Feline asthma affects an estimated 1-5% of cats and causes episodic respiratory distress. Effective management with inhaled medications mirrors human asthma treatment and can provide excellent long-term quality of life.
Asthmatic cats experience recurring episodes of respiratory distress that can range from mild coughing to severe breathlessness. Unmanaged asthma causes episodic suffering and the chronic low-level inflammation between episodes affects overall wellbeing. Treatment with inhaled medications, while requiring owner training in spacer device use, provides excellent control with minimal side effects compared to oral steroids. The welfare improvement from converting from oral to inhaled medication is substantial - systemic steroids cause muscle wasting, increased thirst, and behavioral changes. Environmental management is a welfare intervention within every owner's reach - switching from clay to low-dust litter and eliminating aerosol products in the home can dramatically reduce episode frequency.