Persian Feline Asthma Symptoms

Persian cats are a popular breed and tend to be healthy except for genetic tendency toward kidney disease in some lines. However, like other cat breeds, 1 percent of the Persian feline population will develop asthma. If symptoms are caught early, a veterinarian can prescribe medication to control this chronic condition.

  1. Symptoms

    • According to the Cat Fancier's Association (CFA), the main asthma symptom in Persian felines is coughing and wheezing. The cough has a dry, hacking sound. However, in a cat, this can be difficult to distinguish from gagging or retching to bring up a hairball. Persians are long-haired cats that get hairballs regularly, so their asthma might be initially misdiagnosed. The Pet Place veterinary website says that other symptoms may include rapid or noisy breathing, fatigue and weight loss.

    Frequency

    • Persian felines vary in the frequency of their asthma symptoms. Some cats with severe asthma will exhibit symptoms regularly, coughing almost every day. Most will cough occasionally, and some will go for weeks or months without any symtoms at all before going into an asthma attack.

    Triggers

    • A Persian cat's asthma symptoms often have environmental triggers. These may include smoke, grass, pollen, air fresheners and other household spray products. Dusty cat litter may also cause an attack. Specific triggers can be isolated by noticing the times and circumstances surrounded the cat's coughing spells.

    Diagnosis

    • Asthma symptoms are one only part of diagnosing the disease in Persian felines. The cough can also be a hallmark of diseases such as pnemonia, heartworm or heart failure. Chest x-rays may reveal bronchial inflammation or lung problems, which are also symptoms of asthma in felines. However, these symptoms may not show up even if the cat does have the disease. A veterinarian can do an examination and blood tests to rule out other conditions.

    Treatment

    • The CFA says that treatment may lessen a Persian feline's asthma symptoms but that there is no way to completely eliminate them. An asthmatic Persian will always have a tendency to cough. Asthmatic Persians are typically treated with inhalers or oral medication. The CFA says that inhalers are usually more effective at treating asthma symptoms than pills.