Apologies for not posting for a long time.
I won't go into the details but life has been very difficult for the last 6 months

I need some advice regarding Max who was 1 yesterday

He has been coughing and wheezing for months. After extensive tests involving many visits and stays at the vets it looks likely to be asthma
He's started on steroids which isn't going to help the slight weight issue - weighs 5.2kg, weight gain due to the fact he's not very active. Poor thing can't run around without a coughing and wheezing fit spends most of his time lazing about and sleeping.

As well as the wheeze he is also has some gum swelling poor thing he is in the wars. He refuses to eat chichen wings or chunks of meat.
His diet consists of Bozita wet plus Animonda dry. The vet has suggested just dry from now on.

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry to hear about your poor kitty. Is he going to be on steroids for life, to control the condition? If so, talk to your vet about using a steroid inhaler and a nebuliser instead of tablets.

We have a cat with severe respiratory issues; he gets three steroid puffs per day (plus some Viagra). The inhaled steroids for lung issues are brilliant for 2 reasons - 1: the steroids are delivered direct to the place where they're needed and 2: there's much fewer side-effects with the inhaled version.

Our cat was put on Viagra as well as steroids, as the steroids didn't quite manage his condition. The Viagra improves lung blood pressure, and the combination has worked really well.

He's been on this regime for about 2 years now and his weight is spot on. He did gain weight while on steroid tablets, and became a lot more stand-offish. The inhaled ones have no side-effects that we're aware of. You'll find that once the steroids kick in, your cat may well become more active as he'll feel better - certainly the case with ours. The vets have called ours a 'respiratory cripple', but watching him gallop around, you'd never know there was anything wrong with him.

Is your cat insured? Reason I'm asking is that the inhalers are expensive - about £100 each.

Thank you, its so good to chat to someone who is going thru the same thing.
He is on the steroids short term, next stage will be the an inhaler.
We are insured with Petplan, no bills to pay as the vet deals with it all
Treatment so far has run into £1000

Its heartbreaking to watch him struggle to breathe

It is awful dealing with a cat with breathing difficulties - my sympathies; been there! Hopefully the steroids will kick in soon and improve things. I'm glad your vet's suggesting a nebuliser, as the overall steroid dose is lower, but the drugs get exactly where they're needed.

Some cats are rather unhappy with the face-mask of the nebuliser; others are OK. We bribe ours with ham...

Good luck, and I hope the drugs work. Now that your cat's been diagnosed, he can get the treatment he needs, poor lad. Bear the Viagra in mind as well - our kitty was treated by the Dick Vet medical school in Edinburgh Vet School home | The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies - apparently they use Viagra quite a lot there to alleviate all sorts of conditions; might be worth mentioning to your vet?

Also glad you're insured. Our vet bill is approaching £8K!

I'm amazed at the progress in asthma treatments, wow!!

I had an asthmatic cat back in the 1980s. He took prednisone. At first he had to be on it all the time. But the very first thing I did when he was diagnosed was stop smoking in the house (I don't smoke at all any more, but this was almost 30 years ago)

<edit>(So if you smoke, don't do it inside.. And even smoking outside, you need to make sure all the smoke is off you before going back inside. So after you smoke, walk around the block before going into the house, and wash your hands thoroughly.)

As he got older I was able to gradually reduce the prednisone dose, and then cut it out all together, and use it only as needed. (stress, for instance would cause symptoms to come back)

However I am confused as to why your vet would want him on all dry food. Kibble is bad for dental health and over all health and causes weight gain. A mostly canned diet, with a home teeth-brushing routine with enzymatic veterinary dental paste (such as c.e.t) would be better for him.

Thank you for your replies.
There is no way he will have his teeth cleaned, he becomes so distressed which in turn causes him to panic and wheeze.
Vets have a tendency to believe that dry cleans teeth. It won't clean Max's teeth as he swollows it whole.
I don't smoke
Have removed air fresheners
Will hoover more
and change his litter slowly
I have to take him back in 4 weeks unless he has another attack.

Time for an update.
After many trips to the vet including the specialists in Bristol for extensive tests Max has been prescribed the Aerokat aerosol. He is much better, cough and wheezing is less. We wrap him in a towel before placing the mask on his face. he tolerates it really well
We are still struggling with his weight, he would eat constantly if I let him.

Hi,

Sorry to hear about your cat and asthma. I haven't been around all that much lately either due to health issues with both me and my cat. It turns out that my cat also has asthma and she is on the oral steroids while trying to get her on the inhaler. I am having a real difficult time with that as she is so skeptical of it. I've tried treats but no sucess as yet.

I havent heard of the viagra - will look into it.

Aw its such a worry. I tried the treats over a few weeks but Max wasn't having any of it. We decided to wrap him, hold him like a baby then place the mask over his face. he struggled and growled for a few doses but now just accepts it. You will get there

Yes, I have been trying the treats as well and as greedy as she is still suspicious. I have read about the towelling. I am going to give it a try but she is a big and extremely strong cat! I will let you know how I get on.