What is Feline Asthma?
Cat or feline asthma is a respiratory condition that involves inflammation, chronic breathing problems, and excess mucous build-up in the airways. This non-contagious condition causes muscle spasms that develop the airway's constriction, resulting in different scale respiratory distress.
Symptoms and Signs of Asthma in Cats
So, what are the signs of Feline Asthma? One of the first notifying signs is the surplus production of mucus in the cat's air passageway. Early symptoms of feline asthma may also be as mild as an occasional soft cough, wheeze, and even hunched shoulders. Sometimes it may seem as though your cat is trying unsuccessfully to bring up a hairball.
An asthmatic cat has bouts of exceedingly difficult breathing called asthma attacks. An asthma attack is relatively easy to spot as you'll notice fast and open-mouthed breathing escorted by wheezing and forced exhalations. As a matter of fact, feline asthma shares numerous characteristics with asthma in humans, including particular symptoms.
The excellent news for asthmatic cat owners is that there are many different treatments available to tackle feline asthma and take proactive steps to ensure your pet's well-being. In case your cat is experiencing particular side effects of asthma medications, or if you plain don't like the concept of relying entirely on synthetic drugs, you're at the right place.
Read along and take a look into our proven cat asthma natural remedies, including an anti-inflammatory diet, holistic therapies, and beneficial supplements that can help improve your cat's respiratory system.
Home Remedies For Cat Asthma
When we say “home remedies” or “natural home remedies,” we mostly think about stuff other than synthetic drugs. In the following paragraphs, we will lay out some of the best home remedies for asthma in cats.
Still, before you start using any home remedy to treat your cat, it’s best to consult with your veterinarian. The following cat asthma natural remedies are proven to successfully aid or eliminate feline asthma in cats and provide general support to the immune system.
Anti-Inflammatory Diet
The majority of cat asthma natural remedies commonly tackle the inflammation and relieve symptoms of asthma. And it all begins with what goes in. The anti-inflammatory diet for cats is focused on Omega 3 fatty acids and includes:
- Freeze-dried krill which is high in Omega 3 and offers a stack of other benefits that promote respiratory healing and support all bodily functions;
- Oily fish like sardines, trout, and salmon are all excellent;
- Seaweed contains anti-inflammatory properties and boosts the whole immune system of the cat. Besides, it’s low in carbohydrates and easier for cats to digest than dirt vegetables.
Remove all foods that contain grains from your cat’s diet to reduce asthma symptoms. Carefully read the labels and avoid anything with corn, rice, wheat, or an abundance of preservatives.
Holistic Therapies
Various holistic therapies can also help ease the symptoms of feline asthma. The success of the following treatments will largely depend on the severity of the condition. The two most famous holistic approaches for treating asthma in cats include stress reduction and reducing certain environmental conditions.
Stress Reduction
Studies have shown that asthma can be triggered by stress in cats. Much like their adult owners, stress can play havoc in cats and make their allergies and asthma worse.
But cats don’t have to worry about paying bills and meeting strict deadlines, so what kind of stress does a cat have? Well, cats experience stress that we like to call “family stress” or “domestication stress.”
You understand cats weren’t originally built and designed to live among humans. Even though they’ve done a superb job of adapting, they still have to deal with human civilization and the human world every day. Give your cat plenty of options to do “cat things” and better cope with domestication stress. These “cat” activities include running, climbing, stalking, hiding, and napping in secluded spots.
Reduce Environmental Conditions
Feline asthma can be aggravated by various respiratory irritants like smoke, cleaning products, molds, scents from air fresheners, and pollen.
If your cat suffers from asthma, immediately remove chemicals, molds, and mildew that can prolong the condition. If you have to have air freshers in your home, only use the chemical-free type air fresheners.
Smoke can be an issue as well. You are probably saying to yourself, how can I remove all the second-hand smoke that permeates the walls and other house areas. The solution is simple, quit smoking! If you cannot quit smoking for your own health, quit smoking for your cat's health.
Supplements
Respiratory supplements for cats are a great addition to the previously mentioned cat asthma natural remedies as they can certainly help your pet breathe easier and boost the cat's entire immune system. In most cases, the use of these vet-formulated and approved supplements can help ease allergy and asthma symptoms, including difficulty breathing, sneezing (especially if your cat keeps sneezing), watery eyes, and reducing swelling along with the production of excess mucus in nasal passages. Besides, these all-natural supplements are very beneficial to your cat's overall health and well-being and are safe for long-term use.
One of the best such cat supplements is Respiratory Support for Cats. This product works wonders for relieving the symptoms of respiratory issues in cats, even asthma.
It's known to alleviate shallow, rapid, and labored breathing associated with asthma, reduce respiratory problems linked to stress, relaxes bronchioles, and promotes healthy lung functioning. Using this product in the morning and at night can help lessen the symptoms and prevent future issues.
Summary
People love their pets sometimes even more than their own children. And who can blame them, as dogs and cats love unconditionally, forgive quickly, and are always there for us?
Imagine if your children were allergic to cigarette smoke. You probably wouldn’t smoke around them, would you? Well, your pets deserve that same attention, housing, and caring. Sounds too simple right?
Stay familiar with your cat’s everyday routines, and observe for changes in your pet’s daily regime as it can mean that your snowflake is ill. Learn the signs and symptoms of asthma in cats, and stay aware of any changes that might indicate that your cat is sick.
If that’s the case, take your cat to the veterinarian, listen to their advice, and don’t forget to try our home remedies for asthma in cats as they can change the whole narrative of the condition.
