I actually have 2 high-maintenance cats with issues:

1. Our male cat has been coughing/heaving a LOT lately, and his breathing seems to be labored. I read that those could be symptoms of heartworm disease, but he has been on Revolution Plus, which is supposed to protect against heartworm. I also read cats can have asthma or allergies which could contribute to frequent heaving/coughing. He doesn’t seem to be suffering, but I am concerned about him. He has always heaved up things occasionally, but lately he heaves frequently, but nothing comes up. I’d like to take him to the vet, but he is an outdoor cat so I never know when I’ll see him, which means I can’t really schedule an appointment.
2. Our female cat has been to the vet twice. She licks and chews at her backside and had a bald spot and open sores. The first time the vet said it was fleas, and she has been on Revolution Plus since the appointment. It cleared up over the summer, but in the fall she started up again. (It originally started late last fall). We went back to the vet who checked her for fleas and concluded there are no fleas on her, so it must be a seasonal allergy. He offered a shot of prednisone (sp??) but said it would only give her relief for about 5 days so I passed on that. He also said I could give her some prescription antihistamine to suppress the symptoms. I’m wondering if adding nettle powder to her food would possibly help without the trauma of shoving a tablet down her throat daily.

These are both “somewhat domesticated” cats that are very affectionate on their terms, but are difficult to handle on our terms. Even the vet tech asked if I could get her back into the crate saying, “Wow, she IS a stubborn little thing, isn’t she?” Their lack of cooperation makes helping them a tad more challenging.

Thanks for any help/suggestions you can offer. I love these ornery little kitties and want to do right by them. I want to keep them healthy without traumatizing them. BTW, they are also super picky eaters. They like Friskies (kitty junk food!) but I have a hard time getting them to eat expensive, healthy foods, unless we have fresh, wild caught salmon or tuna.