Is household mold bad for my cat? What are the symptoms and risks?

Cats are pretty resistant to aspergillosis so you probably don’t have to worry. Nasal aspergillosis causes nasal discharge, enlarged lymph nodes and lethargy/decreased appetite. Systemic aspergillosis really only occurs in immunocompromised cats so if your cats are healthy there is minimal concern. Systemic/disseminated aspergillosis causes decreased appetite, lethargy, GI signs, and fever. Cats are typically very sick with either form. Aspergillosis is everywhere in the environment so 3 months of potential exposure wouldn’t be too concerning - they may be exposed again at some point. Testing is difficult for the same reason and ultimately a CT scan, scoping and biopsy is usually needed for diagnosis. I would simply watch for thick nasal discharge and contact your vet if noted.

It takes a very long time for signs to be apparent, as the body continuously fights the inhaled substances. Cats can indeed get lung cancer from inhaled smoke, and other respiratory problems, just like children. Passive smoking is just as dangerous for pets as it is for children. When I went to vet school we did a post mortem on a cat that had black lungs from passive smoking. When symptoms/signs appear, there is usually irrepairable damage. It is best to make sure the cat gets exposed as little as possible to smoke. Best keep the house ventilated as much as possible , so the smoke does not linger in the house.

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. Mild intoxication can occur from exposure to second-hand marijuana smoke. Clinical signs of marijuana toxicosis in cats include drooling, increased locomotor activity (e.g. wandering aimlessly, spontaneous jumping behavior), sedation, depression, anxiety, head bobbing/weaving, swaying from side to side, disorientation, vocalization, agitation, aggression, drinking excessively, difficulty swallowing, sneezing, not eating, seizures, diarrhea, and vomiting. Please monitor her carefully for the next 12-24 hours. If you notice any severe symptoms you will need to take her to your veterinarian. I cannot say how long it will be in her system as I do not know how much she inhaled. My guess would be less than 12 hours for one episode of direct inhalation but each individual animal is different in how they react (just like humans). Please note that we are not an emergency service and cannot guarantee a prompt reply. In the future, if you think your pet have some type of toxicity it is best to call Animal Poison Control or your local emergency veterinarian for assistance/guidance. ( https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Great question! Yes, if you leave your clothes in the garage and shower immediately, that will be enough to protect Salem. Do not let him go outside (if he's allowed outside) where there is black mold. I hope this helps.

Hello and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to say exactly what this could be without examining Filmore and the other cat first, but I can offer a few possibilities. One possibility may be an upper respiratory tract infection caused by a virus called the Feline Herpes virus which cats can acquire early in life. The virus stays dormant for a while until a stressful event or the cat's immune system becomes compromised in some way allowing the virus to replicate and cause upper respiratory symptoms. Another possibility may be a heart condition which can cause fluid to build up in the lungs which can cause coughing or wheezing. A final possibility may be feline asthma which can be triggered by an allergen. If the cats where allergic the dog fur or dander, this could be plausible. I hope this has helped and best wishes to you!

Hello and thank you for your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to say exactly what is causing Sash's symptoms without examine her, but I can offer some possibilities. Coughing can be a sign of an upper respiratory infection, lung disease, lung cancer, heart disease, or feline asthma. The only was to definitively know what is causing Sasha to cough is for a veterinarian to do an exam and perform an x-ray of Sash'a chest so her heart and lungs can be visualized and evaluated. Whether it is too late or something that can be cured depends on what the diagnosis may be. I hope this has helped and I wish you and Sasha the best of luck!

Respiratory and cardiac diseases may be responsible for this chronic cough and must be differentiate/diagnosed and treat properly. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Radiographs of the chest will be needed. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.