Saga of the Cat

Riordin on the Laptop
Elkridge, MD
January 5, 2012

 Yesterday wound-up being devoted to our recently diagnosed asthmatic cat, Riordin. 

Riordin had a scheduled appointment with the vet. We made it to the appointment without incident and by indecent I mean that Riordin did not puke. We are now at exactly 50 percent, 2 of 4, for trips to the vet with puke. And the appointment went well. He received another steroid and B12 shot for his asthma and we discussed nebulizer treatments. 

We were finished with the appointment and after leaving less than $200 with the vet, we headed home with Riordin looking good and seemingly feeling good.

Not so fast!

About halfway home, Riordin began panting and breathing rapidly. He was in respiratory distress. My initial thought was let's get him home and quiet and do a breathing treatment. As we grew closer to Tequesta, the vet is a 35 minute ride away, Riordin's distress became more severe. Chris called the vet and instructed us to return, which we did. Unfortunately it took almost 20 minutes to get back. 

When we made it back to the vet, they put him immediately into an oxygen tent and told us to come back in 2-2.5 hours. So, Chris and I headed off to lunch, got some gas at Costco, and did some shopping at Home Depot instead of driving all the way back to Tequesta only to turn around and drone back to the Vets office in West Palm Beach.

Evening Thunderstorm in Tequesta
July 24, 2023

I asked the vet about the incident and he told me that asthmatic cats have breathing episodes. The only thing to do is take them to a vet for oxygen treatments. We are going to be providing regular breathing treatments and have purchased a small enclosure designed for oxygen and breathing treatments. It is amazing what can be found on Amazon!

We did make it successfully home after the second vet visit of the day. We were concerned that Riordin was in the beginning stages of another incident, but he made it home and is doing fine. He is eating and drinking and being his old general nuisance--which is why I love him.

By the time we were settled at home it was Happy Hour and time for the evening thunderstorms.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL