My cat is wheezing and breathing raspy. Is it IBD or another issue?

I understand your concerns for Scuff! Fortunately, from the signs that you describe, a foreign body obstruction from plastic is unlikely, as significant vomiting and anorexia would be expected. Wheezy breathing and changes in purring can be caused by asthma, heart disease, hyperthyroidism, among others. While I understand Scuff's fear of the vet, in this case, that is the only way that he's going to be diagnosed and treated appropriately. Consider looking into mobile vets in your area to see if they can make house calls and also have a portable x-ray machine. It sounds as though Scuff will likely need to have chest x-rays to get to the bottom of his problem. I hope that all goes well!

I'd be concerned that Sock may have feline asthma. It would be worth a trip to the veterinarian to have X-rays done again on Sock to look for asthmatic changes. Asthma in cats is fairly common and can be treated with both inhalant medication and oral medications. An Aerokat inhaler can be ordered to help administer inhalant medications if necessary. Your veterinarian can also ensure that Sock is not experiencing another upper respiratory infection. I'd also recommend eliminating the use of perfumed cleaners, or perfumed or dusty litter types as these things can aggravate airway disease in cats. Try to change air filters regularly and use an air purifier to cut down on allergens. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Wheezing in cats can be caused by chronic allergies, asthma, infections, and polyps. However, if you believe that Ashes is having trouble breathing, she should be seen by a vet immediately as she may need oxygen supplementation and stabilization. I hope this helps and that all is well!

He could have multiple things going on here. Itching is a sign of allergies, so I would first check for fleas (they leave behind tint black pepper looking specks on the skin). The purple bumps may be an inflammatory reaction or actual masses, so have these tested through your vet. The wheezing is the most concerning symptom that he has, as this can be early signs of asthma, bronchitis, a mass (an enlarged thyroid) pressing on his airway, or an upper respiratory infection. I would encourage you to schedule an earlier appt for Tobby to address the wheezing as soon as possible. Cats with airway issues are consider unstable and should seek medical attention right away because the lungs are their stress organ, so that means that if they are not feeling well then the lungs can get worse very quickly. I hope that your pet Tobby feels better soon. Best of luck at the vet.

Yes, wheezing could indeed be a sign of asthma. But it is also possible that she has an upper respiratory infection. Either disease is relatively easy to treat once diagnosed. Your vet will want to do xrays if he suspects asthma. URIs are usually treated with antibiotics. Here is some information of feline asthma: https://www.petcoach.co/article/feline-asthma-a-cause-of-coughing-in-cats/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-you-need-to-know-about-feline-asthma/ I suggest you make an appointment for Leo with your vet.

The weight gain is somewhat of a vague sign, but I am worried when I hear of a cat "wheezing", as it suggests feline asthma, which is a fairly common malady and often presents itself as you are describing. I would consider this to be a fairly urgent matter and would get her into the vet for a thorough physical exam and chest x-rays as soon as possible; asthma can cause serious breathing compromise if not diagnosed and treated.

If he is dyspneic, he may have both upper and lower airway disease. I find that chest x-rays can underestimate the extent of lower airway disease. In some of these cases, we have to do additional diagnostics such as a thoracic CT, bronchoscopy and in some cases biopsy. He may need to be evaluated by a veterinary internal medicine specialist. Discuss this with your veterinarian.