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cat coughing dry catcoughing as if choking or cat coughing and vomiting, are some of the concerns that arise in tutors. If your cat has these types of symptoms then it means that something is irritating or obstructing its airways (nose, throat, bronchi or lungs).
Usually, one thinks of a cold cat, but the causes of coughing in cats are many, some are easier to treat and others are more complicated, but no situation where the cat is coughing is normal. So, as soon as you notice that your pet is coughing repeatedly or regularly, take it immediately to your veterinarian. The faster you act, the faster you can treat the causes of coughing in cats and relieve your pet's distress.
In this article by PeritoAnimal we will explain to you why your cat coughing - what can it be and what to do.
Cough in cats
A cough is the body's reaction to trying to eliminate accumulated secretions or foreign bodies in the airways. A cough is not a disease in itself, but it is always a warning sign that something is not right, and it can be indicative of more respiratory and/or cardiac diseases.
Associated with this problem we can have:
- cat coughing and sneezing
- cat coughing and vomiting
- cat coughing as if choking
- Runny nose and/or eyes
- cough with secretions
- hoarseness
- breathing noises
- fainting
Coughing in conjunction with these and other symptoms can be specific to certain types of illness, making it easier for the veterinarian to diagnose the illness.
Causes of Cough in Cats
Normally if we see a cat coughing, we automatically think of fur balls or a cat with a cold, but these two conditions are just some of the possible causes of coughing in cats.
Coughing in cats is often induced primarily by irritation or inflammation of the bronchial tubes or trachea and can be associated with a wide variety of causes including:
- collars too tight
- fur balls: The animal is coughing dry, but usually coughs a few times and quickly vomits the fur balls with ease. If they are not expelled they can cause vomiting or hoarseness in your pet. If your cat spends a lot of time licking itself, it is more likely to have this problem. It is important to help your pet and brush it to help eliminate excess hair and so that it does not swallow as much hair. Read our full article on how to avoid hairballs in cats.
- foreign bodies: which may be obstructing the animal's mouth, nose or throat, causing hoarseness or vomiting.
- Cold, flu or pneumonia: the cat is usually hoarse and has runny nose and/or eyes and, in cases of more serious infections, may have a fever.
- Allergies: the animal may also have runny eyes and nose and be sneezing and scratching itself. Allergies are usually caused by dust, pollen, tobacco smoke, perfumes or cleaning products such as detergents. If the cause is not eliminated, it can develop into asthma.
- feline asthma: very common, also called lower respiratory tract disease or feline allergic asthma, characterized by an increased allergic sensitivity to foreign substances or may be due to obesity or stress. The animal presents breathing sounds and difficulty in catching breath, so much so that, in some cases, it evolves so quickly that it can even prevent it from breathing. It affects cats of any age, being more common in kittens and middle-aged cats.
- Acute/Chronic Bronchitis: acute can appear suddenly with sudden attacks of dry cough in which the animal is coughing with the neck stretched and makes breathing noises. The chronic can appear so slowly that it can go unnoticed and the injuries tend to be irreversible, leaving the animal subject to continuous treatment for the rest of its life.
- Other respiratory diseases (bacterial, viral or fungal): cat with cough and hoarseness.
- Pulmonary or cardiac parasites: associated weight loss, listlessness and eats less.
- Heart diseases: in this type of disease, the animal has exercise intolerance and coughs when exercising or playing.
- Cancer: more common in old cats. Read our full article on tumors in elderly cats.
Once the hairballs are discarded, the most common illnesses are chronic bronchitis, feline asthma, and viral and bacterial pneumonia.
Diagnosis
The more detailed the description of your pet's symptoms and history, the easier it is for the veterinarian to rule out or include certain hypotheses. For example, if you have been in contact with a foreign substance, if you went outside or if you coughed while exercising or if you were sleeping.
THE frequency, duration, height and type of cough they are also fundamental for a good and quick diagnosis.
You sneezing is often confused with coughing., that's why we give you a simple and quick trick to distinguish: while during sneezing the animal has its mouth closed, during coughing it has its mouth open.
In addition to a good history and physical examination, the veterinarian may need blood and urine tests to detect the presence of infections or allergens and also perform an x-ray, CT or MRI scan as needed. In some cases, it may be necessary to directly observe the airway through laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy.
Cough in cats - how to treat?
Treatment will depend on the cause of the cough. In addition to being very important to treat the symptoms, it is very important. eliminate, or at least try to control, the cause of these symptoms.
Certain diseases cannot be cured but most can be controlled.
To treat hairballs, your doctor may suggest changing your diet or malt to avoid them. In the case of parasitosis it is necessary to use antiparasitic. In the remaining cases, it may involve bronchodilators, antibiotics, antihistamines and/or corticosteroids. In very severe cases, the cat may still need to be hospitalized to be given oxygen to breathe better.
You must be very careful because there are many medications that are not suitable for cats and instead of curing, they can kill the animal. It is important to emphasize that strictly follow your veterinarian's instructions and the treatment he recommended. If badly cured, these illnesses can lead to even more serious problems. Even if your pet seems to have no symptoms and still has medication to give, follow the instructions and give the prescribed number of medications. You can never stop the medication halfway through without a veterinarian's advice.
Cat Cough Medicine
There are some home remedies for cats with a cold or flu and some things you can do for your pet:
- If he has runny eyes and/or nose, he can clean them with gauze/cotton moistened with saline solution, helping to keep the area clean, disinfected and soothe the animal.
- Remove the cat from drafts and prevent him from getting too much exercise.
- Eliminate dust or chemicals from your reach.
Some home remedies for cat with cough and hoarseness include:
- Herbal oils such as lanceolate plantago, can also be used to relieve cough in cats by calming irritation in the throat and upper respiratory tract. Ask your veterinarian for the best method to give your pet. Echinacea strengthens the immune system and certain studies have proven its effectiveness in various symptoms.
- Coconut oil: effective against coughing and strengthens the immune system, providing energy. A few drops in the cat's water are recommended and let him drink
- Natural honey: helps to soothe an irritated throat and can help in cases of cough and hoarseness.
Even though these are home remedies, it is important that you check with your veterinarian about the best remedy for your pet. If you would like to learn more home remedies, read our article on home remedies for cat flu.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Cat coughing - what can it be and what to do, we recommend that you enter our Respiratory Diseases section.