There are various drugs that your vet can prescribe for your cat's asthma, including cortisone, antihistamine, broncho-dilators, antibiotics, oxygen, and even some drugs designed for humans. Most of the time the cause of the asthma is not found, but it is often linked to allergies. A condition linked to allergies is managed rather than cured, and so a cat can have recurrent problems. I you are an observant owner, you will be able to tune into your cats so well that you will be able to catch the asthma attack at an early stage when it recurs. The early signs are a non-productive cough or gag.
Some cats can have life-long asthma that causes permanent damage to the lungs through scarring.
This scarring prevents the lung tissue from expanding normally, and as it progresses, can lead to respiratory collapse. Managing the inflammation helps to prevent scarring. If you think that your cat may have this condition, take her to the vet for immediate treatment. Don't try to treat her for asthma unless she has had a chest x-ray. The clinical signs that are typical of asthma can also be present with heart disease or when fluid is present in the chest cavity.