Rescue Cat with Feline Asthma Finds New Home
A rescue cat, who was diagnosed with feline asthma and has to use an inhaler, has now found a new home.
The two-year-old, named Alma, was brought into London-based animal welfare charity, Mayhew, after she was found abandoned on the streets of North West London.
Alma was quickly seen to by Mayhew’s Vet Team at their on-site Community Vet Clinic and was given a thorough health check.
Mayhew Vet, Dr Emma Robinson, said: “We discovered that Alma had scarring on her lungs, the legacy of a particularly nasty bout of cat flu she was suffering from when rescued. This caused her persistent bouts of coughing and we later diagnosed her with feline asthma.
“Cats with feline asthma experience persistent and/or recurring inflammation of the small airways within their lungs. The inflammation is caused by overreaction to a stimulus. What’s certain is inflammation of the airways causes them to narrow, making breathing more difficult, something only made worse by increased mucus production caused by the inflammation.
“The most obvious symptom in an asthmatic cat is coughing. If your cat has feline asthma, you may also notice a change in breathing, especially around the same time as the coughing episodes.
“If your cat displays any of these symptoms, book an appointment with your vet. They will likely recommend your cat has an X-ray and may even undergo a procedure called a bronchial lavage (airway wash), where cells are collected from the airways for analysis. Sometimes a tiny camera is put down their throat to examine the cat’s airways in what’s known as a bronchoscopy. These procedures help to identify asthma, as well as ruling out other potential diagnoses, such as an infectious disease or cancer.
“After being diagnosed, symptomatic treatment with anti-inflammatory and/or bronchodilator drugs is then required. The former targets the inflammation of the airways, while the latter help relax the muscles surrounding the airways. Both types of medication can be administered in different ways – in tablet or liquid form, by injection or by inhalation. Inhalation is the preferred method of administering drugs for asthmatic cats, as it means the medication is delivered directly to the lungs where it is needed.
“Although it may sound unlikely, getting a cat to use an inhaler isn’t impossible, due to special ‘spacer’ devices. Metered dose inhalers, which look exactly like human ones, are fitted to one end of the spacer chamber, whilst a face mask at the other end covers the cat’s mouth and nose. Perhaps surprisingly, most cats can be trained to use the device without too much fuss. A good thing, as the inhaler may be required at least once a day to keep symptoms in check.
“Alma was such a fighter, we really wanted to give her the best chance that we possibly could, to get her better and into a loving forever home.”
As soon as Alma was ready and trained to use the inhaler, she was put up for adoption and soon found a new home to spend the rest of her years in.
Alma’s new owner, Alice Hudson, said: “I’d never met a cat with asthma before. In fact, like many pet owners and members of the general public, I didn’t even know a cat could get asthma, let alone use an inhaler like a pro.
“After recovering from the flu, Alma developed breathing difficulties, leading to her feline asthma being diagnosed. When she first came to live with me, she took an inhaler twice a day. Helpful staff at Mayhew were able to show me how to administer it, and I was surprised at how well trained and co-operative she was.
“Alma may be asthmatic, but that doesn’t stop her running around like a mad thing – chasing the cat laser light is among her favourite activities. My little princess leads a perfectly healthy, normal life and if all that purring is anything to go by, she is one content kitty.”
If you are interested in adopting any other cats in Mayhew’s care, please visit www.themayhew.org or call 020 8962 8000.
Mayhew’s Animal Welfare Officers and Vet Team respond to hundreds of abandoned, neglected and abused animals every year and provide ongoing support to carers and pet owners in vulnerable situations. Find out more about Mayhew’s work and please consider a donation to help them help even more animals like Alma.
I love a happy conclusion
a truly heartwarming story
Thank you 🙂
Alma is gorgeous im so happy she found her forever home with a loving caring mum.
Indeed ^^ it was such a lovely story
Pingback: Rescue Cat with Feline Asthma Finds New Home - Baptize A Cat?
I went through this with my cat Callie. She developed a cough after being boarded and it took 5 months to get the cough under control and she periodically has coughing spells and needs a steroid cream applied to the ear flap. Fortunately, it has not resulted in requiring an inhaler.
Oh no 🙁 glad you got it under control
It’s wonderful that she found her fur ever home in spite of her asthma. There are so many caring people in the world!
Yes 🙂 a heart warming story
So,my last note was lost. I am new to the note typing. As I was saying I see that your organization has cruel people that are horribly mean and nasty to innocent kitties and puppies that just want to be loved and love you back and not be afraid of you. I myself have had at least 10 doggies and at least 24 kitties in my life. I am now much older so I have had to cut myself down to one little jack russell puppy whose name is SALLY. MY KITTIES NUMBER 3 INSIDE THE HOUSE AND 4 OUTSIDE THE HOUSE THAT WILL NOT COME INSIDE EVEN THOUGH I HAVE INVITED THEM IN. Have been a new Foster Mom of two years.Two of my foster I fead with a bottle and learned what you have to do for them as far as going to the bathroom. One of them I named Bear, he is a Russian blue, the other is Gray Boy and he is a Gray Tiger With Persian Like Fur, my third inside kitty I bought from an agrictule store where I buy my bird seed for winter feeding. His name is Duckie and he is a true black in color tiger. He was one of a family of triplets. Their names were, Duckie, Denoso,and McGee. The lady who took care of the kitties named them and I found out that she got the idea for their names from the program called N.C.I.S.. so, I bought Duckie and I have had him for 4 years. He is a beautiful kitty but, I soon discovered that he did not like or care for the ruff housing that the 2 younger kitgies liked to do. So, Duckie decided that he would stay in my brothers room for the time being. So, the kitties out side get the same food as the ones insides. I do not play favorites, I love all of mt Kitties. I want o find a fountain for my iside cats. If this goes over well I will try to find one for mom, and outside.I also have three more tiger and two more russian blue kitties outside. All of my kitties have had their proper operations so that we will not be having anymore ktties in the future.Thank You for letting me share with you. Sincerely Linda McCartney
To all animal lovers out there. I believe that we are the care takers of God’s Animals until he has made a place for them in his Heaven. So we have to be good care givers to them until Our Lord calls them to their Heavenly Home. Thank you for letting me share once again.This has helped me to know that their is someone out there that really Loves Animals as much as I do. Sincerely Linda McCartney
🙂
Thanks so much for sharing with us. 🙂