Editing Openai/694c268e-59c4-8012-af64-ea9054a9b0b6 (section)

=== Assistant: Thank you — that extra detail actually makes the picture much clearer, and overall it’s reassuring. ===
Thank you — that extra detail actually makes the picture much clearer, and overall it’s reassuring.

===== What this strongly points to =====

Based on:
* Wheezing + minor cough
* Runny eyes
* Clear resolution after switching to zero-dust litter
* Indoor-only (with catio exposure)
* Age 8.5 years

The most likely scenario is that your cat had chronic airway irritation / allergic bronchitis triggered by litter dust.

This sits on the same spectrum as:
* feline allergic airway disease
* early or mild feline asthma (not all asthma cats have severe attacks)

===== How this connects to the “bloated” weight =====

Chronic airway inflammation can absolutely cause:
# Low-grade systemic inflammation
# Mild fluid retention
# Reduced activity & altered breathing patterns
# Stress hormone elevation

Together, those can create:
* a rounder abdomen
* a “full of water” look
* higher scale weight that isn’t pure fat

Once the allergen was removed:
* airway inflammation decreased
* breathing normalized
* inflammatory fluid was reabsorbed
* weight dropped and then plateaued

That plateau is important — it strongly suggests you’re now seeing his true baseline weight.

===== Why the wheezing disappearing is a big deal =====

That’s actually the biggest green flag here.

If this were:
* heart disease → wheezing wouldn’t resolve with litter change
* kidney/liver disease → weight wouldn’t normalize this cleanly
* simple obesity → respiratory sounds wouldn’t vanish

The cause-and-effect relationship you observed is very convincing.

===== About the current “cat cold” =====

What you’re describing sounds like a mild upper respiratory infection (URI):
* runny eyes
* multiple cats affected
* exposure via catio / street cat

That’s very common and separate from the litter allergy.

Important difference:
* URIs → sneezing, eye/nose discharge
* Allergic airway disease → wheezing, cough

The fact that:
* wheezing is gone
* only cold-like signs remain

…means the allergy trigger is likely still controlled 👍

===== Food & age context =====

At 8.5 years, maintaining ~14.6 lb on:
* Science Diet kibble
* Science Diet + Purina Reveal wet food twice daily

…suggests his metabolism is doing fine.

If he were truly overweight from fat alone, he’d likely still be drifting upward unless calories were restricted.

===== What I’d do going forward (practical advice) =====

You’re already doing the most important thing. I’d suggest:
# Stick permanently with low-dust litter (Even “99% dust-free” can still be enough to trigger symptoms.)
# Watch for any return of wheeze - especially after digging in the box - or after litter changes
# Keep the catio, but minimize nose-to-nose contact - URIs can linger 1–2 weeks - Runny eyes are OK if appetite and energy are normal
# Optional (not urgent): mention this history at next vet visit - “Resolved wheezing after litter change” - That’s useful diagnostic info if he ever needs anesthesia or dental work

===== Bottom line =====

Yes — in your cat’s case, it is very plausible that long-term litter dust allergies caused:
* chronic airway inflammation
* mild systemic fluid retention
* a bloated appearance
* artificially elevated body weight

The resolution you saw is exactly what we’d hope for.

You did a great job noticing the pattern and fixing the root cause. If you want, I can also help you:
* assess his current body condition score at home
* identify the lowest-risk litters for asthma-prone cats
* spot early warning signs if airway inflammation ever returns