Don't know about lung problems but I've heard fluids are very important and can do wonders. I know a nurse who said she kept her old cat going for years by giving her fluids regularly.

Good luck..

Sounds like the vet didn't take time to explain the collapsed lung options or prognosis. I would go back and talk to him(her) to know what to expect. Just giving fluids is probably good but to what end is it for?

One has to be careful with fluids, especially with lung and/or heart problems.

I would call the vet and ask more questions. Did he not think she should be put on some type of antibiotic?
She's going to be lethargic with the loss of lung capacity, but a sudden change would also have me concerned.

Is she improving any?

Thanks for your responses. I have talked to another vet in the practice who was more helpful. There is actually nothing that can be done for my cat's condition. She may recover only so far as being more alert and a little less lethargic, or she may not. We are going to see what happens in the next 24 hours.

Annz - there is no need for an antibiotic, as there is no infection, her white blood cell count is normal, there is no fever.

Thank you all for your prayers for my little angel.

Often older cats do not eat or drink enough and they get dehydrated. Fluids makes them feel better and they will eat and drink more. If the cat is not stressed by the procedure it can be very helpful.

I wish you the best of luck with this. I hope the fluids improve her condition. They really may!

Thanks Live Wire Oak. The vet did tell me that for a younger cat with no apparent reason for a lung collapse, they can re-inflate it. But for a 16-year-old cat showing bronchial disease on the xray, there is no remedy.

My 16 yr old also had a collapsed lung and would not eat or drink water. Found a mass on his liver as well. I had to put him to sleep this week.. Broke my heart.. Healthy all his life as an indoor cat only. Very sad about it. Sorry about your cat.

Dear friedajune, I just had to put my 1 year old kitten to sleep because of a collapsed lung and another lung that was not functioning at full capacity!! : ( ; ( As a result, my kitten couldn't breath regularly anymore. She was struggling for air and oxygen just to stay alive!!! : ¤ I noticed something was wrong when she started breathing heavier than usual and she became less playful until she became lethargic. : ( ; ( This was very unusual for her since she loved to play and run around. I also noticed she was losing weight fast. I could feel her backbone when I pet her. Her tongue which was usually sticking out of her mouth and pink was now pale. : (She also stopped eating and drinking. Last night when I saw her sitting flat on the floor with her head down I knew there was something terribly wrong!!! : ¤ : ( ; ( I felt it!! Had a bad feeling, as they say. I had never seen her sit in that position before with her head down like that. I alerted my husband and told him I wanted to take her to the vet's office the next day. He was concerned but didn't want to take her to the vet because we don't have the money. After arguing for my babygirl, he finally relented and said you can take her. I called the vet's office the next morning when I got up and they were open. They said one of the female vets could see me and Faith in 3 hours. I couldn't make it in time, so my husband took her after all. I told him to call me if it's something serious. Well, I got a call from him so I feared the worst, and rightly so. The vet said one of her lungs collapsed and the other was only partially working so my little Angel was gasping for every bit of air she could get!!! : ¤ : ( ; ( She was literally suffocating!!!! : ¤ : ( ; ( ; ( The vet suggested we put her to sleep.:( I was devasted!!!!! : ¤ : ( : < ; ( ; < I just lost my Dad to colon cancer this January and my husband just lost his brother-in-law to a terrible car accident 4 days after my Dad died!!! : ¤ : ( ; ( We also lost two kittens last year from the same litter as Faith. One minutes after he or she was born. The other, Hope, in early October. : ( ; ( So we've had one heartbreaking loss after another in less than a year's time. And now this, out of the blue!!! ; ( ; ( Faith was about to turn a year old in a week and a half!!! : ( Her birthday was Saturday May 28th, 2016.* She didn't make it. ;( Now, her brother Pax, which means peace in Latin, is the only surviving sibling of that precious little litter that was born on my bed one hot morning last May.* I really hope nothing happens to him now!!! We also adopted the kittens momma which I affectionately named Calliope for the pretty kaliodascope of colors her fur has.* : ) : > She is a beautiful, brown, long-haired, fiercely loyal and playful Calico.* : > : ) ♡♡♡☆☆

Her daughter Faith that we had to put to sleep had only one healthy working eye!! : ¤ Her right eye never opened. The vet said it was a mild deformity. Faith had some asthma growing up so she wasn't always in the best of health. : ( ; ( The vet said what your vet said about your cat. That the collapsed lung probably didn't come on suddenly but was probably the result and culmination of a chronic condition. : ( ; ( Since it has been 10 years since you posted about your cat, I'm sure she has passed on by now. I am soooooooooooo sorry for your loss. ; ( : ( If you don't mind me asking, did her surviving lung get worse and cause her to lose her life? If so, I'm soooooooooo sorry. : ( ; ( Strange that your cat developed lung problems later in life. I'm sure she had a wonderful and happy life with you and your family before she passed.* : > : )My deepest condolences.* Thanks for sharing your experience and concerns. Makes others who are going through a similar situation with their pet feel less alone.* Thanks again.* Sincerely, Susanne Tapley* : )

Condolences ,cynthbrn. Very sorry.

I’m so sorry about your cats. My 13 year old has both lungs collapsing (Cornell Vet info calls this collapsing lung disease). He had lost his hind leg as a one day old kitten. This put a lot of pressure on his spine, hip and lungs. He seemed healthy, but when our old vet retired and he began coughing a lot four weeks ago, a new vet took xrays and bloodwork, and REHYDRATED him. she showed me in the xrays that the lungs were clearly collapsing. Since then I’ve had him on anti inflammatory medication and pain medication. I chose not to do inhalers or oxygen because I do not think he would tolerate that. i had failed to ask the vet whether it is a matter of weeks or months. However this morning he has been vomiting up white stuff (probably from lungs) So I have given him the larger dose of pain medication to calm him down. Collapsing lung disease is always fatal, I’m just hoping to keep him comfortable until the end.

friedajune, your rehydrated cat with one good lung should be ok, but is getting old for a cat.

I didn’t think 13 was old, but my poor cat had some handicaps from day one. Our new vet suggested I prevent him from jumping up and down so much. even coughing up lung tissue , he jumps around the room up on furniture and down! So I guess he’s not dead yet.

kathy