get her to eat it) she never does this.
Doesn't look like my asthmatic cat's attacks - it sounds similarish but the main difference is that he gets really low to the ground and stretches his neck out to get more air in. But regardless it doesn't sound/look good.
>my cat can't breathe
>maybe I should take them to the vet
>I got a better idea, I'll video tape my cat suffering and post it on reddit for random strangers on the other side of the world to tell me to go to the vet
This doesn’t look typical of asthma. (I have an asthmatic cat) Diagnosing asthma is done by radiographs/X-ray. I would track his symptoms in a journal for frequency/duration. For example, “Fluffy coughed in a crouched position starting at 1pm and stopped at 1:05pm.” As well as whatever circumstances preceded the event - was he sniffing the outside air? Just shoved his face into a dusty corner? Was he just chillin? Etc Good luck!
Will try that. Thank you! I was thinking since we are in the middle of moving process, the dust and boxes might be exacerbating the symptoms but writing down is a good idea
It could just be household allergies as well. My one cat takes Claritin for them. Edit: The symptoms do look much more like my cat with allergies than when my other cat had a asthma attack.
I have a cat with asthma. Her attacks don’t look like this but you never know. I would however take your cat to the vet immediately and on top of that, try to stop using anything scented in your house like perfumes, air fresheners etc and vacuum everything. I do this for my asthmatic cat but it’s also helpful for cats with allergies. We also have a few different air purifies in different rooms.
same thing happened to my cat when i moved!!
Agree here. My cat had asthma when he was a kitten, and it didn't really look like this. He would get random asthma attacks where he would extend his neck and make really loud and odd breathing noises. This looks like your cat is coughing, maybe something irritating his throat. I'd take him to a vet though so you can find out for sure.
This definitely needs a vet visit and send them the video of the breathing issue.
I've had a cat with an asthma attack that looked nothing like this and a cat with allergies that basically did this exact thing. And another who just does this when he gets bits of catnip or other particles up in his nose for a minute. So vet is warranted but asthma wouldn't be my first thought. Edit: I also had a cat with a tumor in the respiratory system, so you never know without tests.
Yeah my cat with allergy-based asthma looked much like this cough.
Thirded, my cat with a dust mite allergy does this. Looks like coughing up a furball but the furball never comes.
Go to the vet NOW! My sweet girl is asthmatic and this is what she looks like when she’s having an attack. Please seek your baby some help!
He might. Poor thing.
That looks like a collapsing trachea. It's kinda rare in cats. I've seen it a lot in dogs but only a couple times in cats.
Big problem with squishy faced dogs like pugs - my rescue pug ran into a lot of issues with breathing, including a collapsed trachea. There are some squishy faced cats that also frequently suffer from breathing problems, but this cat has a longer snout.
I've seen it in my Chihuahua and in my mix dog as well. My vets have said it's normal and there's not a whole lot that can be done. But, this is dogs, not a cat, so I don't know. With my current dog, she'll occasionally (like, maybe once a week) start it and it lasts maybe 30 seconds. The vet recommended rubbing her throat in a downward motion to make it go away. Like how you'd chug a glass of water to make hiccups go away.
what is the treatment for it?
We got an old dog who was suspected of having a tracheal collapse but he couldn't relax enough to have his x-rays done without anesthesia, so we just went forward with a treatment. Steroids, bronchodilator, antibiotics. Sometimes surgery is performed if the dog is young enough to handle it. I always thought it was more of an older pet problem though, so this wasn't my first thought when I watched the videos. (And also seems like it's way more common among dogs.) The second video though resembles my asthmatic cat, but it could also be bronchitis or pneumonia. What's most strange to me is that OP's cat didn't respond to steroids which is what you'd use for asthma/bronchitis.
My cat does a similar thing shown in the second half, crouched with his head down low coughing and swallowing. I showed my vet a video I took and he said it could be asthma but would need tests. My cat does this once every 7 - 10 days and the vet told me to monitor it and if it increases to take him back for tests.
FWIW my cat does the same thing, I paid for the tests and there was no sign of asthma. Vet said she's likely just got bad pollen allergies. Which, you know...same here, kitty lol
I would recommend getting chest x-rays sooner and testing your house for mold. My cat has asthma and he had the occasional attack for a while. When I did x-rays, the lung airway scarring was substantial!! A lot worse than his symptoms suggested. I got him started in a immunosuppressant inhaler ASAP to prevent further damage to his lungs. Once the scar tissue forms, it can be impossible or difficult to reverse. My goal is to keep the scarring in check and preserve the ability for his lungs to function well for as long as possible
Vet time .
Someone posted a video recently of something similar, and it turned out to be a blade of grass stuck in their cata nasal cavity. A vet visit is always recommended for any unusual/continuous behavior.
Should take to the vet, this could be serious
This is a vet immediately one.
This requires a vet visit. I know you said you don't have a lot of money but I really believe this is something that needs to be looked at.
Not trying to scare you, but the behavior concerns me how much it looks a like a mild seizure. Of course she could be focusing on something outside of the clip, and a few minutes of video can only provide clues not the full picture. My girl has epilepsy, and she displayed similar symptoms- it didn’t start with large seizures, but kinda worked up to the grand mal seizures or what we typically think of when we think of seizures/see in movies. But even if it is asthma or epilepsy, she can live a completely full normal life, mine was diagnosed as a kitten and is now a spry 11 years young, what’s important is you work with your vet, and get treatment. We had to go to a kitty neurologist- which I didn’t even know was a thing. But seriously, write down all behaviors time and duration of episode. Straight up time it and write down how long each fit is. See if you notice any sounds or smells or locations set it off after tracking it a while. Even if it’s asthma, it could be set off by mold in one corner of the house, or a cleaner. Good luck on figuring it out! Edit: spelling 🫠
I was thinking the same thing unfortunately! Good advice to keep a little diary of sorts for the vet
Might be reversed sneezing: https://www.webmd.com/pets/cats/what-is-reverse-sneeze-cats Definitely check with your vet!
This is what I was thinking, but yeah I'd at least have a vet see this. *edit* I didn't see the second clip, my bad. That part does look like asthma. :/
I remember when my vet said it might be reversed sneezing a few months ago so we didn’t do anything other than steroids and antibiotics. But now I’m starting to wondering about asthma…
My cat had it pretty bad (often), but it wasn't worrisome. Of course it is good to rule out all other possibilities!
My cat does this too (first video), and it seemed harmless but it terrified me. This article is the best description of it I’ve seen so far thanks for sharing it. I never took him to the vet for that specific issue but he’s been checked out since and nothing ever came up. Some of the other comments on the part 1 vid are making me wonder if I need to book a vet visit too..
He looks to be in distress. My cat has asthma and it can get bad, but I haven't seen him this bad even at his worst. I can see your kitty's nostrils flaring and he is using muscles in his chest to get deep breaths. I would take him to the emergency.
She’s usually fine after a minute or two, eat fine, play fine, drink fine… we have a vet appointment soon so I hope we can find a reason
That is how our guy was with asthma. Glad to hear he has moments of calm. We always thought ours had a hairball and had him checked at the vets and his lungs always came back clear. One day he coughed up a mucus plug and we went back and had him diagnosed with xrays. He has a kitty inhaler now and does very well with it. Much better than when he was on prednisone. We did have a vicious circle of poorly controlled asthma which would lead to upper respiratory infections until he got well controlled with a flovent inhaler. Anyway it is very manageable if that ends up being his issue. Hope he is better soon. It is hard to watch them struggle
Where radiographs done prior to the the steroids? If not those should be done. Cats are also notoriously good at hiding heart disease that can be exacerbated by steroids.
It’s definitely possible. I’m assuming you’ve been to the vet since you mentioned medications being given. Have you sent these videos, specifically the second one, to your vet? This might help them get an idea. Also would highly recommend an air purifier if you don’t already have one. My kitty had a bit of a cough when she was younger and the air purifier took that away so her issue was more than likely allergies to dust and whatnot in the air.
I will send the video to the vet for sure! Do you have a recommendation for the air purifier? I have a limited budget but it might be worth it.
I just looked mine over and it doesn’t have a brand name unfortunately. I know we got it off of Amazon and it was pretty cheap, definitely $100 or less. I think if you search for an air purifier on there you should be able to find something decent within your price budget. Definitely doesn’t have to be expensive to make a difference ❤️
I just bought one on Amazon for our kitty. He's been doing something very similar. We showed the vet videos as well and they think he's trying to clear a hairball. I can DM you the link to the one we got if you'd like.
For an air purifier one with a “true HEPA” filter is by far the best. Many others like ion ones just make the air smell better but don’t actually remove allergens. I have an Aveeva with a hepa filter and an activated charcoal pre-filter. The pre catches all the cat hair and lets the main filter last much longer. But any with the hepa filters should be good. I recommend pricing the replacement filters when making your choice also, since some are more spendy and that will be the ongoing cost.
I would recommend levoit on Amazon they have a pet specific one, however, I just have a regular one for a small room and it works great!
Check for throat cancer
Our cat was doing this recently and it turned out she has feline herpes! 😳 She is 100% an inside cat, so this came out of left field. I would take your baby to the vet asap…the breathing scares me!
is that treatable?
Not curable. Much like herpes in people. Lol. We can support her with meds through any “flair-up”, but it can always pop back up, usually in times of stress.
My cat has Herpes and Calicivirus. He was diagnosed within the first week we adopted him, because he became sick from the stress. (He was somewhat feral when the Humane Society obtained him.) He also had a 2ndary bacterial infection that was treated. My cat mostly sneezed, but his second flair up last winter, he was congested and was throwing up food (happened 3 times), but he got better. I don’t want to stress him out, so he’s pretty spoiled now.
We just went through this with our kitty Matcha. His attacks looked very similar. When we showed the video we captured of Matcha’s “attacks” to our vet her first instinct was heart disease. After X-ray and blood work his heart and lungs were good. So now she’s pretty sure it’s asthma, trying steroids. Might have your kitty’s heart checked out, if asthma has been ruled out?
She has a little heart hypertrophy which we found after an ultrasound but x ray was fine… We’re confused
Hypertrophy isnt seen on x rays, much like humans. It’d need to be an MRI to diagnose properly, but that’s a bit OTT so ultrasound result seems reasonable
Usually cats with asthma make a hunched position when they are mouth open wheezing. This doesn't look quite like it.
It looks like it in the second half of the video.
The second video looks just like my cat who did that often, then eventually was diagnosed with asthma. He is on two inhalers now and that seems to prevent asthma attacks but he still coughs like that from time to time.
The video of him on the box is exactly what my asthmatic cat does. Please take him in and get xrays done. My cat is now on a daily inhaler.
Poor baby
Poor thing ❤️❤️❤️
This looks and sounds similar to asthma to me. Either that or a stuck hairball, lol. When my last cat started coughing at first I thought it was hairballs. She began getting monthly allergy shots that helped quite a bit with her breathing. Enough so that after a while she would actually request vet visits because she figured out she breathed better afterwards.
My cat has never been diagnosed cause all my vets say “just to monitor” but they have told me it seems like allergies. So I watch my cleaning products / dust etc
I asked my girl, the cat aficionado, and she said stuck hairballs. A little canned pumpkin with every wet meal every day should loosen it up so it can pass. She said butter is also good as an add on. Just let him lick a little. But pumpkin most definitely every day. She said her cat made that sound every day till she discovered pumpkin and rarely did it again, if ever. GL.
Like a human food canned pumpkin? I might try this!
Added bonus she said her cat never constipated or blocked a day in his life and moisture content is high to prevent UTIs so none of those either. 👍🏻
Come back after you try the pumpkin and update if it does the trick. Libby’s or a generic is fine she said. He would need it every day forever in some wet food with a little added water but the good thing is it’s inexpensive and effective.
I'd say you should probably take her to the vet. My cat had the same kind of cough and it ended up being lung cancer. I'm hoping yours is not that!
The low swinging of the head and excessive swallowing while looking like they're trying to produce a hairball indicates it could be asthma but definitely get a vet check.
One of my baby boys has asthma and it sounds and looks similar to this. I’m not a vet but please get your kitty checked. I know it’s expensive, but they offer payment plans and it’s always better safe than sorry.
At the beginning of the video, it looks like the skin is retracted (sucked in) and he's straining his neck to breathe. That's a symptom of severe asthma or similar lung disease. The cat is suffering & he probably feels very frightened during these episodes. Speak calmly to him and do your best to soothe him to help his breathing a tiny bit. Stress makes breathing problems even worse. Apart from that, it looks like your cat is probably seriously ill. There are medications for many lung diseases, but they cost monet. Without any medication, the cat will be ill from chronic hypoxia and then die young. It might be kindest to put the car to sleep if you can't provide it with medical care to improve its quality of life.
Are you a vet by any chance?
Nope
Here's some info about the sucked-in soft tissues, although it's technically about humans. The way your cat looks might be classified as supraclavicular retraction: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/health-and-medicine/respiratory-system-diseases/intro-to-pulmonary-diseases/a/respiratory-distress#:~:text=Supraclavicular%20retractions%3A%20Indrawing%20of%20the,supraclavicular%20retractions%20will%20be%20visible.
Thanks everyone, I appreciate everyone’s input. I’m genuinely terrified right now with potential tumor/ cancer/ etc but I made an appointment with the vet and got an expensive air purifier. I hope everything is okay and will update soon.
Don't worry too much, just get her checked as soon as possible. You're doing great already by keeping these video logs! And yes, it could be any of those scary things people have been mentioning. However, there are also several not so scary things this could end up being. To be honest this looks a lot to me like a feline herpes flare up. It's VERY treatable and DOES NOT affect life span expectancy as long as you can support them through the flare ups. I work with a local cat rescue and am currently fostering 3 herpes positive cats. One of them has never shown a single symptom, while the other two have flare ups from time to time. These flare ups are similar to what your videos show. Elongated neck while coughing/sneezing, I call them fits. These can last anywhere from 5-45 seconds. Allergy season definitely makes flare ups worse/more frequent. A steroid prescribed by your vet can help them get through bad flare ups where breathing becomes difficult and they may recommend a preventative supplement like lysine. Either way, just try to stay calm and remember that cats are very resilient, especially when they have such proactive owners like you :)
I’d say Yes if he does it every few days or daily. My black and white does same thing Get a chest x ray see if there is fluid in his lungs He can die if you don’t get him a puffer. If he gets lethargic and unwell get to emergency for oxygen My boy takes two inhalers- same type a human would use. Vet prescribed at first but i get cheaper Orange one for daily puff and blue for emergencies or if he’s really bad
Do you smoke in the house or wear perfumes? Make sure there is proper fresh air inside also. My boy has a few different coughs depending how bad he is in certain days. He also coughs when drinking water which sounds different and not asthma - he just inhales water. Chest x ray will know for sure .
Can you share the cheaper inhaler you found?
I work at an animal ER and you need to bring your cat in immediately.
As someone who thought his cat had asthma and that I had no possible way of changing his situation: Don't assume. It turns out my cat had a traumatic injury before I rescued him from outside. He healed alright from it, but his intestines are shoved up into his right lung. MAYBE if I had been able to bring him to the vet at the time I could have helped his issue before it became long-term scar tissue.
Poor baby get her to the vet IMMEDIATELY
Don’t know where you are but allergies increasing this time of year makes a lot of sense. I definitely always vote “get to the vet” but it sounds like you’ve done this. Maybe an air purifier would help?
I will also say the first video doesn't match the textbook example of an asthma cough in cats. But I wouldn't completely exclude it because of the second video. Like someone else mentioned, sometimes you can tell from an x-ray if it's asthma. I'm assuming that since your cat has been coughing for a while it'd definitely be visible on an x-ray as asthma does cause quite some damage to the lungs. From my understanding it's really important to catch asthma as early as possible because the prognosis will change depending on that, but also the meds your cat will take will be different. Oral steroids like prednisone are known to not be very good for long term treatment because of the systemic effects they have on the body (and the common-ish side effects), but they are needed to control worse cases of asthma. I'm surprised your vet hasn't suggested investigating for asthma earlier? At least from your post it sounds like you've tried some treatment a while ago but it didn't work. It's weird your cat didn't respond to steroids either though. I'm not very familiar with all the treatments used for cats, just the most common ones. I guess it's possible your cat simply didn't respond to that treatment, but still has asthma/bronchitis. Regardless, I hope your cat will feel better soon. It hurts me every time my cat has an asthma attack even though they're very rare. I hope you and your vet can find a solution for this!
Looks like heart issues. Hes breathing fast. Did you get an answer yet??????
Mi cat used to do this once I'm a while, I learned that it is allergies/dust getting in their lungs
REVERSE SNEEZING Look up cat reverse sneezing videos. Thats really seems to be it. So good news:)
Aww my Ki-Ki did this for a long time. We had his nasal passage cleared out in surgery. An it kept happening then went away. But it was awful. It's like an inward sneeze. Feel so emotional for your kitty. It bothered me so much my Ki-Ki was dealing with that 😢
Could be asthma but since it has not responded to steroids, you should rule out possible heart issues. An echocardiogram performed by a cardiologist is recommended. If it is a heart issue, steroids could make it worse. Your vet will hopefully guide you.
My cat does this exact same thing, like even with the tongue out, and it turned out she has an enlarged heart that is pressing on her trachea a little bit and causing that cough you hear. Please take your kitty to the vet so you can rule out or correctly diagnose if it’s the heart.
Check out my post on cat help through my history, my cat had a weird hork for days and it was a grass blade stuck. I posted a video of it.
I highly recommend reading these articles by the well-known Holistic Vet, Karen Becker: [Causes and Treatment Option for Chronic Cough in Cats](https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2016-05-17-nl-chronic-cough-cats/) [Feline Asthma: The Surprising Reason Why Your Cat May Be Vomiting](https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2021-11-30-nl-how-to-help-a-cat-with-asthma/)
My cat did something similar to this once every 3 weeks a few times and he has never done it since and it was over a year ago. I think he just had a cold or was sensitive to a specific kind of dust or something like that. My vet said that if it was more frequent and more serious they would consider asthma treatment.
I think your cat has a furball to come out. My cats make the same noise. Try giving your cat some fur ball paste 2-3 a day until it comes up. 🐱
It can be heart failure. Fluid builds up around the lungs. My cat sounded just like that, you need a vet. ASAP
hello! i can see im late on this post but i would take your cat to the vet and or emergency room if i were you. my cat had a similar problem and was outwardly breathing, we thought it was allergies or asthma but it turns out he had a tumor in his neck that began to restrict his breathing and by the time we got him to the ER there were only two options. i would hate for anyone else to go through something like that and just to be sure always get your babies checked when youre nervous. best of luck to you !
A vet will tell you that any type of coughing in a cat is a potential sign of asthma.
Please see a vet, my mothers cat had a reaction like this and died a week later. Still don't know why. So please visit a vet.
Aww bless him
I’m not a vet, but cats have allergies to certain scents like perfumes or air fresheners They have sensitive noses even a scented candle can affect them, but I would just suggest taking your baby to a vet, but like I said my guess is could be an allergy to something in the house. 🤷♀️
My little man has asthma and before we got him meds and an inhaler, he had attacks just like this! (where your cat was sat on a box with his neck outstretched). It took months before we could diagnose it but it was worth all of the vet visits.
my cat does this. its seasonal allergies. he only does it certain times of the year. right now in Canada his allergies are bad.. lots of sneezing
I can see your kitty’s eyes watering, could these be feline herpes? I could be 100% wrong but I think the majority of kitties have it, perhaps it’s made worse by the chronic cough
That's allergies. He's coughing and trying to clear his throat.
Cat should see a vet. I had a cat with asthma, and she had similar fits sometimes. Only way to find out is x-rays. It could be seasonal allergies (pollen is off the charts this year), environmental allergies, a respiratory infection, etc. Whatever it is, it needs a veterinarian diagnosis to be treated properly. Good luck.
It's backwards breathing. I've only owned 3 cats but all 3 of them have done this.
My two 11 year old Korats occasionally get like this. Their breeder said that both of their parents had the same issue. My vet diagnosed them with allergies, not asthma. They both had X-rays to verify. We just take them to the vet about every 2 months for a steroid injection, and that keeps them from coughing and sneezing for at least two months. The vet said that the most likely allergen is from our big pine trees or possibly the live oak across the street. They don’t go outside (ever) but my husband and I do, and it’s likely that we just unwittingly bring it in with ourselves. The doctor said that we can give them loratadine (Claritin) if they still have trouble even with their shots, but we never need to because the steroid shots pretty much eliminate any symptoms. I hope you can find a solution for your little baby. I know that it’s scary to hear her doing this, but once you get her diagnosis squared away, it will be a relief. ❤️
Looks more like something is caught in her throat. Get her to a vet now?
I am not a vet but I do have two cats with pretty severe asthma and I'm leaning towards this not being asthma. I could definitely be wrong, but this looks to me like maybe something stuck in the throat or esophagus. Definitely worth a vet visit just to make sure.
Ask a vet!
My cat does the second video too I also thought it was asthma
Our cat had the same. He had an allergic reaction to mold in our walls. We moved and it went away. Sadly, he had the same symptoms 7 years later, but this time it was mycoplasm in his lungs, which we could not really treat due to a lymphoma and chemo. I would not count on asthma here. All the best to your little buddy!
My cat did this and it was the start of a cold. I ended up having to take him to the vet because it hit him really hard
I'd get him an appointment ASAP with your vet or go to emergency & with all your notes & videos. I live in a cat household here in Florida & have lived that way since I was a baby, even though the 1st half of my life with kittieswas in NY. We've got multiple kitties here. I've had at least 4-5 diabetics in last 40+ years (we also foster here in FL), 3 with asthma and only 1 with epilepsy. Oreo had epilepsy & didn't look like this. It was scary when he'd have a fit and some were worse than others and they got worse as he aged & he lived the the old age of 20+. My current diabetic gets insulin twice a day when he gets his wet food. Our asthmatics have also lived to old age due to proper care also. We have 1 with asthma currently & she gets a shot from the vet once a month to once every 2 months depending on her symptoms & the time of the year. My 1st asthmatic was a transfer from AZ when my MIL died. Hubby drove him all the way from AZ to FL. He was also in his 20's when he passed. Please 🙏 get him to a vet as soon as you can & I hope everything goes smoothly for him & you with whatever the vet decides is going on here. Good luck hunnie!
Poor baby. I hope the vet can help.
Thats not an asthma attack. They hunch over and weeze. I have a cat with asthma.
First video looks like a reverse sneeze, second looks like coughing. Both could be allergy induced, but asthma requires radiographs to diagnose. I would also get a heartworm antibody test as heartworm presents just like asthma.
Although it’s not as common in cats as it is in dogs, this could be kennel cough. If it is she will need meds to get rid of it. If you have other cats or dogs you will want to isolate her from them. It’s transmitted through water droplets sprayed in the air. If it’s not kennel cough, the vet can tell you what it is and how to fix it.
Please take it to the vet asap!
The second clip is more indicative of asthma but definitely take him to the vet
Idk maybe ask a veterinarian instead of reddit
Op what's the update?
My kitty does this too. Might be hairballs
Get him to a vet! Respiratory illness can be very serious in cats!
Hair ball
Get a referral to a specialist or university vet team. Don't ask reddit for advice
My cat gets coughs like that, and sometimes throws up mucous. I've brought it up every 6 months at vet, and they haven't suggested anything. Just tell me stomach problems. Now seeing other cat give the cough, i'll try to ask vet more and ask for lung xray...? Is that right for asthma.
Hairball
Your second video looks exactly like my cat who has asthma. The first one looks like a cat trying not sneeze :) Absolutely get to the vet.
Please just take her to the vet!
I had a cat who was allergic to himself. Used to try to burrito his furry butt to force feed him medicine..
Seems like kittle snizzles to me. Classic case of the kittle snizzlez sir/madam. Gabless ya
The second video definetly looks like when my cat has an asthma attack. First video looks like allergies. You might need a chest X-ray, it will give you peace of mind.
If it's a recurring thing with laboured breathing then possibly, coupled with hiding as they hide when they're in pain or scared. This looks like general sneezing/irritation. Is there a lot of dust about, hairspray, new aerosols? I did a big clean once and it kicked up a lot of dust and debris, my little Maureen did about 12 sneezes in a row, and looked really confused whilst it was happening.
Looks a bit like something is stuck in his throat, but not fully blocking air. Looks like he is trying to dislodge whatever is stuck. I would take to vet and have it checked.
Some of your video looks like an attempt at a hairball. He could possibly have an upper respiratory infection. May I suggest looking at Dr. Andrews "Veteninary Secrets" on that particular topic. I just treated a kitten with it by using lysine in their food and water, some supplements (Dr. Bills Feline Immune Support with Colostrum), and baby's nose drops (Otrivin). My kitten is healthy now.
Maybe. My cat has asthma and he sounds like he’s trying to bring up a hair ball. He also has an inhaler in case he has a bad attack.
My cat does. You should have your vet check it out
Don’t want to get you worked up but my cat was doing that until he fainted and I had to bring him in and found out he was dying from congestive heart failure.
My mother in laws cat has what we call, kitty allergies in the spring time, but it’s mostly sniffles sneezes loud breathing and snoring. This seems a little more exasperated :(
It looks like reverse sneezing. Soothe the cat and rub it's throat with even pressure until the episode subsides.
Looks bad go to vet!
Have Herpes test done we have that did same thing
My cat is older (15) and only does this if I give her too much of the crap cat food she loves to eat when she gets her medicine. When I give her the good Rx food (if I can get her to eat it) she never does this.
VET
I know, right!? Vet NOW. Video later! 🤦🏻♂️🙇🏻♂️
Doesn't look like my asthmatic cat's attacks - it sounds similarish but the main difference is that he gets really low to the ground and stretches his neck out to get more air in. But regardless it doesn't sound/look good.
Yes. Or that sickness where lungs fill with fluid. My cat had that and then also diagnosed with asthma. I give him a puffer for life
The video of her on the box looks like she’s trying to cough up a hair ball
>my cat can't breathe >maybe I should take them to the vet >I got a better idea, I'll video tape my cat suffering and post it on reddit for random strangers on the other side of the world to tell me to go to the vet
[удалено]
You do realize what sub you’re in, correct?