If your cat begins coughing, a lot of pet owners worry, and it’s with good reason. While occasional coughing might not be too concerning, frequent episodes signal a much more serious problem.
When this happens, the next step is to figure out how to help your coughing cat. In this blog, we’ll share everything you need to know about cat cough, from what it is, what causes it, and how it’s treated.
What Is a Cat Cough?
Essentially, coughing is a reflex that forcefully expels air from the airways. This action is used to clear the irritants from the respiratory tract. The irritants can be anywhere from simple mucus to foreign material.
The cat cough can be dry, wet, or have a hacking sound, which will depend on the cause. Oftentimes, a coughing cat will crouch down with its next extended.
What Makes a Cat Cough?
Cats cough for several reasons, ranging from mild to serious cases, some even leading to fatal diseases. Here are the common causes:
Respiratory Issues
One of the common reasons why cats cough is due to respiratory problems. This includes feline asthma, infections, and lung diseases.
For asthma, this is often caused by irritants such as smoke, dust, natural allergens, and strong chemicals. Respiratory infections are caused by bacterial, fungal, or viral agents. In the worst cases, your cat’s cough might come from lung diseases such as bronchitis or pneumonia.
In respiratory issues, the airways will be irritated and inflamed, each by its respective cause. This is what ultimately causes the cat to cough.
Allergens and Foreign Objects
Certain factors in your cat’s environment may irritate your cat’s respiratory system and lead to coughing. Allergens such as dust, mold, or some specific foods can cause allergic reactions in cats and trigger the cat cough.
Tiny objects like grass, fur, or small toys can be inhaled or swallowed by your cat. These items can also be why cats cough, as the body will try to expel the foreign material.
Parasitic Infections
Parasites can also be the reason why a cat is coughing. These are worms that can travel to the lungs and cause severe damage. Common types include lungworms, hookworms, and roundworms.
These worms are often contracted from the cat’s environment, especially when they ingest infected prey or drink contaminated water.
Digestive and Systemic Conditions
The main reasons for a coughing cat can sometimes be beyond the respiratory system. Hairballs are a common cause. Cats cough to bring up the hairballs they have swallowed from their grooming activities.
Acid reflux can also irritate the throat and trigger coughing. While it’s not that common, it’s a possibility. Other conditions that affect the digestive system, heart, or your cat’s metabolism can also cause coughing as a symptom.
When Should You Be Concerned About Cat Coughs?
Helping a coughing cat means understanding the entire situation. If your cat’s cough is accompanied by other signs, then these can serve as clues. Common additional symptoms include:
Persistent coughing and wheezing
Difficulty or labored breathing
Coughing up blood
Nasal discharge or watery eyes
Fever or lethargy
If possible, write down the symptoms and the timings of your cat’s coughing. During your cat’s health checkup, give the list of observations to our vets to aid in a more accurate diagnosis of your pet’s condition.
How Do Vets Diagnose the Cause of a Cat Cough?
A thorough health check by our vets is needed to determine why your cat is coughing. Your vet will perform a physical exam to detect any clinical signs of lung problems and other diseases.
Blood tests can be recommended by our vets to rule out infections or inflammations. Chest X-rays can also help diagnose the lungs and heart, showing possible blockages, tumors, or lung conditions. A bronchoscopy can also be used to examine your cat’s airways more closely.
Our vets may use additional tests like heartworm screenings and fecal tests to detect parasitic infections. Together, these methods allow vets to accurately diagnose the root cause of your cat’s cough and create an effective treatment plan.
How to Treat Cat Cough?
Once we identify the cause of your cat’s cough, a tailored treatment plan will be created to target the cause of the symptom.
Antibiotics will be prescribed for bacterial infections, while viral or fungal infections will be treated with antifungal or antiviral medicines. Additionally, we’ll also prescribe other medications to alleviate the discomfort and symptoms.
For other respiratory issues such as asthma, the medicines will focus on reducing inflammation and easing breathing. These are generally administered through an inhaler. Parasites can be treated with dewormers and managed through routine deworming.
When dealing with a cat cough from allergic reactions, we will identify the triggers so you can take the steps to prevent their exposure to the irritants. If a foreign object is causing the cough, it may need to be removed via surgery.
In cases of digestive issues, combining diet adjustments and medicines can reduce the stomach acid in your cat’s body, which may help ease the cough. It’s essential to provide enough hydration and a stress-free environment while your cat recovers from any illness.
How to Prevent Coughing in Cats?
It may be impossible to monitor your cat 24/7 to prevent all dangers and health risks. But there are a few steps you can take to reduce the chances of your cat coughing. Take note of these tips:
Schedule Treatments and Visits
Regular checkups allow our vets to assess your cat’s condition, catching any small issues early before they worsen. Plus, we can recommend the right preventive care measures your cat needs, which may include vaccinations, deworming, and more.
Vaccines are especially important as they provide a significant defense from severe respiratory diseases such as feline calicivirus and feline herpesvirus.
Manage Your Cat’s Weight
Helping your cat stay at a healthy weight goes a long way in preventing cough and several other problems. Focus on serving your cat a healthy diet focused on their needs and nutritional requirements. Plus, provide light exercise for about 15 to 30 minutes a day, split into short sessions.
Keep a Clean and Stress-Free Home
Keeping your home clean and minimizing allergens, such as pollen and dust, can help reduce coughing triggers. You can use an air purifier at home to improve the air quality for your cat’s breathing.
Additionally, it’s also helpful to create a calm and quiet space for your cat to feel comfortable. Reducing stress can lower the chances of any issues and health problems.
“A coughing cat is a cat that needs our help for them to recover.”
- Dr. Soheyl Simaei
Final Thoughts
A coughing cat may come from several causes, both mild and severe. Either way, it falls onto us to take good care of our cats and help them with their coughing. With your help, your cat can stay happy and cough-free.
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