Why is my cat coughing? If your feline friend has suddenly started coughing, it’s natural to feel concerned. A sudden cat cough can be alarming, but it’s often a symptom of a treatable condition. This comprehensive guide delves into the various reasons behind feline coughing, from common issues to more serious ailments.
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Deciphering Feline Coughing: What’s Happening?
Cats cough for many reasons, just like humans. It’s their body’s way of trying to clear their airways of irritants or blockages. A cat coughing can be a sign of a mild irritation or a symptom of a more significant health problem. Observing the nature of the cough, any accompanying symptoms, and the cat’s overall behavior is crucial for identifying the cause.
Common Cat Coughing Causes
Several everyday situations can trigger a cough in your cat. These are usually not serious and resolve on their own:
- Hairballs: This is perhaps the most common reason for a cat to cough. Cats are meticulous groomers, and they ingest a lot of fur. This fur can clump together in their stomach, forming a hairball. When the hairball irritates the throat, the cat may cough or gag, often trying to bring it up. This is often described as a hacking cough. A cat coughing up phlegm, or trying to, is often related to hairballs or respiratory issues.
- Irritants in the Air: Just like us, cats can inhale dust, smoke, pollen, perfumes, or cleaning product fumes. These can tickle their throat and trigger a coughing reflex.
- Eating or Drinking Too Quickly: Some cats inhale their food or water too fast, which can cause them to gag or cough. This is a temporary and usually harmless occurrence.
Feline Respiratory Issues: When Coughing Signals Deeper Problems
While minor irritants can cause a cough, persistent or severe coughing often points to underlying feline respiratory issues. These can range from infections to chronic diseases.
Upper Respiratory Infection Cat
An upper respiratory infection (URI) is a very common cause of coughing in cats. These infections are similar to the common cold in humans and are often caused by viruses or bacteria.
- Symptoms of a URI often include:
- Sneezing
- Runny nose (clear or colored discharge)
- Watery or inflamed eyes
- Lethargy
- Decreased appetite
- Fever
- Coughing, which might sound moist or dry
A cat hacking up phlegm can be a sign of a more severe URI or other respiratory infections.
Bronchitis and Asthma
Feline asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition of the airways, much like asthma in humans. It can cause inflammation, swelling, and constriction of the bronchi, leading to coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing.
- Cat wheezing and coughing are hallmark signs of asthma. The cough in asthmatic cats can be severe and may cause them to hunch over with their neck extended, trying to get more air.
- Chronic bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes that can also lead to persistent coughing, often with a moist sound. It can be caused by infections or environmental irritants.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs may fill with fluid or pus, causing a cough, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. Pneumonia can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi.
- Symptoms of pneumonia include:
- Coughing (often wet and productive)
- Rapid or difficult breathing
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Wheezing
Fungal Infections
Certain fungal infections, such as Cryptococcosis or Blastomycosis, can affect a cat’s respiratory system and lead to coughing. These are less common but can be serious.
Heart-Related Causes of Coughing
While respiratory issues are the most frequent culprits, heart problems can also manifest as coughing in cats.
Cat Heart Murmur Cough
A heart murmur is an abnormal sound heard during a heartbeat, indicating turbulent blood flow. While not all heart murmurs cause symptoms, some can lead to congestive heart failure.
- Congestive Heart Failure (CHF): When the heart cannot pump blood efficiently, fluid can back up into the lungs. This fluid accumulation in the lungs is called pulmonary edema. The pressure from this fluid can irritate the airways, leading to a cough.
- Cat heart murmur cough is often a dry, hacking cough that may worsen with exercise or at night. The coughing might be accompanied by shortness of breath, rapid breathing, or a bluish tint to the gums.
Other Less Common Cat Coughing Causes
Several other less frequent conditions can cause a cat to cough:
- Parasites: While more common in kittens, lungworm infections can occur in adult cats and lead to coughing. Heartworm disease, though primarily affecting dogs, can also infect cats and cause respiratory signs, including coughing.
- Allergies: Similar to humans, cats can experience allergic reactions. A cat allergic reaction cough can be triggered by environmental allergens like dust mites, pollen, or even certain foods. This might be accompanied by sneezing, itchy skin, or watery eyes.
- Foreign Body Obstruction: If a cat inhales a small object, like a blade of grass or a piece of toy, it can get lodged in their airway, causing sudden, violent coughing fits. This is a medical emergency.
- Cancer: Tumors in the chest or lungs can irritate airways or compress them, leading to coughing.
Factors Influencing Coughing Frequency
Certain times and situations can make your cat’s coughing more noticeable.
Why is My Cat Coughing at Night?
It’s not uncommon for cats to cough more at night. Several factors can contribute to this:
- Position: When a cat lies down, especially on its side, pressure can be applied to the lungs and airways. If there’s inflammation or fluid in the chest, this positional pressure can exacerbate coughing.
- Congestive Heart Failure: As mentioned, fluid can build up in the lungs due to heart issues. When lying down, this fluid can shift and irritate the airways more readily.
- Asthma/Bronchitis: Similarly, the relaxed state during sleep can sometimes allow airways to constrict more, leading to coughing fits, especially if the underlying condition is active.
- Environmental Factors: If there are allergens or irritants in the sleeping area, the cat may be exposed to them more consistently during the night.
Cat Hairball Cough
As discussed, hairballs are a primary cause of coughing. The typical cat hairball cough involves gagging, retching, and often the expulsion of a cylindrical mass of hair, sometimes mixed with bile or food. The cat may strain or heave forcefully.
Cat Allergic Reaction Cough
A cat allergic reaction cough can manifest as a sudden, sometimes wheezy cough. It might be accompanied by other signs of allergy like sneezing, watery eyes, or itchy skin. The cough can be dry or productive, depending on the severity of the reaction.
Cat Heart Murmur Cough
When a cat heart murmur leads to heart disease, the resulting cough is often dry and hacking. It might sound similar to choking. The cough is usually a consequence of fluid building up in the lungs due to the heart’s inefficient pumping.
Diagnosing the Cause of Coughing
To accurately diagnose why your cat is coughing, a veterinarian will typically follow a systematic approach:
Veterinary Examination
The first step is a thorough physical examination by a veterinarian. They will:
- Listen to the heart and lungs: Using a stethoscope, the vet will listen for abnormal sounds like crackles, wheezes, or murmurs.
- Assess breathing: The vet will check the rate and effort of your cat’s breathing.
- Check overall health: They will look for other symptoms like fever, nasal discharge, or changes in behavior.
Diagnostic Tests
Based on the initial examination, the vet may recommend several diagnostic tests:
- X-rays (Radiographs): Chest X-rays are invaluable for visualizing the lungs, heart, and airways. They can reveal signs of pneumonia, fluid in the lungs, tumors, or an enlarged heart.
- Blood Tests: Blood work can help detect infections, inflammation, and organ function.
- Heartworm Test: If heartworm disease is suspected, a blood test will be performed.
- Bronchoscopy and Cytology: In some cases, a procedure called bronchoscopy may be performed. A small, flexible tube with a camera is inserted into the airways to visualize them directly. Samples of mucus or cells can be collected for examination.
- Echocardiogram (Ultrasound of the Heart): If a heart condition is suspected, an echocardiogram can provide detailed images of the heart’s structure and function, helping to diagnose conditions like valve disease or cardiomyopathy. This is crucial for identifying the cause of a cat heart murmur cough.
- Allergy Testing: If an allergic reaction is suspected, allergy testing might be recommended, although identifying environmental allergens can be challenging.
Treatment and Management
The treatment for a coughing cat depends entirely on the underlying cause.
Treatment for Common Causes
- Hairballs: Regular grooming, hairball remedies (pastes or treats), and feeding a diet rich in fiber can help prevent excessive hairball formation.
- Irritants: Identify and remove the irritant from the environment. Use air purifiers and avoid spraying strong scents or harsh cleaning chemicals around your cat.
Treatment for Respiratory Illnesses
- Upper Respiratory Infections: Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics. Viral infections may resolve on their own, but supportive care, including fluid therapy, appetite stimulants, and bronchodilators if needed, is important.
- Asthma and Bronchitis: Treatment often involves anti-inflammatory medications (like corticosteroids, often given via inhaler to minimize systemic side effects) and bronchodilators to open the airways. Environmental management is also key.
- Pneumonia: This requires aggressive treatment, often including hospitalization, intravenous fluids, antibiotics, oxygen therapy, and nebulization.
Treatment for Heart Conditions
- Congestive Heart Failure: Treatment focuses on managing the symptoms and improving the heart’s pumping ability. This may include diuretics to remove excess fluid, ACE inhibitors, and other cardiac medications. Dietary changes may also be recommended.
Treatment for Other Causes
- Parasites: Deworming medications will be prescribed to eliminate lungworms or prevent heartworm disease.
- Allergies: Treatment may involve identifying and avoiding allergens, antihistamines, or corticosteroids.
- Foreign Body Obstruction: This is a surgical emergency and requires prompt removal of the object.
- Cancer: Treatment depends on the type and location of the cancer and may include surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy.
When to Seek Veterinary Attention
It is always best to consult a veterinarian if your cat is coughing, especially if:
- The cough is sudden and severe.
- The coughing is persistent or worsening.
- Your cat is experiencing difficulty breathing, rapid breathing, or open-mouth breathing.
- Your cat is lethargic, has a poor appetite, or shows other signs of illness.
- You notice any changes in gum color (pale or bluish).
- The cough is accompanied by sneezing, nasal discharge, or eye discharge.
- You suspect your cat may have ingested a foreign object.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Can a hairball cause my cat to cough constantly?
A1: While hairballs are a common cause of coughing, persistent or constant coughing is usually a sign of something more serious than a simple hairball. It’s important to have your cat examined by a veterinarian if the coughing doesn’t resolve quickly.
Q2: My cat sounds like it’s choking and coughing. What could it be?
A2: A choking sound during a cough can be indicative of several issues, including a severe hairball attempt, asthma, bronchitis, or even a foreign object lodged in the throat or airways. It’s crucial to seek veterinary care promptly if your cat sounds like it’s choking.
Q3: Can I give my cat human cough medicine?
A3: Absolutely not. Human cough medicines can be toxic and even fatal to cats. Always consult your veterinarian before administering any medication to your cat.
Q4: Is it normal for my cat to cough after eating or drinking?
A4: Occasional coughing or gagging after eating or drinking too quickly can happen, but if it occurs frequently, it might indicate an underlying issue with swallowing or aspiration. A vet can check for this.
Q5: My cat has a heart murmur and is now coughing. What should I do?
A5: If your cat has a diagnosed heart murmur and starts coughing, it’s a strong indicator that the heart condition may be progressing to congestive heart failure. Contact your veterinarian immediately for an assessment and to adjust treatment if necessary. This is a common reason for a cat heart murmur cough.
Q6: My cat is sneezing and coughing. Is this likely an upper respiratory infection?
A6: Yes, sneezing and coughing are classic signs of an upper respiratory infection cat. Other symptoms like nasal discharge, watery eyes, and lethargy would further support this diagnosis.
Conclusion
A sudden cough in your cat can be a symptom of many things, from the simple expulsion of a hairball to serious feline respiratory issues or even heart conditions. By observing your cat’s symptoms closely, noting any triggers, and seeking prompt veterinary attention when needed, you can ensure your furry companion receives the appropriate care to get back to purring contently and breathing easily. Never hesitate to contact your vet if you have concerns about your cat’s health.