“If that doesn’t work, or if kitty is distressed by the coughing, then it’s time to see your veterinarian,” Dr. If your cat starts coughing, and you’ve ruled out hairballs and tried simple allergen removal, it’s time to visit the vet. “If it’s fur, it can often be lubricated and pushed out with the stool.” When to see a vet about cat coughing Hofve advises on at-home remedies for cat coughing. If the cat is otherwise in good health, you can try a dose or two of Vaseline (a good finger-full by mouth),” Dr. Arden Moore, pet health and safety coach, says, “A cat with new litter might start to cough due to high dust inhaled from the litter (sadly, often a bargain brand that is anything but a health bargain to the poor cat).” In chronic asthma cases, veterinarians might prescribe a steroid treatment.įor upper respiratory infections and heartworms, a veterinarian may prescribe medications and perhaps send you home with instructions to help kitty’s recovery go smoothly. Removing these allergens from the home may help the symptoms. The treatment for cat coughing depends on the type of cough and the causes behind it.Īllergens like pollen, mold, cat litter, dust and cigarette smoke might trigger asthma. A cat with congestive heart failure will cough, have trouble breathing, exhibit weakness and loss of appetite or - sadly - even die suddenly. Although it’s usually caused by the thickening of the heart’s walls, it could also come from high blood pressure, thyroid disease or birth defects. When the heart can’t pump enough blood into the body, fluid might back up in the lungs. In addition to coughing, lung cancer symptoms may include pain, difficulty breathing, rapid breathing, lethargy, weight loss and coughing up blood. (And just when we thought mosquitoes couldn’t get any more annoying!) 5. Heartworms are spread by mosquitoes and the symptoms are similar to asthma signs. In extreme cases, the inflammation may cause life-threatening distress. What that means to the respiratory system is that the swelling could affect the lungs and airways, making breathing difficult. Like in humans, asthma causes the immune system to go into overdrive, which causes inflammation. AsthmaĪ cat with a history of coughing might have asthma. In addition to coughing, other symptoms could include sneezing, congestion, runny nose, coughing, nasal discharge, gagging and decreased appetite.

Upper respiratory infectionsĪ sudden onset of coughing could indicate an upper respiratory infection, which is common in cats. Jean Hofve says, “In my experience, there are two main reasons for cats to cough: a stubborn hairball, and feline asthma. We all know that telltale hacky-acky sound - it’s the cough that precedes vomiting up a hairball.

Cat sounds like coughing