Introduction to Respiratory Diseases in Cats

In and Out, In and Out….

The cycle repeats itself day and night. The gentle motion of the chest as it rises and falls as Kitty rests is a pleasure to watch. If she is sleeping on top of you, you can probably feel the small puffs of warm air as she exhales.

If you were a bit of air, you would find yourself pulled into the nostrils, and circulated around in the nasal cavity. Here, air is warmed and humidified as it passes over a labyrinth of scrolled membranes, with rich blood supply and moist surfaces. From there, the air is inhaled down the windpipe (trachea) and reaches the main lung airways (bronchi). As airways branch into each lung, then into smaller and smaller tubes, they turn into bronchioli.

From here, the tiny volumes of air enter the alveolar sac, which is the terminus of the airways. Here is where the oxygen molecules from the air are absorbed by the delicate membranes, and diffuse into the bloodstream.

At the same interface, the carbon dioxide which is produced in the body is released into the airways. When the cat breathes out, this waste product is released back out of the body.

The respiratory system has to be working well to keep Kitty alive and healthy. Loss of oxygen supply of only a few minutes can lead to loss of life. This is a critical body system.

It is pretty easy to tell when things are going wrong. Problems lead to fast breaths, increased breathing effort, and progressively, an obvious struggle for air, and open mouth breathing if serious problems are occurring. If oxygen transfer is seriously reduced, the gums and tongue may take on a purplish-gray tinge. Respiratory distress leads to collapse if not corrected.

We tend to consider problems of the upper respiratory tract and lower respiratory tract separately, but some conditions affect the entire respiratory system.

Select the links to the right side to learn more about respiratory system illnesses.