My cat has respiratory issues. What can I do to help him breathe?

This is a classic presentation of a cat with an upper respiratory disease. They usually do have a fever early in the infection and will feel bad. They also tend to avoid eating and drinking, because the congestion in the nose does not allow them to breathe properly. You can help the congestion by giving him a steam bath. There is a link below that has good information about how to do this and other helpful tips for this condition. http://www.wikihow.com/Help-Your-Cat-Breathe-Easier These infections 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 Oliver 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. The scooting and licking indicates that something is irritating his anus or rectum, but there are a few different causes of this. This is often due to parasites, anal sac problems, or allergies. A vet would have to examine him in order to help narrow-down the possible causes of this and recommend the best treatment I hope that helps and Oliver gets better soon.

If he is dyspneic, he may have both upper and lower airway disease. I find that chest x-rays can underestimate the extent of lower airway disease. In some of these cases, we have to do additional diagnostics such as a thoracic CT, bronchoscopy and in some cases biopsy. He may need to be evaluated by a veterinary internal medicine specialist. Discuss this with your veterinarian.

He may have an upper respiratory infection, which is quite common in cats. It is hard to say for sure without examining him myself. You can try using a humidifier to break up any mucous. As an alternative you can place him in the bathroom with the shower running for 5-10 minutes 2 x daily. However he ultimately will likely need antibiotics to clear up any bacterial infection that may be present. I would also recommend getting him on antiviral medication (I.e. lysine powder or gel from your local pet store or vet clinic) to treat for a suspected underlying viral infection. I hope your kitty feels better soon. Best wishes and take care.

Respiratory infections can be caused by bacteria as well as viruses, so if King has one caused by bacteria, yes it can help. I am concerned he's refusing to eat and if he refuses to eat today, take him back into the vet asap. I have some things you can do at home for him in case his respiratory infection is caused by a virus. First, you can try starting him on an L-lysine supplement - this is an amino acid that has been shown to help the immune system fight off respiratory infections more effectively. Enisyl and Viralys are both good brands, and can be purchased over the counter without a prescription - just follow the dosing instructions on the label based on your cat's weight. If he's congested, you can also try using a humidifier or bringing him into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections. I hope this helps!

I would recommend having Oliver examined by your vet and have them take some x-rays of his chest. There are some infectious causes of coughing in cats that may improve with medications, but we can also see asthma in cats which would require different medications. I am attaching a link to a handout about asthma in cats below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=665 Good luck. I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

I am sorry junior is not feeling well. I would try to get him to the vet as soon as possible. My concern with him going outside would be a possible exposure to a toxin. However infection (like an abscess), viral disease, bacterial disease and fungal can cause breathing issues. If you are unable to make it to a vet you can try to nebulize Junior by placing him in a bathroom- run the shower with hot water to create steam for him to inhale.

Sometimes colds don't go away on their own, and I would have him seen by a vet. He may need medications to treat his symptoms, and the vet can prescribe that. It also sounds like he has an eye infection, and those are considered quite serious because leaving them untreated can lead to vision loss. That requires an immediate trip to the vet, and if you don't want to assume financial responsibility for him, you can take him to the SPCA. They can treat his symptoms, and can find a home for him. If you do want to take him to the vet, I would have him seen ASAP. There is few things you can do at home for him that will work well in conjunction with medications from the vet. First, you can try starting him on an L-lysine supplement - this is an amino acid that has been shown to help the immune system fight off respiratory infections more effectively. Enisyl and Viralys are both good brands, and can be purchased over the counter without a prescription - just follow the dosing instructions on the label based on your cat's weight. If he's congested, you can also try using a humidifier or bringing him into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections.