Asthma is common in cats and can turn deadly fast, but cats diagnosed early can live normal lives.

• Cat asthma narrows the airways and makes breathing hard, much like asthma in people.
• The usual triggers are smoke, candles, strong cleaning products, essential oils, and even hairspray.
• The telltale sign is a dry cough from the chest, often crouched low with the neck stretched out, with nothing coming up — easy to mistake for a hairball.
• Vets diagnose it by listening to the lungs, taking X-rays, and ruling out other causes like heartworm.
• Treatment means cutting the triggers plus steroids, given by pill or through an inhaler with a mask and spacer.

Outlook: A cat breathing with its mouth open is an emergency and needs a vet immediately, but with triggers removed and medication, most cats do fine long-term.