Cat Illnesses - Feline Asthma

Like other cat problems such as cataracts, the precise cause of feline asthma is unknown. However allergies are thought to be a major trigger. It's not the most common of cat illnesses, affecting only one percent of cats, but it is twice as common in she cats as tom cats, and usually does not appear in cats under two years old.

In order of severity the symptoms of feline asthma are: coughing, persistent coughing (may be followed by vomiting), severe difficulty breating.

Like other cat problems that vary in severity, the treatment is dependent on the level of severity. For milder cases environmental adjustments may be all that is needed. Inhalers, oral bronchodilators or oral steroids may also be required. In all cases, the treatment is aimed at reducing the constriction in the cat's airways.