Fritz' Story
 In February 2001, I was given up for adoption at an
animal shelter. While looking for their missing cat, Raja, Kathryn saw
me and took
me to their home. I was in a full-blown
asthma attack, but James and Kathryn mistook my panting for fear.
It took a while to get adjusted to my new surroundings
and housemates. The adoption papers simply revealed that I
was pure-bred Siamese, six years old.
Shashee and Pye, at my new home, were welcoming even though I was
crabby with them for months. I felt pretty awful with coughing
spells and all the changes.
In March 2001, my coughing had progressed to open-mouth
breathing, drooling of mucus and heaving sides. My first emergency
trip to the vet proved fortunate in that the veterinarian
was familiar with the signs of feline asthma. The x-rays confirmed it.
I could use all the help I could get. My humans were very worried
about me.
From March to May, I had four emergency trips to the hospital. One of these I spent overnight in an oxygen tent.
In the meantime, James and Kathryn were doing all they could to
gather information on feline asthma. I had been given steroids,
bronchodilators, antibiotics, antihistamines and herbal
medicines. I was getting tired of the shots and pills. The prednisone
made me hungry and thirsty all the time, and I had gained three pounds,
up to sixteen. I felt shy about the developing "love handles".
The last emergency trip in May 2001 was very serious.
Doctors had me in front of
an oxygen mask for two and a half hours. My vet had finally agreed
to try the original inhaled medicine protocol developed by Dr.
Padrid. While still on the treatment table, James brought in
my new prescription for Albuterol
and Flovent®. That first inhalation
of Albuterol brought instant relief.
In late December 2001, I volunteered to pre-market test
the first aerosol chamber designed especially for cats, the AeroKat®, along
with Zoe from New York, and offered
my feedback on its comfort and effectiveness. I gave it an enthusiastic
two paws up and am happy it is now helping thousands of cats like me
around the world.
 My
life is comfortable and fun. The family moved to three acres in the
Oregon countryside. My
favorite spots are behind the warm woodstove or high above the cupboards
on the cashmere sweater. And the mouse hunting is beyond my wildest
dreams. Shashee and I
continue to become friends and we share a lot of the same toys. Bijal
and Soleil are new additions
and I'm still not too sure about
them but every
day is Tuna Time and inhaled medications are painless. I ask James
and Kathryn to take me camping, and you can see some
photos of my
adventures in the gallery.
I've appeared in several magazines, including: Cats and Kittens
Magazine. "Asthma in Cats,
Waiting to Inhale", Special Report, by Ian Hodder,
pg.15, August 2003. Cat Watch
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Vol. 5, No. 11,
November 2001, a Danish veterinary publication, In Praktijk,
February 2002 and a Polish veterinary journal Magazyn Weterynaryjny,
Cough - Clinical Interpretation
and Therapy by Rafal Niziolek,
D.V.M, vol. 12, nr 80'2003. I was also in an Internet news feature on ThePetProject.com,
March 2002. Veterinarians from around the world have contacted me.
Education has been my main occupation
second to napping in sunbeams.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope the information
here can help the asthmatic cat in your life. Fritz
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