Do you have a cat that is breathing heavily? You must quickly understand the problem and above all solve it because the problem may be trivial but also serious. Any problem related to breathing should be given special attention. But don’t worry, I tell you everything you need to know in this article.
Cat breathing hard: The causes and their solutions
To fully understand the breathing of the cat, it is necessary to distinguish between the upper respiratory tract and the lower respiratory tract. While the upper ones include the nose, throat, and larynx, the lower ones include the trachea and the lungs.
Depending on where the breathing problem comes from, the problem will be very different and it is necessary to make the difference. With regard to an upper tract breathing problem, he will probably have a cold and cough while an upper tract problem will induce coughing.
Infections
Infections like cat flu are triggered by viruses or bacteria. Your cat will usually have a runny nose and the only thing you can do is wash it down with saline water.
As a safety measure, go to the veterinarian who will determine the source of the problem and can provide you with the appropriate treatment. It can be something very trivial, but if the problem persists over time or worsens, then the problem can be dangerous for him.
Asthma
Asthma will cause him to cough, and if your cat coughs regularly in addition to having heavy breathing, only the vet can give him treatment to allow him to breathe better. In the meantime, make sure he can’t run intensely so as not to put him in danger.
Parasites
Parasites such as worms, fleas and ticks affect the cat’s organism by reproducing there. One of the common problems is the cat’s difficulty breathing and you will need to have it treated by the vet to rule these out.
The worms can be detected in the cat’s stool or on its coat and cannot be eliminated by its organism or they will end up being too numerous and killing it. So if your cat has worms, deworm it well, especially if it has access to the outside.
The allergies
Like us, cats can be allergic to food, pollen or dust mites, and like us, they will have to take antihistamines prescribed by the veterinarian. Allergies sometimes lead to respiratory problems in cats as in us.
While waiting for the visit to the vet, check carefully for anything that could make him allergic, such as a new food, and try to keep him at bay while waiting for the visit to the vet.
A foreign body
Cats, especially when young, may ingest things that are harmful to them, not necessarily voluntarily, and when the foreign object gets stuck in the nasal cavity, it may force them to breathe harder to ingest enough air. .
But be careful, because if you remove the object yourself, you could make the problem worse, so let the veterinarian do the work himself to avoid any risk.
Polyps
Very common in young cats, these growths can develop in the cat’s ENT sphere and cause breathing problems. Here too, the medical case is essential.
Why do you have to go to the vet?
We don’t go to the doctor every time we have trouble breathing, do we? But unlike us, cats cannot breathe through their mouths, and difficulty breathing can be fatal to them. This is why I can only advise you to go to a veterinarian to put all risks aside.
It is also impossible in the vast majority of cases to treat the problem with home remedies which will only help your cat while waiting for the visit to the veterinarian, but only this professional can write him a basic treatment.
What to do while waiting for the medical visit?
Try to make your cat’s breathing as easy as possible by implementing the following habits:
Ensure fresh and healthy air
Your cat must not have bad smells near him such as cigarettes or household products because their sense of smell is very sensitive. Also make sure that he has fresh air, if it is currently very hot, turn on the air conditioning or leave a cooler room, such as the bathroom, at his disposal.
Eliminate possible allergens
You can use an air purifier to remove allergens from the air. If your bedding is not hypoallergenic, then it is vital that there is no access to it, just like outside while waiting for the medical visit.
Clean his nose with saline
Cat saline will help clean your cat’s nose and make it easier to blow its nose . A decongested nose will allow him to breathe better.
Avoid him to make efforts
A cat can make its breathing problems even worse by playing sports. Soothe him with soothing pheromones to calm him down and prevent him from going outside.
Special cases
There are many special cases of cats breathing heavily as this problem is often associated with other symptoms. Here are the most common.
Cat breathing hard and snoring
His airways are probably too narrow, it’s probably an asthma-related problem, although only a vet can pinpoint the problem accurately.
Cat breathing hard after exertion, mouth open or tongue sticking out
It can be many problems, because it is indicative of poor breathing but does not give additional indicators. So, prevent him from running all over the place by not letting him out.
My cat is breathing heavily: The final word
Any feline breathing problem should lead to a visit to the veterinarian to avoid any risk, so do what is necessary so that it can be cured quickly, otherwise the problem will worsen.