What percentage of cats have asthma?
In the United States, around 3% of domestic house cats have asthma. Similar to humans, feline asthma is a condition in which the air passage to your cat’s lung is narrow and often inflamed. While asthma in cats is a chronic condition that you can not get rid of, there are plenty of ways to keep your cat healthy and comfortable with asthma.
What are the signs of an asthma attack in cats
While there are various symptoms that could signal your cat is having an asthma attack, here are the most common:
- Gasping and trouble breathing
- A cough that will not go away
- Lethargy
- Fast breathing
- Rapid movements
If your cat is experiencing any of theses symptoms, and in a severe manner, your cat is possibly having an asthma attack.
How to help a cat during an asthma attack
One of the scariest moments for you and your cat is when your cat experiences an asthma attack. Below are the most important steps to help your cat during an asthma attack.
Stay cool, calm and collected
Just like humans, cats are very aware and responsive to their environment. If they see you freaking out or panicking, it will only make them more stressed and worsen the severity of the asthma attack.
Administer asthma medication
If your cat has asthma, you should have been subscribed some form of medication to administer from your veterinarian during an asthma attack. Make sure you keep this medication in an accessible place in your house so it is easy to access.
Take your cat to a place with fresh air
While we don’t recommend taking your cat outside due to allergies, it is important to find a place that is relatively cool with fresh air. You should make sure the room does not have a lot of noise and is away from other pets and humans. It is important that you take your cat to a room that does not have a lot of dust.
Contact your veterinarian
Depending on the severity of the attack, this might be the first step you should take. In extreme cases, you might have to bring your cat in for an emergency operation.
How to prevent asthma attacks in cats
While asthma in cats is a chronic disease, there are many steps you can take to help prevent your cat form experiencing an asthma attack. You should keep your cat away from dusty, non-ventilated spaces. You should also try to avoid small enclosed places that do not have good air flow and could be stressful to your cat. It is very important that you keep your cat from experiencing stressful situations, because additional stress can trigger an asthma attack in your cat.