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by Suzie Cyrenne June 29, 2022 8 min read
2 Comments
Cat bronchitis can easily ruin what should have been a purr-fect day for your feline family member. Your precious pet won’t just be in for bouts of lethargy and breathing difficulties, but also other problems when this health issue strikes.
Unlike what a lot of cat parents mistakenly think, though, resorting to “conventional” treatments is not your only option when it comes to dealing with feline bronchitis. In just a few moments, I will guide you through the best natural remedies you can use to support your cat during this disease.
And just to make things even more educational, I’ll also give you the lowdown on other key pieces of information with respect to cat bronchitis, particularly its causes, the symptoms that you have to look out for, as well as how it’s entirely different from other feline respiratory health problems.
Cat bronchitis occurs when the “bronchi” or the main airways of your feline family member’s lungs become inflamed or irritated. This makes it difficult for his lungs to carry air in and out of the tiny sacs called “alveoli,” where oxygen combines with blood to be transported throughout his body’s tissues.
Incidentally, there are (2) types of cat bronchitis: short-term and long duration. Short-term refers to feline bronchitis that only lasts for a few days. On the other hand, long-duration bronchitis in cats lingers for around 2 to 3 months at a time.
While any cat can be prone to feline bronchitis, studies show that this respiratory disease usually affects cats that are overweight between the ages of 2 to 8 years old. Moreover, Siamese cats have been also seen to be highly at risk of cat bronchitis compared to other breeds.
Now here’s a quick rundown of the causes of cat bronchitis…
There are (4) main causes of feline bronchitis, namely environmental irritants, allergies, infections, and parasites. We will touch on each of these in detail below:
As the term implies, environmental irritants cover all factors that can be found within a specific area, which can trigger the irritation or inflammation of a cat’s airways. These can be either found inside the home or in a place where your feline family member typically spends a long time in.
Prime examples of these include smoke from cigarettes, pipes and vapes, aromatized chemicals in cleaning products and hair dyes, cat litter dust, as well as some essential oils that may be a bit harsh on your cat’s lungs.
An allergy is set off when your cat’s immune system perceives something that is usually harmless for most cats as if it is harmful. His immune response to the same will be much more drastic, leading to airway issues like inflammation or irritation.
These can include tree and grass pollen, mold, mildew, small flakes of animal hair and dried skin, dust mites, and certain types of foods like dairy products, chicken, shrimp, fish, and beef.
Fungal, viral, and bacterial infections can also trigger an inflammation or irritation in your cat’s airways, which can eventually result in feline bronchitis. The most common types of bacteria that can affect a cat’s lungs are the Chlamydophila felis and Bordetella bronchiseptica.
As for viruses that can irritate or inflame a cat’s airways, the most common culprits are the feline calicivirus (FCV) and feline viral rhinotracheitis (FVR). In terms of fungi, Aspergillus, Histoplasma, and Blastomyces are the most common factors.
Parasites can set off cat bronchitis as well. While the lungworm is the most well-known culprit when it comes to feline respiratory health issues, the infiltration of other parasites like the Troglostrongylus brevoir, Capillaria aerophila, and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus can also result in this disease.
Next up on our list are the indicators of bronchitis in cats that you need to keep an eye on…
The following are the tell-tale signs that your feline family member is suffering from bronchitis in cats:
Now we’ve got that covered, let’s touch on the difference between bronchitis in cats and asthma…
The short answer is yes.
Unlike what a lot of people mistakenly believe, cat bronchitis and cat asthma are two completely different things. While both diseases affect a cat’s respiratory tract, they have very subtle distinctions, which make these two rather tricky to tell apart.
First, bronchitis in cats refers to the inflammation or irritation of your feline family member’s airways due to particular factors such as environmental irritants, allergies, infections, and parasites. Cat asthma pertains to the tightening of the muscles within the bronchial walls.
Second, cat bronchitis is classified as an “irreversible” obstructive lung disease, specifically in cases where it has already become severe. As for cat asthma, it is deemed as a “reversible” condition and can be remedied by relaxing the muscles within the bronchial walls that have become constricted.
Next, let’s find out if cat bronchitis will go away on its own…
If we’re being honest, cat bronchitis is a respiratory disease that will not go away on its own. A cat affected with this health issue requires immediate and proper care and attention or else there will be a risk that his airways are going to be permanently damaged sooner or later.
And when this happens, bronchitis in cats becomes an irreversible illness and can no longer be cured. While it can still be managed, this disease will not go away if allowed to reach a severe stage.
Just to emphasize, this is the main reason why my team and I at Zumalka have put together this post to guide you on the ways how to properly deal with this disease.
Now let’s discuss how long it takes for a cat to recover from bronchitis in felines…
Given that a cat was provided with immediate and proper care and attention—such as the natural remedies that we’re tackling in a bit—as soon as the symptoms were spotted, recovery from short-term bronchitis in cats typically takes around (2) weeks.
However, this period varies in the case of long-duration cat bronchitis depending on the severity of the illness, the age of the animal, as well as the presence of any underlying health conditions.
It is crucial to keep in mind that time is of the essence when it comes to cat bronchitis. Allowing cat bronchitis to become aggravated can expose your feline family member to the risk of having the long-duration type of this disease, which may still be managed but can never be cured.
How about we discuss the natural remedies that I pointed out earlier right about now?
As I stressed previously, “conventional” medicine isn’t just your only option with regard to the treatment of cat bronchitis. There are actually natural remedies you can use to properly deal with this respiratory disease.
So without further ado, here are the best natural remedies for cat bronchitis that you can go for when this illness strikes:
According to a study published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), ginger contains active components such as gingerol and shogaol that have been seen to have therapeutic effects on the lungs when used for airway diseases such as bronchitis and asthma.
The study also highlighted that the said active components helped strengthen weakened airways and can even be used in conjunction with accepted therapeutics like β2-agonists.
To use ginger as a cat bronchitis home remedy, directly mix in a small pinch of grated ginger to your feline family member’s meals. Grating is the best way to ensure that your cat won’t be getting any stringy parts.
Another application you can use is to brew ginger tea. Simply steep two or three slices of ginger in a half a cup of hot water for at least ten minutes. Let it cool down completely and give it to your pet straight one teaspoon at a time or add it to his regular water.
The BMJ Evidence Based Medicine reports that several studies have shown that “honey was more effective than usual care for improving symptoms, especially the frequency and severity of coughing.”
It was also highlighted that two of the said studies found that the use of honey helped cut back the expression of symptoms for about 1 to 2 days compared to those being treated with cough suppressants, expectorants, and antihistamines.
To use honey as a cat bronchitis home remedy, you can directly add it in your feline family member’s regular meals. However, it is important to keep in mind that you should not give him more than a teaspoon of honey per day since it can already cause some stomach issues.
You can also add honey to his water bowl as an alternative application.
According to a study published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), pineapple is loaded with bromelain and other organic compounds that have been seen to have numerous therapeutic benefits with respect to the treatment of respiratory tract issues like bronchitis.
To use pineapple as a cat bronchitis home remedy, thinly slice a single chunk and mix it thoroughly with your feline family member’s food. Keep in mind to only give him the fruit and none of the husk, leaves, and skin since these can be potential choking hazards.
Moreover, make sure you only use fresh pineapple for this application since the canned stuff contains a lot of syrup, which can unexpectedly spike your pet’s sugar levels.
As reported by ClinicalTrials.gov, turmeric is abundant in a polyphenol called curcumin that has been observed to promote white blood cell activity, particularly when applied to pulmonary health issues like bronchitis and other types of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
To use turmeric as a cat bronchitis home remedy, add a pinch of this grated aromatic root to your feline family member’s regular meals. Remember to integrate it completely with the rest of his food since turmeric by itself can be rather spicy for your precious pet.
Moreover, you can also use turmeric to brew tea. Just steep two or three slices of turmeric in a half a cup of hot water for at least (10) minutes. Allow it to completely cool down before serving to your cat straight one teaspoon at a time or as a water substitute every few hours.
Next, let me share a cat bronchitis home remedythat you should consider having in your pet care kit…
BRONCHIAL CLEAR is a natural and high-quality product, which contains homeopathic ingredients that promote your pet's breathing capacity and health. It is specifically designed for pets to support them during respiratory ailments, whooping cough, difficulty in breathing, as well as clear congestion due to mucus buildup.
To use BRONCHIAL CLEAR in supporting your feline family member during this respiratory illness, you only need to spray it once either directly in his mouth or in his water per day until the symptoms go away. Besides helping keep your pet’s respiratory capacity ideal, this natural product also promotes better lung health.
And that is my lowdown on the best natural remedies you can use to support your beloved pet during cat bronchitis. I hope you learned a lot and make sure you keep following our blog for more informative and practical posts like this one.
By the way, if you’re aiming to maintain your cat’s ideal quality of life using products gathered straight from our Mother Nature’s medicine cabinet, don’t forget to sign for our Free Health Advisor Guidance right now.
HOMEOPATH & CO-FOUNDER OF ZUMALKA
Suzie Cyrenne co-founded Zumalka over five years ago, and has worked in naturopathic pet medicine for more than six. Day-to-day, she works as the lead manager for the Zumalka staff and specializes in training the team to have thorough knowledge of pet health and the company’s extensive line of naturopathic remedies.
Suzie has gained a lot of experience from years spent in the pet health field and she earned her degree in Homeopathy at the School of Classical Homeopathy in Quebec, Canada, (a partner of the European Academy of Natural Medicine (AEMN) in France).
December 05, 2022
This has only lasted for today but I’m really worried about my cat he started coughing really loud and every time he went to move he started coughing again I didn’t know what to do so I was just watching making sure he was ok and then he jumped up on my bed and started cleaning himself oh no it’s happening again please help
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December 05, 2022
Hi Worriedcatowner22,
Thank you for your comment and I hope that this blog has proven helpful in some ways. As for your cat, to know more what is really going on, we have sent you a private email. This way we can give you the best advice and tips for your beloved kitty.
Regards,
Zumalka