Cat asthma: What you need to know

Can cats get asthma? It’s a question many cat owners ask. And the truth is, cats of any age, breed or gender can develop respiratory conditions such as feline asthma. It’s more common than you might think, too – up to 5% of cats in the UK could be affected. However, milder cases can go undiagnosed for years. 

Feline asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that affects cats’ airways. The causes and symptoms of asthma in cats aren’t that different from the human variety – it happens when the small passageways of a cat’s lungs become chronically inflamed.

Feline asthma is an allergic response to environmental irritants such as pollen, dust, cigarette smoke, household cleaning products, perfumes, mould and even some types of cat litter.

How do you know if your cat has asthma? The most common cat asthma symptoms to watch out for are similar to those experienced by humans with asthma. 

Keep an eye out for:

• Persistent coughing or bouts of coughing

• Fast or laboured breathing

• Wheezing or noisy breathing

• Difficulty breathing or trouble catching their breath

• Drooling or producing white, frothy mucus

• Breathing with their mouth open

• Lethargy, weakness or fatigue

Cats are very skilled at hiding pain and discomfort, so it can sometimes be easy for owners to miss the signs of asthma in cats. You might notice something as slight as your cat being less active, breathing more heavily or faster than usual, or breathing from the abdomen rather than the chest. 

Any cat can get asthma. However, asthma in felines often tends to develop when cats are younger – often before they’re about four or five years old. 

Genetics could play a part, too, and it’s thought that Siamese and Oriental Shorthair cats may be predisposed to asthma. Meanwhile, outdoor cats may be more likely to have asthma just because they’re exposed to more allergens outside.

Just like humans, cats can have asthma attacks. These happen when their airways become very narrow and can potentially close completely. They can be life-threatening, so it’s important to take them to the vet as soon as possible. Try to keep your cat calm as best you can until they receive medical attention.

Your cat might hunch to the ground or extend their neck upwards, breathe with their mouth open, or continuously wheeze or breathe. If your cat has blue gums, indicating a lack of oxygen, it’s a sign that the cat asthma attack is serious and could be fatal.

If you think your cat might be suffering from feline asthma or another respiratory condition, speak to your vet. They’ll be able to carry out some tests to confirm a diagnosis – these will also rule out other health conditions such as heart disease and respiratory infections.

The types of tests a vet might conduct include:

• Blood tests

• Listening to your cat’s chest with a stethoscope

• Chest X-rays, to look for abnormalities in the lungs

• Bronchoscopy: sending a small camera into the lungs to check the small airways

• Airway washes – also known as bronchial or bronchoalveolar lavage – which involves collecting cells and fluid from the airways to examine under a microscope 

In some cases, some or all of these investigations may be needed. For many of them, your cat will be anaesthetised.

If the vet isn’t able to investigate with these tests for whatever reason, but they think feline asthma is likely, they might recommend trying some asthma medication and keeping an eye on your cat and their asthma symptoms.

Many felines will need lifelong cat asthma medication, given intermittently or continuously, depending on the severity of the condition. Fortunately, successful management allows most cats to lead normal, happy lives.

There are two main types of feline asthma treatments, and they’re both often given through inhalers designed especially for cats. Some cats can take tablets or injections instead, however. Most cat asthma treatment will be either:

• Corticosteroids. These are anti-inflammatory drugs that work to reduce the inflammation in your cat’s airways

• Bronchodilators. These relax the lung muscles and widen the airways

At the same time, it can be helpful to try reducing your cat’s triggers. You could change their cat litter or the household cleaning products you use, reduce your use of perfumes and sprays, or vacuum more frequently to remove potential irritants. If your cat is overweight or obese, helping them lose weight can help ease feline asthma symptoms, too. 

If you have cat insurance with Petplan, you can speak to an expert to discuss ways to help your cat via our Pet Expert Chat. Log in to your My Petplan account to get started.