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CAT'S COUGH COULD MEAN FELINE ASTHMA

MANHATTAN -- If your cat suffers from coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath or seems to be constantly coughing up a nonexistent hair ball, he or she could be suffering from feline asthma or bronchitis, says Lisa Moore, assistant professor of clinical sciences at Kansas State University.

Cats can get asthma, and according to Moore, it is not uncommon at all. Most often it is caused by an allergy to something in the home. Common culprits in the home are tobacco smoke, perfumes, powder carpet deodorizers and dusty cat litter. The disease can be treated with steroids and bronchodilators and in the case of infections, with antibiotics. Other medications are also available and are sometimes necessary.

Symptoms can often be overlooked because they are often dismissed as the cat trying to cough up a hair ball. If this occurs often or the cat suffers from any of the other symptoms listed above, it is a good idea to bring the cat to the veterinarian to be checked.

Moore says there is no specific time of the year where cats suffer most from asthma. Many owners believe that they suffer the most at the time of year when humans suffer the most &endash; during the so-called allergy season.

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November 1998