Asthmatic coughing in the morning

[wolf63]

My boy cat has feline asthma and is being treated by a vet. His steroid inhaler has been increased very recently as he has been coughing - not too much though. The vet was not overly concerned by the coughing attacks - but it showed that he should be getting more inhaled medication.

I found that he still coughs in the morning just after he has dragged me out of bed so that he can have his breakfast. Is this a 'normal' feature in asthma?

He is in no way ill and, apart from the initial attack which was started by household sprays, he show very little sign of his asthma apart from his occasional cough.

Alas the problem is not Frankie's but mine - being Bipolar my brain sometimes reacts out of proportion to a threat or perceived threat and I go into full panic attack mode when he starts coughing. The more I understand of Frankie's condition the easier it is for me to rationalise, or try to, the situation. If only he had a little gauge on his side settings: -

(1) cat well
(2) cat not so well
(3) give cat more medicine
(4) go to vet
(5) rush to vet
(6) cat dead

The other week he seemed to coughing for ages and I was in full panic, shivering and feeling sick. Then I realised that he taking chunks of stuffing out of his armchair and dive-bombing his sister at the same time. It took me a few hours to calm down.

Susan

[Mamyalynne]

Oh Susan, you are simply doing what all Mums do, I was the same with my first baby, despite reassurances from doctors etc.. You just have to look at his behaviour in general and know he is happy and playful, try as much as you can to see the cough as part of him and not a problem.
I understand your difficulties with your bipolar, but enjoy him and his sister as much as you can.

((HUG))

Mamya♥

[wolf63]

Thank you mamy - I am so glad that I didn't have any children. My 'wee' brother has three (7, 5 and 2) and I have no idea how he manages to cope.

The first day he was ill I had been spraying Febreeze all around the place and he was wheezing and coughing. It was a Saturday afternoon and I had to get a vet to meet me at the surgery. £100 call-out charge.

The vet get out his stethoscope and spends ages checking his chest, I was worried and shaky - Frankie was sitting on the table looking up at the vet and around the room looking as if he was having a good day out.

I am just in - Frankie and Merlin are trying to bully me into feeding them. They usually win.

I think that I will feed the monsters and then go for a nap. Have a nice day.