My P.S.A. about F.A.A.

Hello to my loyal JDamn! blog readers. Today, my entry is a Public Service Announcement about a terrible, terrible affliction for kittens and kats - asthma. Yes, readers. I am a sufferer of kitten asthma. And it is a horrible thing.

First, I wheeze. It's not too bad in the summertime but it's bad when fall and the winter arrive. Lately, I've been what Moms and Dads affectionatly call a "wheezer bunny." It's so bad that sometimes I wake up Moms at night because I'm so loud.

Second, I cough. It's true. I can sit up and cough. It sounds like you're coughing but the doctors told Moms and Dads that the noise is the constriction of my throat. In normal words, it means my throat closes up. I have become wicked good at coughing at really brilliant moments that make my folks giggle (even though kat coughs aren't funny). For instance, if I am dissatisfied with, let's say, dinner, I will stare at my "meal," stare at the preparer, stare at my "meal" again, stare at the preparer and cough. It's an affliction but also a tool.

Third, I get asthma attacks. It's been a long time since I had a really bad one. When they're bad, my tongue falls out of my mouth and I cannot breath without opening my mouth wide and my sides get really puffy and I look like I'm going to fall over. I had them when I was little and I played too hard. Now, I just randomly sit up and sound like I'm trying to hack up a fur ball but I'm not -- I'm just moving fluid and stuff out of my lungs because I cannot breathe.

There is a cat named Fritz the Brave who also has asthma. He started a website all about Feline Asthma Awareness (FAA - not to be confused with the airplane people). Fritz even was videotaped having the asthma attacks that I have been having lately. It is narrated by some guy who tells you what is going on.

To manage my asthma, I am on prednisone. Lately, I'm taking it every night but today I will be taking it twice because Moms saw the above video and realized I haven't been trying to hack up a furball but have been having asthma attacks and now she's freaked.

Unfortunately, the doctors "think" that asthma is triggered by weight gain or being overweight. (And, might I add that prednisone causes one to gain weight. It is a chubb-chubb situation here.) I have been watching "The Biggest Loser" with Moms and Dads. I am not in that much need of losing that much weight but Moms disagrees. She got huffy today and didn't give me wet food for dinner. I'm mad but am wheezing so I didn't push it. But I did cough at her.

So there you have it, faithful readers. You are now aware of kitten asthma. I know it is Breast Cancer Month now. Maybe next month can be Kitten Asthma Awareness Month (KAAM).

With wheezes, JDamn - OUT!