Oksana has a tracheal stricture, something that is exceptionally rare in cats. She's seen several specialists, as you might expect. We do not believe this stricture is a tumour. Rather, we think it may be the result of an old injury, perhaps an impact of some sort. This is just a guess, as the condition was present when Oksana came to us.

Because there's a possibility of inflammation in her trachea (due to the constant irritation of trying to force air through a narrow passagway), Oksana is currently on steroids. We are trying to gradually wean her from these, or at least bring her dose down to the lowest-possible effective level. None of Oksana's issues seem to bother her in the slightest. She's clearly in no distress, a diagnosis confirmed by specialists who have seen her.

Oksana's long-term prognosis is uncertain. We believe she might well remain this way for years, with nothing to indicate anything amiss except loud breathing. On the other hand, if her condition worsens, we may have to consider surgical options, though we'd much prefer to avoid those if we can.

Update (1/24/13): Oksana's breathing was seeming louder to us, and we were concerned that her tracheal stricture might be worsening. She was taken to a specialist in New York City and, after a consultation and a lot of thought, we decided that an operation was necessary. A tracheal stent was placed, and we are hopeful that this will cure our affectionate girl. If you've never heard of a tracheal stent being placed in a cat before, there's good reason for it; the condition requiring it and the operation are so rare that the specialist who performed the surgery has only done a handful of other cases. We're encouraged by the fact that the other cats who have had this procedure are all doing well, most of them several years after the procedure was performed. Oksana is back in our lobby, and we can't hear her breathing at all now. She is on meds for the inflammation produced by this operation, but we expect to gradually wean her from those meds. Watch this space for more updates on Oksana...

We understand that not everyone can adopt a Special Needs cat like our Oksana. But if you're looking for a loving feline and have the capability to take care of her, why not come in to meet her? She's a sweet little lady who'll be glad to see you, no matter when you show up.