My cat was exposed to mold. What health symptoms should I watch for?

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. Mold can cause respiratory issues in cats long term however it is difficult to tell if it is effecting them until they start showing clinical signs. Depending on age and health condition, the signs could range from mild to severe. Some signs that cats may exhibit are as follows: Runny nose Itchy and runny eyes Skin infections Persistent scratching Coughs and wheezing sounds Nose/mouth bleeding Continuous mold exposure can cause seizures and tremors. Cats in particular will become agitated or anxious due to allergies. Both dogs and cats that have been exposed to mold are also known to shake their ears and heads. Some may also chew their paws, have chronic ear infections, foul odor of the skin and hair loss are other signs that may emerge after mold exposure. You may want to consider getting some HEPA filters in your home to help minimize exposure to both you and your cat. ( https://oransi.com/collections/air-purifiers-for-mold ) Also, I suggest you keep indoor humidity <50% - you can purchase a hygrometer if you don't have one that will tell you the humidity levels. ( https://www.lowes.com/pd/ThermoPro/5013585047 ) There is no direct link to mold exposure and lung cancer in cats but could it be possible, I would venture to say yes. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Monitor for difficulty breathing wheezing, coughing, lethargy, drooling, loss of appetite, wobbly gait or tremors. Remove him to an area with fresh air and ventilate the affected areas for several hours before bringing him back in.

Aspergillosis is a rare cause of an upper respiratory infection and would mean that your cat has a disease causing him to have a low immune system. For this reason and the fact that itraconazole can have negative effects on the liver, I would not recommend treating for aspergillosis unless there was a laboratory diagnosis. Even then, we cannot (legally and ethically) prescribe medication for a case that we have not physically seen. This is more likely due to an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus or bacteria. These are often due to a virus that is usually self-limiting (will go away on its own - much like a cold with people). These can become worse and complicated with bacterial infections, so if Pasha is having issues with congestion, or starts to develop yellow/green nose or eye discharge, then it will be best to take him to a vet for an accurate diagnosis and treatment. For now, make sure he is comfortable and free of any stressful situations. These infections often happen in times of stress, so if there was a potential new stressor, then try your best to remove it. If he is very congested, then you can do a steam bath at home. Below is a link to an article that explains this and has helpful info about cat upper respiratory disease. http://www.wikihow.com/Help-Your-Cat-Breathe-Easier I hope that helps and Pasha gets better soon.

It is a long way from the nose to the lungs and there are a lot of c"curves and bends" for a foreign body to negotiate before it can reach the lungs. If your kitty sneezed and coughed and then has no more incidents of sneezing or coughing or trying to get rid of something in his respiratory tract, then the initial sneeze and cough to care of the problem. So unless he appears to try and get rid of something through his nose or has problems breathing, you do not have to worry . He should be fine.

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! In theory yes, aspergillosis can lead to optic neuritis though the reason this is not typically considered is because this is rare in cats in comparison to toxoplasmosis and cryptococcosis which are more common. In theory any infection in the region of the optic nerve can result in optic neuritis. Have a good day!

It could be just mild nasal irritation. It coukd also be due to environmental factors like dust. Rarely we can see certain slow rising disease of cats such as nasal tumors. However we usually see discharge like mucus or blood. If you ever see a discharge, your cats attitude changes or the sneezing increases in its frequency I would consider having your veterinarian do an exam.