As my readers may remember, I am a strong believer in coconut oil; I consume it for its health benefits, use for moisturizing my hair and skin, and I even shine my patent leather shoes with coconut oil! However recently my husband Joe and I discovered that it is also a natural remedy for feline asthma! For years our darling full-bred Flame Point Himalayan cat "Nozomi" has been suffering from feline asthma. At first we thought that she was always trying to cough up a hairball and then one day we took her to our local veterinarian and he diagnosed her with feline asthma. Long ago when we thought that Nozomi was suffering from hairballs we would give her an over-the-counter hairball formula that was a petroleum-based jelly. We later learned that petroleum is a flammable mixture of hydrocarbons, not a nutrient. Too much of it can interfere with the absorption of vitamin A in cats. We wanted to find a more natural and nutritious solution.
Since Nozomi is a little overweight she has trouble cleaning herself in hard to reach places. Although she is quite flexible, we like to help her out when she needs it. So one day when we were gently cleaning Nozomi's bottom we decided to apply some coconut oil. This worked wonders compared to the soap and water for cleaning all of the debris from her hair, plus it brought her comfort because coconut oil is a wonderful moisturizer! As Joe and I were petting Nozomi and applying the coconut oil, she discovered the coconut oil that we had sitting in a cup...and then she began to eat it! She loves it! We were absolutely amazed and giggled because she looked like she was really enjoying it. We then did some research to see if coconut oil is safe for cats to ingest (we had a feeling that it would be) and lo and behold it has many health benefits for cats!
Thereafter our discovery of Nozomi's love for coconut oil and the health benefits for cats, we added it to her diet and immediately noticed a change in Nozomi's long-time asthma symptoms; her wheezing episodes were drastically reduced and her mood greatly improved! She looks happier and more relaxed; we are so very thankful for discovering this natural remedy!
We use Healthy Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil. We have tried several other brands of coconut oil for our kitties and they prefer Tropical Traditions; in fact, they will completely turn them down over Healthy Traditions' smooth and creamy coconut oil over the other brands that typically have more of a "coconuty" flavor that they do not like. I'm sure fellow cat-lovers can relate to a picky, finicky cat, and I've heard people say "my cat does not like coconut oil" and "I can not get my cat to eat coconut oil"; please give Healthy Traditions a try and see if your cat will eat it...ours love it. My mother-in-law has six cats and she also gives them Healthy Traditions coconut oil; she says they all love it! One of her kitties has a sensitive skin condition, and she says that applying their coconut oil topically to his dry, scaly, and delicate skin is so very soothing for him and it promotes healing...coconut oil is anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-parasitic! I've also read that coconut oil is a great natural treatment for ear mites in pets!
We have tried natural and homeopathic remedies for feline asthma and we have found that Healthy Traditions virgin coconut oil works wonders for our cat's health and well-being! If you have witnessed health benefits in adding coconut oil to your cat's diet, please share your experiences in the comments of this blog article!
Our other natural remedy recommendations to help heal kitty feline asthma are:
- PetAlive brand homeopathic formula called
"AmazaPet"; the front of the bottle indicates that it "reduces
bronchospasm and tight chests, plus opens airways" for cats...and we
have noticed beneficial results from this feline supplement!
- A "Grain Free" cat food, seems to help alleviate Nozomi's asthmatic flare ups as well. Cat food free of
gluten can help with kitties with inflammatory issues such as asthma! Our cats love "I and Love and You" grain-free cat food!
- Aromatherapy Facial Steams: We have also noticed a little relief from doing light eucalyptus pure essential oil steams for our Nozomi girl cat; this is safe for cats as long as it is not too concentrated...Although, kitties can get a little stressed from this natural treatment (which could induce an asthma attack) from the steaming pot and closed an environment when a towel is placed around them in an effort to keep the steam enclosed. If your cat stays calm, however, with little stress, this can be a helpful treatment. Steam alone can also be helpful; like if your cat is in the bathroom while a hot shower is running. Healthy Traditions also carries high quality pure essential oils which I highly recommend!
- A kitty litter with minimal dust! The most commonly used litter among cat
owners is the clay based kind that can expel dust that flares up
asthmatic cat's attacks and inflammation. We have used been corn cob litter which our cats like; it clumps very
well and produces less dust than most types of litter. Although, our main
concern about it is that it is most likely made from genetically
modified (GMO) corn, and that our asthmatic kitty could possibly have a
corn allergy. Pine based litters seem to be great for minimal dust; our only issues
with it was that our cats didn't seem to like the bulky feel of the
larger granules and these larger chunks didn't fall through our pooper
scooper, making clean up more challenging. However, if you don't have
these issues, the minimal dust of pine litter could be very beneficial
for your kitty. Our conclusion was that a walnut based kitty litter was the best route for us. The granules are smaller, it clumps really well, and it produces little to no dust for our asthmatic kitty. We use Blue Buffalo's Naturally Fresh Cat Litter:
- Lastly, I highly recommend these natural medicine feline books (all are always handy on my bookshelf):
"Natural Cats" by Chris Madsen. Natural Cats addresses everything from cats' natural history to behavior and health care, taking a cat's true nature into consideration. Cat lovers will learn to how to make their pets happier and more comfortable by creating cat-friendly environments and activities, feeding all-natural foods that their pets crave, and treating illness and other conditions through complementary medicine that draws on a cat's significant powers of self-healing.
"The Healthy Cat Book" by Alexandra Bastedo. This book is a complete guide to caring for your cat the natural way. Using Alexandra Bastedo's years of experience looking after her many cats, this book deals with every aspect of your cat's life from kittenhood to old age. Brought to life by Pollyanna Pickering's beautiful cat illustrations, this is the book is lively, informative and packed full of facts and healthy hints, this is the ideal book for every cat owner.
Our Nozomi kitty wishes each of you the best of luck in treating your beloved cat's asthma and other ailments!
September 2017 - Nozomi in her big backyard with luxuriously lush green grass and lots of fresh air! She loves her new home!
Do you find luxurious beauty in the toasted marshmallow angora-like fur that a Flame Point Himalayan cat leaves behind?! Etsy Shop FloraDavis has created gorgeously stunning wearable art jewelry pieces with her beloved kitty's puffs of hair! Please check out her feline friendly Etsy Shop here!
73 comments:
Luxurious miss kitty she is! Lovely creative jewelry too. <3
My cat, also, has been diagnosed with feline asthma. So, I was interested to read about the coconut oil, since I use that for many purposes. Want to know what other people are experiencing with their cats.
My cat, also, has feline asthma. Am interested in trying the coconut oil, since I use it myself for many things. How long did it take before you started seeing improvement in your cat?
Greetings Janette! It took a few days before we started noticing the health benefits of coconut oil for our kitty's asthma. You can give it to your cat daily and it is also good for ear infections in cats, as well as feline wound healing. I also recommend the PetAlive brand homeopathic formula called "AmazaPet"; the front of the bottle indicates that it "reduces bronchospasm and tight chests, plus opens airways" for kitties...and we have noticed results with this as well. Also, it seems that Nozomi is affected by seasonal allergies, and she is sensitive to dust, mildew, and other factors.
Thank you, very much. I am going to try the AmazaPet, I think. Will let you know how it goes.
Hi There :) I love my some coconut oil and just tested out on my Siamese who has asthma. Curious how much you give your cat Eco-Friendly Freckles?
We give our cat 1/4 teaspoon twice a day. I hope your kitty's asthma improves. Best wishes on this natural approach! It certainly helps our cat.
My cat Twinkle has in the past had an annual attack of asthma that has resolved with one steroid injection. This time he has had a very sever attack on Saturday rushed to the vet and an ex ray (his first) shows his lungs to be very inflamed also his throat. He could not eat without retching he really is very ill with this attack. He is a very fussy eater how can I get him to accept coconut oil. I have some virgin oil in the cupboard but have never tried it on my cats. My other cat Isabelle loves butter and if you are not watching will pinch it off your toast! If I put it on the front of his leg maybe he will lick it off. Any advice?Jeanette
My cat Twinkle has in the past had an annual attack of asthma that has resolved with one steroid injection. This time he has had a very sever attack on Saturday rushed to the vet and an ex ray (his first) shows his lungs to be very inflamed also his throat. He could not eat without retching he really is very ill with this attack. He is a very fussy eater how can I get him to accept coconut oil. I have some virgin oil in the cupboard but have never tried it on my cats. My other cat Isabelle loves butter and if you are not watching will pinch it off your toast! If I put it on the front of his leg maybe he will lick it off. Any advice?Jeanette
Hello Jeanette, yes if your cat is a finicky eater, you can put a little coconut oil on your kitty's paw and he will lick it off. We actually gave some to one of our kitty's like this today. I hope your cat gets well soon!
I applied coconut oil (organic from Trader Joe's) to scabby spots that our outdoor cat developed in reaction to fleas(she was feral, so hard to medicate). She licked the coconut oil off each time, and within a few weeks the spots had cleared up. I read about this treatment in a pet care column in Vegetarian Times -- it's good both topically and internally.
I applied coconut oil (organic from Trader Joe's) to scabby patches on an outdoor kitty who probably developed them in reaction to fleas (she was feral then, and hard to medicate). She licked it right off each time, and within a few weeks the spots had cleared. I learned about this treatment in one of the pet care columns in Vegetarian Times magazine. It is beneficial both topically and internally. I use it myself for dry skin in the winter, and my indoor cat loves to lick it off my hands, so I give it to her as well.
I applied coconut oil (organic from Trader Joe's) to scabby patches on an outdoor kitty who probably developed them in reaction to fleas (she was feral then, and hard to medicate). She licked it right off each time, and within a few weeks the spots had cleared. I learned about this treatment in one of the pet care columns in Vegetarian Times magazine. It is beneficial both topically and internally. I use it myself for dry skin in the winter, and my indoor cat loves to lick it off my hands, so I give it to her as well.
My Siamese seems to have developed asthma at the age of 10, I use coconut oil myself, so gonna try this. Thanks.
Hello, I was wondering how much coconut oil you started off with? I read too much too soon can cause a bad reaction! So that you have to raise the amount gradually. My cat just got diagnosed with asthma :/ thank you! Hope all is well on your end!
Veronica, I apologize for the late response; I would suggest starting off with giving your kitty a 1/4 teaspoon once daily and then work up to a twice a day dosage. I hope your cat gets feeling better soon! :-)
I'm trying the coconut oil for the time today. I'll keep in touch and tell you how it goes. Thanks fir the advice
My 3 year old Frankie, also a Siamese (interesting that a lot of these asthmatic cats are Siamese mixes of some sort!), has been having short mild asthmatic episodes a few times a week since I adopted him 4 months ago. My vet suggested that I try an antihistamine for a couple weeks before spending the money on x-rays, which can be very expensive. I plan on trying the coconut oil and possibly the Amaza-Pet formula as well. I want him to find relief, but I am very strapped for cash. Hopefully this helps! Thanks so much for your post, so many others seem to suggest lifetime struggles with asthma!
It's a pleasure sharing this information Nicole! I hope your sweet little Frankie gets feeling better soon! When our Nozomi has a flare up it just breaks my heart because she can have attacks that will last an entire day sometimes! We have experienced very good results with the Amaza Pet formula and the coconut oil. Also, we have switched to "grain free" cat food and we think it has helped alleviate her asthmatic flare ups as well. Cat food free of gluten can help with kitties with inflammatory issues such as asthma! Also turmeric is added to some cat foods (like "Blue Buffalo Co. Grain Free Wilderness" cat food) and it too is a natural anti-inflammatory good for cats!
Great info EVERYONE. SO glad to find these resources. My Lilac Siamese is FELV positive, so steroids are a risk with her asthma. Can readily trigger a URI. She came to me with chronic sinusitis also , that I've finally held at bay with MSM in her food twice daily. ( Even managed to get her spayed)
These leukemia positive cats seem to live alot better with these natural options.
I too ONLY feed grain free WET, raw diet, & freeze dried raw treats. It has made an immense difference in my cats. I also keep probiotics, lysine, milkthistle, & always MSM in their food twice daily.
Sharing this in hopes it can help others.
Hi! I was wondering if this remedy is still working a year later? Thanks. :)
Hello Amanda! Yes, the coconut oil treatment is still working for our Nozomi; although she does still have occasional asthmatic flare ups and we aren't sure what could be bringing them on as they come up randomly and spontaneously. Whenever she does have a day like this, which is fortunately not a normal occurrence for her, we give her a crushed up PetAlive brand "AmazaPet" tablet in her wet food; we are thankfully still seeing results with this homeopathic feline formula! :-)
:) That's great! I'm going to give it a shot. Watty's used to be random and now, this past few weeks, they've been exploding. 4-6 attacks a day and just as many throughout the night. He's on prednisone and that barely helps. I checked out those tablets last night, but discovered they have corn in them, which I don't love, but I may give them a shot too. Thanks for your response!
I didn't realize they had corn in them, thanks for letting me know! I don't like this ingredient either and we avoid corn based cat foods. Well, the AmazaPet does appear to help treat our kitty's asthma attacks, but we only give her one when she needs it. I've heard that corn can trigger inflammation in cats, which is definitely something that we want to avoid as much as possible for our asthmatic cat. Perhaps if it is in a small dose in one tablet it won't cause much of a problem...or at least not as bad as it does as the main ingredient in mainstream catfood. Ironically our Nozomi has been having flare ups today; sometimes they will run their course, but if they become too frequent throughout the day, I start pulling out the natural remedies from the cupboard. ;-)
Of course! I guess they didn't used to actually. I read through the Amazon reviews and saw several that were outraged by the addition of cornstarch. Same here. I feed him a grain-free diet. Although, I just realized the soft treat I put his pill in has corn, so who am I to complain! Haha! It's hard to find mushable grain-free treats. Do you give your kitty traditional medicine also?
We don't give our kitties any traditional medicine and hopefully we can continue to go the natural route. ;-) I hope your cat gets feeling better soon! Those asthma fits can be horrible...Nozomi's asthma episode went away on its own today; thank goodness. :-) I also suggest the natural medicine feline books "The New Natural Cat: A Complete Guide for Finicky Owners" by Anita Frazier, "Natural Cats" by Chris Madsen, and "The Healthy Cat Book" by Alexandra Bastedo...all are always handy on my bookshelf; the first one is my favorite.
I'm envious! I'd love to stop giving it to mine. I'm literally reading that book right now! Haha! It's sitting right beside me. :) I'll look into the others also. They are horrible! I'm glad your kitty's went away! So far this evening, no attacks here either. I hope it's the coconut oil working! :)
Thank you for this! One of my feline babies has asthma and I feel so bad for her when it flares up. I have been using the AmazaPet for about six months and it does help but I wanted to do more to help her without resorting to drugs. I Googled around and found your blog with the coconut oil recommendation and am going to try it on her food. I have asthma myself and use coconut oil in cooking for many of its health benefits, including the natural anti-inflammatory properties it has, so I am really hoping it will help my sweet little girl the same way it does me.
Thank you for this! One of my feline babies has asthma and I feel so bad for her when it flares up. I have been using the AmazaPet for about six months and it does help but I wanted to do more to help her without resorting to drugs. I Googled around and found your blog with the coconut oil recommendation and am going to try it on her food. I have asthma myself and use coconut oil in cooking for many of its health benefits, including the natural anti-inflammatory properties it has, so I am really hoping it will help my sweet little girl the same way it does me.
Hello!
My name is Jéssica and I have a beautiful cat.
First, we thought her problem was hairballs, but when we found her almost dead, we took her to the vet. Diagnosis: feline asthma. We've been trying several pills since 08/2014, but she's getting worst and seeing her like this... it breaks my heart. We are desperate to help her. Today, I found your blog and we're thinking about giving coconut oil a shot. But first, I really, really need to know if there are any side effects and if your Nozomi still has asthma crisis.
Please help us!
Thank you
Yes, our Nozomi girl still has asthma attack flare ups but they often seem affected by the seasons or when she is exposed to dust, mildew, etc. Some days they are really bad and other days she has no attacks at all; but when she does have flare ups they are exhausting for her. I am so sorry to hear about your dear kitty! There are absolutely no side effects for cats when they ingest coconut oil; or at least we have never experienced an issue...only that it helps. Please read through the comments in this blog post for more natural treatment suggestions for you sweet cat. Many blessings to you and your precious kitty!
I was so hoping your coconut oil trick would work for my Watson, but it didn't touch his attacks unfortunately. It's a great idea though and probably couldn't hurt to just give in general. I think maybe some kitties just have varying degrees of asthma. After months of trying a gazillion different natural remedies (with nothing helping even a little) we finally had to resort to traditional medication and he's doing wonderful. He takes prednisolone and also uses and inhaler combination (Flovent & Albuterol). As much as I'd love to go strictly natural with him, prescribed medicine is all that worked.
Now I feel I may have given our sweet animal too much. Do you know how much oil is too much?
Hi Eva, did you let your cat lick up however much he/she wanted or did you give your cat a certain amount without your kitty choosing on it's own how much it wanted? I am sure that it is possible to give your cat too much coconut oil, but I think cat's intuitively know how much they want and need and will stop when they are comfortable with whatever amount they've ingested. We have too cats; one ("Magnum") who craves and begs for coconut oil and the other (Nozomi) who can take it or leave it. I would say that no more than two measuring teaspoons should be consumed at one time. A 1/2 tsp dosage or less is ideal for one meal time. I hope this helps Eva!
Can you please help me? I have a 10 year old Tuxedo that was diagnosed with feline asthma 3 years ago, we are currently on 2 inhalers 6 times a day, I switched him to Coconut Oil and the Pet Alive that you reference, we are still having coughing attacks and I still have to use the Flovent inhaler on him a couple of times a week, is this normal? I can't seem to get him free of the coughing attacks, and when he has them it almost makes me want to get him a steroid shot, but I know how bad those are, I really need help
I am so sorry Lori to hear about your dear sweet tuxedo kitty; our Nozomi girl still has asthmatic flare ups from her chronic asthma and unfortunately we haven't discovered a natural cure, only treatments that can help...like the coconut oil, AmazaPet feline supplement, and incorporating anti-inflammatory turmeric into you cats diet. We have also noticed a little relief from doing light eucalyptus pure essential oil steams for our cat; this is safe for cats as long as it is not too concentrated...Although, they could get stressed (which could induce an asthma attack) from the steaming pot and closed in environment when a towel is placed around them in an effort to keep the steam enclosed...if your cat stays calm, however, with little stress, this can be a helpful treatment. Steam alone can also be helpful; like if your cat is in the bathroom while a hot shower is running.
I know it is difficult but sometimes the medical route steroid treatments may be the best option for your kitty if the asthma attacks are at the point of being severe and life threatening, and unfortunately these have side effects that are damaging to your cats health as well. I suggest that you also check out the two books I mentioned in previous comments for more natural treatment options for your sweet kitty: "The New Natural Cat: A Complete Guide for Finicky Owners" by Anita Frazier, "Natural Cats" by Chris Madsen, and "The Healthy Cat Book" by Alexandra Bastedo...Sending lots of love and wishes for health and healing for your darling tuxedo cat! ♡♡♡
Hi, I have two cats I rescued few months ago and they were both diagnosed with astha. I don't like steroids so I'm looking for natural options. Does Coconut oil works best on it's own or is it better to give both: coconut oil and Amaza Pet medication?
Has anyone tried any other natural products that works?
Thanks,
Mar
You dont know happy I am to find out about this for cats with asthma. My oldest cat just recently started having asthma attacks. I am also asthmatic so I kind of had the feeling. I dont want to give him medications that will cause other complications, it was a worry since he is over weight and we have been struggling with him to get his weight down. Since we have some already I plan to try a little to see if it helps him. Thank you again for posting this, it makes me happy that I can give him a natural and less risky alternative.
My 3 yr old russian blue Borys has asthma! Breaks my heart every time he has attacks. Went already twice to emergency vet, each time ended up with stetoid shots. From candle addict (burning 5 or more candles a day) now im scent free cuz seemed to be a trigger for his attacks. Ill try coconut oil.... so no more emergency vet visits. Lets hope so! Thank u for giving this idea!!!!!! I will be back with how it worked.
I am so excited to read this about the coconut oil! My poor Bella girl seems to be getting worse with her asthma! I did just order Jackson Galaxy's Easy Breather Spirit Essence and so hope maybe the two combined will help her! And thank you so much for the book suggestions!
Thank you so much for posting this about coconut oil, read this and started giving my asthmatic Meezer 1/2 tsp x 2 a day as well as inhaler. after one day coughing lessoned and when she coughed it was only soft cough. 2 weeks later no cough at all plus no inhaler. vet checked her out and says no sounds in lungs and she is amazing and fortunately being opened minded is reading about and telling other vets here in New Zealand how coconut oil might help cats with asthma . thank you again
Thank you for the information about coconut oil to help feline asthma. My kitty has had bad asthma and I had tried natural remedies and traditional medicine. for a while she was on predisone and inhalers every day. I took her off the inhaler after she became listless and seemed disoriented. after a visit to a holistic vet I learned she had a corn allergy causing inflammation. The kitty litter I was using at the time was corn based and so she licked corn off her paws several times a day. once I changed the litter, and removed corn from her diet, her asthma improved tremendously and she is no longer on daily medication. She still has some mild asthma and I give her a light dose of predisone if needed. I am going to try the coconut oil to see if this clears it up further. she wouldn't lick it from a spoon however I put 1/4 teaspoon on her paw today and she is enthusiastically licking it off.. thank you so much for the tip.
Thank you for sharing your story; it has inspired my husband and I to rethink our corn cob based litter. I hope the coconut oil helps your kitty! ♡ We're considering switching back to a walnut shell litter. I know that the most commonly used litter among cat owners is the clay based kind that can expel dust that flares up asthmatic cat's attacks and inflammation.
anon 3:27 here - thanks for your comment. we use the walnut shell clumping litter. I like it and the cats (2) are good with it, although it too does have a bit of dust when first poured. I'm looking forward to seeing results from the coconut oil.
My cat Elvis has recently been diagnosed with asthma. I was using the walnut litter but it has a lot of dust. I changed to wheat based and I've noticed a difference already with less flare ups. I'm going to try AmazaPet....and coconut oil. Thanks for the tip
Hello KittyMom and Ana K, thank you for stopping by and sharing your experiences and stories! As you ladies have both mentioned, the walnut based litter also produces dust. After experimenting with it we've observed that following our cat's trips from the litter box it too may aggravate our Nozomi kitty's asthma. I'm interested in trying out a wheat based litter in hopes that it will expel less dust.
I want to let all of my readers know that I have updated this original blog post; as I mentioned before we use Tropical Traditions brand virgin coconut oil for our cats. We have tried other coconut oil brands and our cats will not eat them; it seems like most other types of coconut oil are really "coconuty" in flavor, but Tropical Traditions is smooth, creamy, and has a light, delicate flavor...and the kitties apparently think it's delicious! If any of you all have had difficulty getting your cat to eat coconut oil, please try out Tropical Traditions virgin coconut oil. If you order by clicking on any of my links featured here in this blog article and if you have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you. Wishing you all the best of luck in helping your precious kitties heal!
My feline friend was diagnosed with asthma a few years ago and was requiring periodic cortisone shots. I wasn't too pleased with this, so did some research and also discovered AmazaPet. No cortisone in over two years! Great! But two months ago, he had a bad spell and needed a shot. Now it's happening again.
I was happy to find your post and immediately went out and bought some good quality coconut oil to try (sorry, in Europe, so can't get the brand you recommend!). Am anxious to see the effect.
Your post brought up a question for me, though. In your opinion, is it ineffective (or even harmful) to be giving him AmazaPet on a daily basis? He's been getting one tablet a day for two years; it's done him well up to this point, but I'm wondering if his system has developed some kind of resistance to it. It could also be due to age - he'll be 16 next month.
Hello Steve! I hope your sweet old feline friend gets feeling better soon. I would assume that the AmazaPet would be safe for your kitty's continued usage since it is an herbal and homeopathic formula. I would also think that it would still be effective, especially considering that it has been helping for two years; perhaps your cat's age or allergic irritants are more the culprit. A reevaluation of your cat's diet and type of cat litter may also be helpful.
When trying out the coconut oil treatment, keep in mind that your kitty may be picky at first; also, if you have difficulty getting your cat to eat the coconut oil after several failed attempts, switching brands may work as it really helped us. Cats typically do not like coconut oils with a strong "coconuty" flavor; I suggest trying an expeller-pressed coconut oil, and the Tropical Traditions brand that I shared in this blog post is a good one...our cats all love it. Wishing you the best of luck!
Hello - do you think fractionated coconut oil would be as helpful? It is in liquid form and there is no scent so it could be easier to "hide" in food if you have a picky eater.
I have a 2 year old Siamese boy who has been suffering with minor asthma attacks for the last year. I didn't know what they were until recently, when they started to get scary and I really put the time into researching what was wrong. I had thought it was just hairballs. I have 3 cats, so finding hairballs around - you never know who the culprit is. I thought he was expelling them. Anyways - I am hoping these natural solutions will help him out, and can't wait to try the coconut oil. I have the extra virgin cold pressed oil, so it smells VERY coconuty.
I will try that on him and see if he likes it, but if I can't get him to cooperate, was wondering about the fractionated oil with no smell. Would it still have the same therapeutic qualities?
I switched him from a wheat based litter to a pine based litter - do you think that will be ok? All litter is dusty :( I can't seem to find one that is "cleaner" than another.
He's already on a food that is holistic with no fillers, but I'm going to try switching to a freeze dried treat and see if that helps too.
Thanks so much for all of your advice - and for continuing to reply to our comments!!
Hello Jenni!
I definitely feel that all coconut oils would have the same therapeutic properties for helping with kitty asthma attacks and supporting prevention of future flare ups. Through our experiments with our two cats (and my mother-in-law's five cats) we have discovered that the kitties will turn their noses up and refuse to eat "coconutty" flavored coconut oil. We have also tried fractionated coconut oil that is in liquid form (which will probably work well for mixing in the cat's food as long as the flavor is neutral/mild); our cat who really "loves the coconut oil" looks confused with the liquidy substance as he actually prefers the fatty buttery-like Tropical Traditions coconut oil. I think both the flavor and the texture are important for his preferences. Sometimes I will see him take little nibbles of the coconut oil instead of lapping it up. He always bathes his face and paws and looks very satisfied after his "treat". When my husband opens the coconut oil for using in our own cooking, our cat will come running and meowing for a little taste! Although, if you were to mix the coconut oil into food, another mild flavored coconut oil may work well for you.
We also topically apply Tropical Traditions coconut oil to our kitties if they ever have dry skin or a wound because it helps the skin heal and it is antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic; so it is a good home remedy to have on hand for your cat. When you apply it and if he licks it, you will be confident and rest assured in knowing that it is not only safe if he ingests some of the oil, it is healthy for him too...from the inside out!
It sounds like you are feeding your cat nutritious food which is wonderful; we have been giving our kitties a grain free cat food that they enjoy very much. My husband and I are still experimenting with the litter. Pine based litters seem to be great for minimal dust; our only issues with it was that our cats didn't seem to like the bulky feel of the larger granules and these larger chunks didn't fall through our pooper scooper, making clean up more challenging. However, if you don't have these issues, the minimal dust of pine litter could be very beneficial for your kitty. Wishing you the best of luck Jenni with your Siamese boy cat!
Hello,
Thanks so much for all of this wonderful information on natural ways to help alleviate the suffering from asthma for our kitties. I have a Tonkinese (part Siamese, part Burmese) who is king of the house! (I urge you to learn more about this wonderful breed - ours is a rescue cat and he is the MOST wonderful, loving, loyal, talkative, snuggly - and a bit clumsy feline fellow. I didn't think I could love any cat as much as my Norwegian Forest Cat after we lost him, but it has happened and I'm smitten with my kitten. Okay, he's actually a big, solid cat.) But the poor guy suffers from asthma. We, too, like so many others discussing these issues on this forum, have been through the steroid shots - but the time in between shots due to symptoms is getting shorter so I searched for natural remedies and found this discussion. :)
Just ordered the PetAlive AmazaPet -- got a great deal online at the nativeremedies.com site after I signed up for coupons and got a welcome offer - so wanted to share that with everyone. I also ordered the RespoK which is also said to help with respiratory inflamation.
I must find the Tropical Traditions coconut oil - and if I can't find it soon, I will try the Trader Joe's organic coconut oil - so thanks to everyone for helping with all of this. I really look forward to giving our big guy (this Tonkinese is a solid 22 lbs) some relief!
We have been using the pine pellets for some time - Feline Pine - for litter. It took no time at all to get him used to it. It's the grain free food that he 'gives me the look' over. So I mix it up -- high quality high protein food and grain free food - just to not make everything so miserable for him.
I'm hoping the AmazaPet and coconut oil help him get some breathing relief. Thanks again!
Thank you Chris for sharing! I just looked up the Tonkinese cat breed and they are adorable! I can see why you are so smitten; and the characteristic traits that you mentioned truly express your admiration. Our Flame Point Himalayan kitty "Nozomi" charms us with her super sweet personality, tender affection, and cute curiosity! As you know, she too suffers from asthma. Through my research, I have found that her breed was derived from crossing the Persian with the Siamese. I have often wondered if her breed type (particularly from her Siamese ancestors) is more susceptible of acquiring asthma over other cat breeds. As you can see six of the blogger comments here mention Siamese cats with asthma; blogger Nicole above pointed this out when she said "interesting that a lot of these asthmatic cats are Siamese mixes of some sort!" Very interesting indeed! I am curious to learn more about the association between breed type and the ailments they are more likely to have.
Chris, I really appreciate you sharing the coupon deals that you found for the AmazaPet; we are still using this asthma remedy for our Nozomi girl. I am interested to hear how the RespoK formula that you mentioned works out. We've had great success with Tropical Traditions coconut oil with our kitties and their approval of it over other coconut oils has made it our go-to brand. You can find and purchase Tropical Traditions coconut oil via the link above in the blog article; if you end up getting an organic coconut oil from Trader Joe's and your kitty disapproves, try mixing it into his food. As I mentioned above, my husband and I were amazed that our cats like eating the Tropical Traditions coconut oil all by itself; and one of our cats actually begs for it! He's our "Magnum" cat; a golden Maine Coon and a pretty funny boy...always getting into mischief and making us laugh!
I'm glad to hear that you like the pine litter; my husband and I are considering switching back to it because from our experiments it has definitely been the litter that produces the least amount of dust. Perhaps I can find a brand that makes a pine litter with smaller granules that will fall through our scooper and that provides a more pleasant texture for our cats and their trips to the litter box. Dusty litters most certainly worsen asthmatic symptoms in kitties with asthma. We've been using corn cob litter which our cats like; it clumps very well and produces less dust than most types of litter. One of our main concerns about it is that it is most likely made from genetically modified (GMO) corn, and that our asthmatic kitty could possibly have a corn allergy.
Chris, that's wonderful that you are introducing your cat to grain-free cat foods. Our cats love the one that we give them; we get it at Whole Foods and it is made by Tender & True Pet Nutrition. It is the grain free "Balanced Formula" that is made with certified ocean-caught seafood; it contains no corn, wheat, soy, artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors. Wishing you the best of luck Chris with helping your Tonkinese cat recover from asthma!
hi there, just wanted to say thankyou for this, as two of our kitties Floyd and Tilly have Asthma, so am definitley going to try them with the Coconut oil, will let you know how we get on :)
Hi There,\
My cat Snoopy just got diagnosed with Asthma. He has a partially collapsed lung also. His breathing was not too good. He is also not eating. The vet told me if he dosen't eat by tomorrow I will have to bring him in to get IV for him.. I am worried. Can a cat recover from a collapsed lung and asthma? The coconut oil sounds great maybe I will try that.
Thanks
Diane
Good Evening Diane, I'm so sorry to hear about the condition of your beloved cat Snoopy. Since I am not a veterinarian, I don't know much information about cats living with a collapsed lung. Your vet will be able to tell you more about treatment, and along with that you may want to try some of the all-natural remedies for treating feline asthma that I mentioned in this blog post...Sending get well wishes to your sweet Snoopy cat! ♡♡♡
i have been looking for a homeopathic/natural treatment for one of my cats that has feline asthma ... in doing so, i found your article about the benefits of coconut oil for cats with asthma ...i have some "pure, unrefined, cold pressed 100% organic extra virgin coconut oil, brand name is carrington farms ... i would very much appreciate it if you would let me know if i can use this for luca as i already have it at home ...
thank you, alex
Hi Alex, I'm glad that you found my blog article. Yes, your coconut oil would be safe to give to your kitty Luca. All food grade coconut oils are safe for cats to consume, yet they are picky eaters and you may have more difficulty getting your cat to eat certain brands of coconut oil, especially if it has a strong coconut flavor. We have tested the Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil that I share here in this article on several cats and they love lapping it up on a plate all by itself, in fact they meow-beg for it as their little "treat"! With other coconut oils you may need to blend it into some wet canned cat food to get your cat to eat it, and even then they may turn their nose up to it because they are finicky sometimes with their food. We have discovered this with trying out various brands of coconut oil. I hope this helps and that your Luca cat gets feeling better soon!
Hi, i went and got the coconut oil you had on your page for my kitty with asthma. Used your link and received a free book also, thank you. My question is how much coconut oil do you give your kitty? Please let me know, i hope it helps my Best Friend. Thanks so much.
Hi Mabell! We give our kitty 1/4 teaspoon twice a day or 1/2 teaspoon once a day. Our cats enjoy taking little licks of the Tropical Traditions coconut oil all by itself (they especially love it when we cream it up with a fork and serve it on a little dish), but if your cat is finicky, it mixes well in wet or dry cat food; it actually softens the rough crunchies and coconut oil is healthy for your cat's gums and dental health too! I hope your kitty gets feeling better...I'm happy to hear that you got the free book with your coconut oil! Wishing you all the best! By the way, coconut oil is a great treatment for cat with ear mites; just dab a little at the top of their ear and it will slowly drip down and it works wonders!!
Hi, Thanks for the reply back and information, was very kind of you. Have fingers crossed too that it helps my little girl, she's only 10 and this just started 3 weeks ago. Its sad to see them deal with asthma. She also has a stage 3 heart murmur and slightly enlarged heart. She has lived with the heart murmur for 5 years with no issues and the 3 weeks ago she started gagging like she had a blockage or large hairball, so I took her to vet, after paying 150.00 for 1 x-ray, which I think is just insane!! they gave her antibiotic for 2 weeks and then it started all over again. So now she is on prednisolone oral for 10 days, she showed a wonderful improvement after only 1 day. But I know that's not good for long term treatment and with a heart condition so coconut oil and see if a inhaler may work. She's my emotional support as well as my best friend, so I hope something works for her. As well as prayers every night. Thanks again for your reply, will let you know how it goes. Take care.
Thank you for sharing your story. My cat, Daisy is only about 2 years old and has asthma. I didn't want to have to resort to pharmaceuticals, so I'm very excited to have stumbled upon this info! I just gave her some from my cupboard tonight and she seemed to like it, so here's hoping! Gosh, what magical stuff it is! :-)
i read thru your post ... i have been using coconut oil for my luca for a while now after learning about its use for cats with asthma and it definitely helps him - just wish he liked it ... he is also on medication which helps as well ... thank you for your insight and your sharing ... alexandra
I found out today that my dear and beloved 1 year and 5 month old cat named Baxter may have the beginnings of asthma, though not for certain. He is a very big boy, very sweet tempered and loving! He feels deeply and get scared at the vet. He was shaking today going through the checkup. An x-ray showed some mild inflammation in the lung airways. The vet prescribed a worming medication for the next 10 days to see if that clears the cough Baxter has. He has had this cough now and then since I got him as a rescue in July 2015 and I thought maybe it was from dust or ingesting his abundant hair. I am very glad to know about the coconut oil because I have plenty of that in the cupboard. I use the Barleans organic coconut oil. I've also noticed that Baxter likes to eat coconut milk... He is drawn to it whenever he sees me eating it. I also want to try adding tumeric to his diet. If it turns out he does have asthma then I want to try the AmazaPet as well. I would not want to resort to steroids. Also for all who are searching for a dust free litter I have found Pioneer Pet Smart Cat Litter made entirely of grass has the least dust among all the litters I have tried out. It traps bacteria and gives off almost no smell. I order it from Chewy.com online.
I think my 2 year old cat, Lina, may have asthma. She's always had sporadic coughing fits, but like many new owners, I thought it was just hairballs. A couple of months ago, I did ask the vet at our appointment about it and I was told to try hairball treatment methods, but they have not made any difference. After reading and finding some videos online, Lina's fits look almost exactly like other cats having asthma attacks. I'll be following up with my vet to confirm.
I've started looking into more holistic and natural treatments for my own health so I was interested in similar methods for Lina. I'm so happy I found this article and everyone's comments which have given a lot of ideas. I don't want to rely on strong drugs for what I believe is a very mild condition. I'll try the grain-free dry food and hope Lina goes for it since she's very picky with her dry food and I'll also try the coconut oil.
I would like to hear more about the AmazaPet product mentioned here. Any side effects or tricks for giving it to cats? Thank you all.
Hello Beth! I'm sorry to hear about your dear kitty Lina and her asthmatic episodes. Our cat Nozomi who has asthma fortunately does not protest taking the AmazaPet tablet; we crush it up with the flat backside of a spoon on a little dish and then we mix a portion of a can of wet catfood into it and she eats it without seeming to even notice that there has been anything added to her food. I'm glad that you found my blog article too! I hope that you will find some helpful information here for a natural approach to healing feline asthma. I highly recommend trying the Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil that I have featured in this blog post; we have tried several other brands and our cats refuse to eat it, but this particular brand of coconut oil they actually enjoy! And we have thankfully seen a positive change in our cat's asthma once we introduced the coconut oil into her diet. The coconut oil is solid at room temperature (especially when the room is colder like it is now in winter), so you will want to place it into a little bowl and then place that into another bowl filled with warm water (I don't recommend microwaving the oil because that could denature the healing properties in the coconut oil), once the coconut oil has transformed into a liquid state you can then mix it into your wet catfood. However, if your cat is like our two cats (and my mother-in-law's cats), they enjoy the solidified (not melted/softened) coconut oil all by itself without putting it into catfood. We simply whip it with a fork and they lap it up like a bowl of cream; we call it their "creamed" coconut oil and they love it! It's great for expelling hairballs too, or for any topical wounds they may have (beneficial internally and externally). Wishing you a Happy New Year and the best of luck with Lina's recovery!
...And to Alexandra, Cora, and Kari, I'm sorry that I didn't respond to your comments earlier! Wishing you all happy healing for your asthmatic kitties as well! I'm so delighted to hear that you ladies found our kitty's experience helpful!
The liquid of herbal tea of yellow dock can be the best home remedies for ear mites in cats.
Thank you Jenny for sharing the natural remedy for ear mites in felines! I just looked it up and I will remember this ear mite treatment with yellow dock tea infusion. It involves using three drops of tincture with one tablespoon of distilled or filtered water. Dilute the yellow dock tincture in the water, then apply a dropper into your cat's ear canal and massage gently. Thanks again Jenny!!
Hi Jessica, I have 2 amazing kitties. Lexx is our Maine Coon. Bruno is our shorthair. A year ago Bruno was diagnosed with asthma. I was lucky that this vet bill was under $2500. But I'd pay any amount for my boys. After steroids antibiotics, etc. He seemed much better. I took both the boys to the vet for a 6-month check-up a few days ago and it was a very stressful visit (waiting with other pets because of a walk-in emergency). After the vet visit, Bruno became aggressive with Lexxi (hissing, spitting, growling) any time Lexxi comes near him. I don't understand this aggression as he's the sweetest cat. But I digress.
This morning he had another asthma spell. I'm sure it's stress related. But I'm so thankful I stumbled onto your site. I will be ordering Amazapet from your site as soon as I'm finished babbling. I know Bru loves coconut oil because I dropped some once and he lapped it up. He is a connoisseur of all food stuffs...lol. I have started using my Bach's Rescue Remedy again for his stress. A word of caution, Bach's has a Rescue Remedy that is 27% Alcohol. So that means they are calm cuz it's like giving them a highball...just sayin'. But there are different Bach's remedies w/o the alcohol. Thank you so much for the information about cats. I am following your site now. I'm off to order Amazapet. BTW...your cats are beautiful.
Thank you Brenda for sharing your story! I hope your Bruno kitty gets feeling better very soon and that he and Lexx can live happily in harmony once again! We can empathize with you about the high vet bills, but yes our loveable fur balls are worth every penny! It's wonderful to hear that your kitty laps up coconut oil, it's so good for them! Our kitties are finicky and only wanted the Tropical Traditions brand. I hope your Bruno experiences relief from asthma with Amazapet! Thank you also for mentioning the details about alcohol content regarding pet consumption and safety. Best wishes for your Bruno cat!
My 2 year old sweet boy Gibby was diagnosed with asthma. After many many stressful visits to the vets. Many pills and shots and lots of $$. I started coconut oil today. Wish me luck
Wishing Gibby cat the best of luck with his coconut oil remedy for his asthma! Thank you for stopping by!
Post a Comment