“What are you doing?” my neighbor asked me. “I’m giving coconut oil to my cat,” I replied, trying not to sound too crazy.
“Coconut oil for cats? Seriously?” she said with a look of disbelief on her face.
With the recent surge in the popularity of coconut oil as a healthy cooking ingredient, many people may be wondering if it is safe for their pets and how they can use it to manage asthma symptoms in their furry friends.
Just like human beings, cats also suffer from asthmatic attacks.
Approximately it affects 1 and 5 percent of cats. Feline asthma is usually caused by allergic reactions to inhaled allergens stimulating a cat’s immune system.
In this blog post, we will discuss tips on the safety of coconut oil on cats and how you can manage your cat’s asthma naturally.
Uses of Coconut Oil In Feline Asthma Management
1. Giving Coconut Oil Separately
You can put coconut oil on your cat’s plate and let her lick. Remember the plate should be far away from the cat litter box.
Coconut oil is sweet and has a pleasant aroma. It is easier for cats to lick it away.
In the case of a selective cat, you can start by applying coconut oil to the paw. Since cats are clean animals, they will automatically lick it away.
2. Use Coconut Oil in Hot Water
Just like human beings, cats also suffer from asthma attacks. A cat asthma humidifier will serve the purpose of helping soothe the respiratory ailment as an anti-inflammatory.
Humidifiers can maintain the room temperature and increase moisture which prevents asthma attacks for cats diagnosed with asthma.
You can mix natural coconut oil in hot water to create a humidifier. This will make your feline friend normalize breathing and improve her health.
Coconut oil is a moisturizer, so will soften the breathing vessels of your kitty.
Love is not what takes you by surprise and leaves you totally breathless.
It’s called asthma
3. Use Coconut Oil in Feeds
How much coconut oil for cats? Try mixing some natural coconut oil into your cat’s food. Start with smaller amounts and give your cat while checking on her response. If the health response is positive, increase the amount to a teaspoon twice a day or three times per day.
Don’t overdo this to avoid weight gain.
The cat coconut oil acts as an anti-inflammatory and will keep asthma attacks at bay.
4. Use Coconut Oil and Essential Oils
Be keen on what essential oils you are using. Some oils are not suitable for your cat and may alleviate your kitty’s health condition.
They lack anti-inflammatory properties and may end up creating unwanted side effects.
5. Apply coconut oil to the nose
You can also use coconut oil directly on your cat’s nose. This will help moisturize the nostrils and stop crusting.
Health Benefits of Coconut Oil For Cats With Asthma
The health benefits of coconut oil for your cat include:
1. Boost your cat’s immune system, therefore protecting her against viral and bacterial infection. Coconut oil’s health benefits include having antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antiviral treatment effects. It may work by improving your cat’s immune system response since coconut oil contains fatty acids that are important for a healthy respiratory tract.
2. Coconut oil helps lower the risk of lung infections and improve digestion.
3. Coconut oil can also be used as a carrier for other medicines or supplements to help manage cat asthma symptoms.
For example, coconut oil and honey may work well together because the natural sugars in honey can strengthen your cat’s immune system response. Alternatively, you could mix turmeric powder with coconut oil to improve digestion!
4. Apart from managing feline asthma, coconut oil on a cat wound prevents it from becoming infected.
5. It also heals inflamed skin and dry skin because coconut oil has anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties.
6. You can also use coconut oil for deworming cats. Lauric acid in coconut oil may help to kill parasites and worms in a cat’s digestive tract.
7. It also aids in healing injuries in the digestive tract.
8. Using homemade shampoo, you can keep your cat’s coat fresh. DIY cat shampoo with coconut oil is a great option. Coconut oil is a moisturizer, hence, safe for your cat’s skin. It helps with allergies, and skin issues such as itchiness, flaking dry skin, and even itchiness that may be associated with cat litter.
Caution:
· To avoid stomach upsets, always start by giving smaller amounts in her food as you increase the remedy to twice a day.
· Give your cat cold-pressed coconut oil since it has all the natural nutrients and anti-inflammatory properties. In case your cat collapses, turns blue, or gasps for air, contact your vet immediately.
· Coconut oil is safe for cats, but it’s best to consult your veterinarian first before using it on your asthmatic feline friend.
Is Coconut Oil Good for Asthma?
Yes, coconut oil is good for cat asthma.
Feline asthma is always mistaken for hairballs. When you incorporate cat coconut oil in your kitty’s meals, you will notice a drastic change in her respiratory health.
The constant wheezing will start reducing. Your kitty’s mood will also improve.
When I have an asthma attack, I feel like a fish with no water.
Jesse
Is Coconut Oil Toxic To Cats?
Coconut oil is not toxic when ingested in small quantities; however, you should not give your pet coconut water.
When consumed in higher doses, coconut oil may cause your cat to have diarrhea, stomach upsets, weight gain, and loose stool.
What Can I Give My Cat for Asthma?
To treat cats diagnosed with asthma, veterinarians will always give corticosteroids.
These drugs help to reduce inflammation in the lungs. At times you will need bronchodilators to aid in dilating the airway and ease feline asthma. 1
Aim at eliminating all the asthma attack triggers and making the house comfortable for your feline friend.
Asthma in cats is always a progressive condition that usually fails to improve over a long period. Your cat may experience flare-ups occasionally.
To help your cat on time, monitor their breathing and instances like coughing. This will also help you understand their situation and come at the right time when they need your help.
Cats with asthma need proper care, so you need to have medication on standby so that at any time the need arises, you will be there ready to intervene and manage feline asthma attacks.
Watch this 2-minute video and learn how to administer an asthma inhaler to your cat
Is Coconut Oil Safe for Cat’s Eyes?
Coconut oil is safe for the cat’s eye. When your cat has an itchy infection of the eye, you need to apply natural coconut oil to ease inflammation since the oil has anti-inflammatory properties.
Using coconut oil also helps to clear the infection. Note that not every brand of coconut oil is right for your cats. Go for virgin coconut oil for better results.
Caution: Remember, if your cat’s asthma symptom persists, you should visit a vet and have them test what type of bacteria or virus may be at play, and use the appropriate medication accordingly.
Safety Tips While Using Coconut Oil for Feline Asthma:
- Always purchase quality virgin coconut oils from reputable suppliers to avoid ending up with low-grade products that are not suitable for use in animals.
Not every brand of coconut oil is right for your cats.
Cat asthma coconut oil:
Go for virgin coconut oil or organic cold-pressed coconut oils for better results.
Avoid processed oils like refined and deodorized oils which can contain trans fats (a major contributor to high cholesterol levels).
- You need to have on standby medication so that you are ready to intervene and manage feline asthma attacks at any time when needed.
- In addition, due care needs to be taken when we administer coconut oil internally because they may not tolerate high doses of fats very well. A tablespoon twice a day is adequate.
If your cat is allergic to coconut oil, you should avoid using it.
- You must also always seek consultation with a veterinarian if in doubt or if the symptoms persist longer than expected.
Natural Remedies For Asthma In Cats:
Virgin coconut oil is one of the best natural remedies for your cat’s asthma.
It can help alleviate and reduce inflammation due to its anti-inflammatory properties, moisturize dry skin, clear infections in your feline’s eyes, and soothe coughing.
The benefits of using coconut oil for cat asthma as one of the natural remedies for cats diagnosed with asthma are many!
To take advantage of these amazing properties, you need virgin coconut oil that has been cold-pressed or expeller-pressed without heat processing which will destroy its nutrients.
You also want to look out for brands that have not had any bleaching agents used on their oils as it destroys the nutritional value too.
Side effects of coconut oil on cats
1. Coconut oil may have a laxative effect on cats with asthma if they ingest too much and it might even lead to diarrhea.
It’s, therefore, necessary for you to give your cat just enough coconut oil so that she doesn’t lick off the remaining substance from her skin.
This will prevent them from having digestive issues.
2. Coconut oil can also affect the liver of a cat if ingested in large quantities. This might lead to problems such as yellowing of their skin, vomiting, and diarrhea.
It is therefore important that you use coconut oil sparingly so that while feeding your cat, she doesn’t ingest too much.
Like asthma, you take my breath away
Conclusion:
Coconut oil is one of the natural remedies to protect your cat from all sorts of illnesses.
Your cat diagnosed with asthma can benefit from the health benefits of coconut oil in many ways, including boosting her immune system, helping lower the risk of lung infections since coconut oil has anti-inflammatory benefits, and improving digestion and healing wounds and skin inflammation.
By simply adding two teaspoons of virgin cold-pressed organic coconut oil into the cat’s food or water every day or two for an immediate boost, you’ll notice that your cats with asthma will start eating more because it has such a great taste! No wonder it’s called cat asthma coconut oil.
Have you tried incorporating coconut oil into your pet’s lifestyle? When last did she have an asthma attack? Let us know what tips have worked for you.
