Pulmonary Edema in Cats

Benigni L, Morgan N, Lamb CR. Radiographic appearance of cardiogenic pulmonary oedema in 23 cats. Journal of Small Animal Practice. 2009;50(1):9-14.

Congestive heart failure commonly results in pulmonary edema. Thoracic radiographs are useful for the diagnosis of congestive heart failure because it enables assessment of the pulmonary veins and detection of pulmonary edema. It also helps distinguish pulmonary edema from other conditions causing similar clinical signs, such as bronchopneumonia. In dogs with heart failure, pulmonary edema typically appears as a symmetrical alveolar pattern that is most apparent in the caudodorsal lung field, although it can become generalized. The radiographic appearance of pulmonary edema is thought to be more variable in cats than in dogs. The purpose of this study was to describe in detail the radiographic appearance of pulmonary edema in cats with heart failure. Thoracic radiographs of 23 cats presenting with signs of heart failure were reviewed. Pulmonary edema in these cats was associated with a range of patterns and variable distribution. All cats had a reticular or granular interstitial pattern. This occurred in combination with an alveolar pattern (83%), with increased diameter of pulmonary vessels (71%), and with a bronchial pattern (61%). The distribution of pulmonary edema was diffuse/non-uniform in 61% of cats, diffuse/uniform in 17%, multi-focal in 17% and focal in 4%. The researchers conclude that feline cardiogenic pulmonary edema has a highly variable radiographic appearance that may complicate diagnosis.
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Herndon WE, Rishniw M, Schrope D, Sammarco CD, Boddy KN, Sleeper MM. Assessment of plasma cardiac troponin I concentration as a means to differentiate cardiac and noncardiac causes of dyspnea in cats. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 2008;233(8):1261-1264.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

My cat is almost 20 years old but in wonderful health. I walked in on him and he seemed…

This could be multiple things and ideally your cat should be examined by your veterinarian. You don't describe the attack but I would be suspicious of a seizure. Seizures can happen for many reasons. Cat's can also have asthma like attacks. Even at 20, many conditions are treatable. For example, high blood pressure can cause strange symptoms like you've seen and it can be treated easily. Hopefully you won't see one these attacks again but to be safe I would make your oldster is o.k.!

My 12 week old female kitten’s anus is distended…what should be inside seems to be on…

For a kitten with a swollen bottom there are two things to consider. First, why is it happening? We can see this in kittens having constipation issues or with parasites sometimes as well. If a fecal sample hasn't been checked I would do so and even if it's negative, a dewormer is likely not a bad idea! If your kitten is a little constipated, softening the stool could help.

Second, this needs to be treated symptomatically like you're doing. It's really important to keep the area clean and moist. Sometimes an anti-hemorrhoid cream can help with inflammation. If it continues, I'd have her rechecked! Congrats on your new little kitten!

My cat is now 17 years old and has been fine until recently. About two weeks ago he went…

I am so very sorry to hear that your cat has been so sick. From the symptoms you are describing, I would agree that your cat's symptoms sound neurologic.

This can be very frustrating because we don't have any easy tests like some other diseases to make a diagnosis. Often times, more advanced tests like a spinal tap or MRI/CT are needed to know for sure what is going on. I would suspect that the fact that this occurred so soon after your vaccine is likely coincidence. Nonetheless, I would still suggest your veterinarian report it to vaccine manufacturer to be thorough. Unfortunately, it is not unusual for disease to appear and worsen so quickly. Cats tend to hide their disease very well and often do not show disease until they are very, very sick. If it is indeed a tumor, it has likely been advancing for some time; it is just now that it is showing symptoms. If you have a veterinary neurologist in your area, a second opinion with them may give you more answers. You could also try some alternate medications like appetite stimulants to get your cat eating. I know your veterinarian wants to help and do all he or she can. If you're not happy with your care, changing veterinarians is an option as well. Keep us posted; we'll be hoping for the best.

Our male cat, 3 years old has this constant problem with his ear. It is only his right…

Unfortunately, ear conditions can often be chronic and difficult to treat. I would first be sure you know exactly what you're treating. If not done an ear swab to rule out a bacterial vs. yeast infection can help decide exactly which medication is appropriate. Then I would be sure your cat is treated for a long enough time and that the medication is given correctly. Ear medicine can be very difficult, especially in an uncooperative cat! If this has all been done, then I'd do some more exploring to determine underlying causes. Some cats may have chronic ear issues due to allergies. Sometimes a polyp can cause a problem and an x-ray may be helpful to rule this out. Discuss with your veterinarian your wish to have this resolved and he or she should be able to make a plan with you to figure this all out further. Good luck!

I found my cat licking photographs. I was away for a few hours, so I don’t know how long…

I know of many cats that like to lick photographs including one of our clinic cats and my mom’s cat. This question has been posed to many experts and no one seems to know why cats do this. There is likely nothing on the photos to be concerned about. The developing process uses some chemicals of concern but these are rinsed away and should not be an issue. I would try to keep the photos out of reach, mostly so your cat doesn't ruin them!

I am giving my cat Forta Flora and I was wondering what ingredients are in it? My cat…

FortiFlora does contain animal digest that is made from pork and poultry ingredients. If a cat has a food allergy to pork and/or poultry it is possible your cat could exhibit food allergy symptoms. The other ingredients are vitamins, minerals, and the active probiotic.

Purina Veterinary Diets FortiFlora for Cats does have a money back guarantee. If you're not satisfied with the product you can contact the Purina Veterinary Diets team using their toll free number (800 879-1266).

How long does it take for a cat (15 years old) to digest food?

The amount of time it takes for a cat to digest the food it eats depends on a number of factors. These factors include type of food eaten (wet vs. dry), fiber level in the food, amount of food eaten, age of the animal, and the activity level of the cat. All of these factors could have an effect on increasing or decreasing the amount of time it takes for the food to move through the digestive tract of the cat. Although there isn't much published research on this topic, from studies in which a dye is added to the food, it can take as long as 9-10 hours before the red dye is seen in the feces. Lastly, the ability to digest food can be compromised as the cat ages. Research has shown that some older cats have limited ability to digest the fat in their diets. Therefore, it's difficult to answer your question with any precision as many factors can affect the amount of time it takes for food to be digested by your cat.

Three weeks ago we adopted a seven-year-old cat from a local shelter. The first day we…

Bless your heart for adopting this needy cat! You’re doing something very right that he’s become so attached to you so quickly. As you’ve discovered, this big guy not only likes—he NEEDS a routine that he can rely upon. Anything out of the ordinary concerns him, and he reacts with aggression, likely out of stress or even fear.

So when you acted outside his expected routine—got up earlier than normal, skipped the petting/food, and RAN up the stairs—he reacted. Many cats simply “trigger” on any fast motion (chasing the feather toy or string…or in this case, FEET that run). This is part of the predatory response that’s hardwired into their brains. Kittens have a hard time with this but most adult cats learn to control this knee-jerk response as they mature, and choose more wisely in play/prey attacking. Without knowing his history, we can only assume that your older boy hasn’t had the needed experience to understand that humans sometimes run…perhaps he lived with an elderly woman before who never moved fast. Or perhaps he lived with young kids who, when they ran, chased and terrorized him. It doesn’t really matter why this happened—you’re actually quite fortunate to have discovered this trigger situation, so you can avoid it in the future.

The second thing you should know is that you did EXACTLY the correct thing by isolating him after the incident. Once a cat becomes upset, it generally takes several hours for him to calm down. Many folks make the mistake of trying to interact again too soon…and the cat attacks again, which increases the probability that the problem will continue or get worse. Instead, you isolated him, allowed him to calm down, and…as you saw…he subsequently returned to normal behavior. You simply must give the cat time to “come to his senses” or there’s a risk he’ll identify you as the reason he’s upset (rather than sudden motion of feet).

At this point, I would urge you to hold off on declawing. I suspect you’ll be able to manage the behavior simply by avoiding the trigger. For safety sake, there’s a product called Soft Paws that can help your peace of mind until you’re certain of his behavior. These soft vinyl nail caps are available at veterinarian offices or pet products stores, and easily glue onto the cat’s nails so they won’t cause damage.

I have a three-year-old cat who has recently found a great interest in staring at the…

How funny! You must also remember that a cat’s sense of hearing is much more acute than our own. Certainly she’s hearing the same things you are, but may also be detecting sounds that we can’t hear. Yes, cats can develop OCD behaviors, but this actually sounds pretty normal for a healthy, inquisitive cat. Depending on what she hears, she may be watching, stalking, guarding against bugs or mice or ghosties, ghoulies and other noise-makers that go BUMP in the night!