Why does a kitten hiccup: causes and methods of elimination

We often love our cats so much that we tend to attribute human emotions and actions to them. We are convinced that they can understand how we feel, and we consider our furry friends to be smart, sensitive, cautious, sociable - in general, we endow them with human qualities.

What about physical condition? We know that cats get sick and tired just like humans, but where does the similarity end? For example, in humans, hiccups are common and not cause for concern. What about cats? Kittens suffer from hiccups more often than adults, but just like people, it can happen at any age and at any time.

What is hiccups

Hiccups are a nonspecific disorder of external respiration.
It occurs as a result of mechanical irritation of the vagus nerve (passes through the chest and diaphragm to the stomach and abdominal organs, connects internal organs with the central nervous system) and reflex contraction of the diaphragm. In this case, each breath is interrupted by a sudden closure of the glottis, resulting in a characteristic strangled sound. A cat's attack may occur suddenly, for no apparent reason. It all goes away as involuntarily as it began. In healthy adult cats, hiccups are a reaction to discomfort in the stomach or intestines and are harmless and short-term in nature. Does not pose a threat to health. Kittens begin to hiccup in the womb. This phenomenon is considered physiologically necessary for the development of babies’ lungs, training the diaphragm, and preparing for independent breathing.

Kittens often hiccup due to hypothermia, since their thermoregulation is not well developed. Why do cats that are pregnant with kittens hiccup? An enlarged uterus causes a displacement of the diaphragm and stomach, which causes periodic irritation of the vagus nerve, so the cat begins to have an attack.

Causes

Both adults and babies can suffer from hiccups. Often a kitten experiences it in the womb, shortly before birth. It is believed that intrauterine hiccups are necessary for the formation of independent breathing and serve to train the diaphragm and respiratory muscles.

In most cases, hiccups for adults are completely harmless. In this case, it is usually episodic in nature and is an unconditioned reflex that occurs as a response to temporary discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract. After the normal state of the gastrointestinal tract is restored, spasms of the diaphragm also disappear.

But if a cat hiccups frequently and for a long time, this may indicate severe internal pathologies. Thus, depending on the causes and provoking factors, several types of hiccups are distinguished:

• idiopathic;
• psychogenic;
• arising as a result of stimulation of the diaphragm and irritation of the vagus nerve;
• pathological

Idiopathic hiccups

It has no apparent cause and goes away on its own. Doctors suggest that initially hiccups were a protective reaction of the body. Idiopathic hiccups are an incompletely extinguished reflex of intrauterine fetal hiccups, necessary for the kitten to learn to breathe on its own.

Psychogenic hiccups

Psychogenic hiccups occur if the pet is depressed or has experienced a nervous shock. The reasons for this may be the following:

• the animal suffers from lack of attention, no one plays with it;
• the cat remains locked alone if the owners are away from home for a long time;
• There is competition between animals for territory or food (if there are two or three cats in the house).

Hiccups caused by stimulation of the diaphragm and irritation of the vagus nerve

If a cat hiccups after eating, this means that its body is trying to restore the function of the pinched vagus nerve. The vagus nerve or vagus nerve is a paired nerve that runs throughout the body, from the head to the abdominal cavity. It innervates the head, neck, organs of the chest cavity, and gastrointestinal tract. Passing through the hole in the diaphragm, it regulates the functions of breathing, swallowing, heartbeat, vomiting, and stomach function.

Under the influence of many factors and as a result of stimulation of the diaphragm, the vagal nerve can be infringed. The mechanism of hiccups, which consists of a sharp contraction of the diaphragmatic muscles and subsequent release of tension, helps relieve the pinching and release it. Situations that contribute to nerve pinching lead to the appearance of hiccups:

• binge eating;
• hasty eating, poor chewing, swallowing food in large pieces;
• eating cold food or water;
• eating dry food in the absence of sufficient liquid;
• severe hypothermia of the animal;
• eating in an awkward position when the esophagus or stomach is bent;
• pregnancy, when an enlarged uterus can put pressure on the diaphragm;
• The molting period is also a provoking factor, since cats, while licking themselves, swallow a large amount of hair.

Pathological hiccups

Pathological hiccups are a symptom of a wide variety of diseases. If it is prolonged and is accompanied by other alarming symptoms, then the cat must be shown to a veterinarian. Otherwise, you may not notice that he is developing a serious illness and waste time. Pathological hiccups may indicate the following diseases:

1. Disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system. If a cat hiccups excessively, experiences nausea, or blurred vision, this may indicate inflammation of the meninges (meningitis, encephalitis) or high intracranial pressure. If coordination of movements is impaired or there is circular walking, then there is a high probability of tumor diseases of the brain.
2. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Prolonged, frequently recurring hiccups may indicate gastritis or stomach ulcers, pancreatitis, disease of the gallbladder and biliary tract.
3. Diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Hiccups can be a symptom of bronchitis, pneumonia, as well as heart attack, stroke or arrhythmia.
4. Infectious diseases of various etiologies, helminthiasis. All viral and bacterial infections can cause intoxication of the body and be accompanied by nausea, vomiting or hiccups. Infections with any type of helminths also manifest themselves.
5. Prolonged hiccups can be a kind of reflex action. This happens when a foreign body (for example, a fish bone) is stuck in the esophagus and the cat is trying to do everything to free itself from it. In this case, other symptoms are present (difficulty in swallowing and breathing, cough, lacrimation, pain). You should immediately contact a veterinarian, as delay can be life-threatening for the animal.
6. An allergic reaction affecting the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract can cause prolonged hiccups, sneezing, coughing, difficulty breathing, suffocation, and others.

Psychogenic hiccups

Sometimes a cat's hiccups are psychosomatic in nature.

Psychogenic hiccups can be caused by:

• changing their usual living environment (the cats gradually get used to the new conditions, calm down, and the hiccups go away);
• severe fear;
• stress associated with the owner’s departure or a change in attitude towards the pet;
• stress caused by the presence of large strangers in the house;
• being in a confined space, alone;
• the arrival of a new pet.

A psychogenic attack does not last long. Spasms of the diaphragm, occurring at a frequency of 2-3 times per minute, gradually fade away. If the owner pays more attention to his beloved cat and gently calms him down, everything will go much faster.

A similar sign

What is the cause of hiccups?

Typically, hiccups occur when the diaphragm involuntarily contracts and the glottis closes at the same time. This is caused by irritation of the nerve going to the diaphragm.

There are many reasons for cat hiccups - in many ways similar to human ones - the most common is overeating or consuming food too quickly. Cats, as a rule, do not chew their food properly, so they swallow excess air, which causes a spasm of the diaphragm.

Hiccups are often caused by hairballs. The cat tries to push the fur out of its throat and begins to hiccup.

If your pet hiccups for a long period of time, especially if it is many years old, it may be a sign of a more serious problem such as asthma, a tumor or heart disease, or it may be caused by parasites, food allergies or foreign bodies.

Kitten hiccups after eating

Why do cats hiccup after eating? Physiological hiccups occur due to excessive stress on the stomach due to food swallowed in large pieces, overeating, and insufficient water. Haste while eating is harmful. It’s bad when a cat is hungry for a long time or when other animals are in charge of the house and are used to competing for food. It is dangerous if a piece of food gets stuck in the throat or esophagus. If, after eating, a cat hiccups, wheezes while breathing, or experiences increased anxiety, emergency veterinary attention is needed.

There should always be a bowl of clean, cool water in front of the cat. This is especially important if you feed your pet dry food. Food should be given often, but in small portions. The cat's stomach does not digest cold or too hot food well. Food should be warm or at room temperature. Meat and vegetables - soft, chopped as small as possible.

It’s bad if the feeding utensils are positioned incorrectly. The poor cat is in an unnatural position. The esophagus and stomach are bent. Food arrives unevenly, with a lot of air. While eating, the cat should not be nervous or distracted by extraneous factors. If your pets cannot easily share food, feed them all separately at different times.

Kinds

Regular

The vagus nerve regulates the functioning of the heart, breathing, and the swallowing reflex. It looks like a long double nerve that runs along the entire esophagus. The nerve can become irritated in different circumstances, so this type of hiccups occurs in the following cases:

• overeating;
• dehydration;
• pregnancy;
• molting;
• fast food intake.

Dehydration

How to help a cat

A hiccupping cat gets nervous, begins to rush around the house, and suddenly changes its position. To help quickly cope with the attack, she needs to be calmed down. Play with your favorite pet and cuddle it. Offer a new toy. Play is always a good option, especially for a small kitten. A sudden change in activity with a change in breathing rhythm helps eliminate the problem.

Try giving your cat clean, lukewarm water. But you can’t scare people, as people are advised to do (when frightened, a hiccupping person takes a frantic breath of air and soon everything goes away). On the contrary, try to provide him with complete peace. On the contrary, try to provide him with complete peace. Show affectionate care. The pet will be distracted and calm down. Breathing will return to normal. This will help you overcome hiccups faster.

Hairballs that get into your cat's gastrointestinal tract and interfere with normal digestion can also irritate the vagus nerve and cause hiccups. This problem is especially relevant during molting. When a cat sheds, the owner should comb the fur especially diligently and carefully.

Methods for eliminating hiccups in kittens: how to alleviate your pet’s condition

Let us warn you right away: the methods for eliminating hiccups in kittens are almost identical to those in humans, and therefore they do not always give a special effect. In short, it is better to prevent hiccups. Since contractions of the diaphragm are often a consequence of improper feeding and greedy eating of food by the pet, this is not difficult to do:

• To prevent your baby from drinking too much out of greed, he must always have access to clean and fresh drinking water.
• Experienced “cat owners” use the experience of their colleagues, dog breeders, and advise placing bowls of food and water on small stands (so that the kitten eats without tilting its head too much).
• Food should be slightly warm, but not cold or hot! In addition to hiccups, following this simple rule will protect your pet from many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
• You should not play with the kitten while eating or distract it from the eating process.

But what if hiccups are already shaking the baby? You can do the following:

• Give your pet clean, slightly warm and sweetened water. It is not a fact that he will drink on his own, and therefore the drink will have to be poured directly into the throat using a syringe.
• The kitten needs to be provided with complete rest.
• In severe cases, sedatives are used; ¼ tablet of diphenhydramine may help.

Pathological hiccups

If your cat does not stop hiccupping during the day, experiences severe discomfort, and spasms last 7-10 minutes, you should be wary. Prolonged hiccups are the first symptom of a serious illness, and the range of possible pathologies is extensive, from pneumonia and problems with the cardiovascular system, to encephalitis and parasitic infestation. It happens that a cat suffers from allergies that affect the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. Allergic hiccups are accompanied by lacrimation, difficulty breathing, frequent sneezing, and coughing.

Signs of concern:

• lack of coordination of movement, the cat staggers, walks in circles;
• anxiety, irritability, lethargy, change in habitual behavior, refusal to eat a favorite treat;
• hiccups are accompanied by nausea and bouts of vomiting;
• the cat wheezes and breathes heavily;
• The cat has urinary incontinence and there is blood in the stool.

For debilitating hiccups, contact your veterinarian. And as soon as possible. Do not self-medicate. Don't waste precious time. Only a veterinarian, after a comprehensive examination, will determine the cause of the pathology and prescribe treatment.

Treatment

If the cat hiccups, but the phenomenon is not accompanied by other unusual symptoms, treatment of the animal consists of such measures:

• The pet should be caressed and calmed down;
• Offer your cat to drink water at room temperature;
• Distract the animal by keeping it busy with play.

If a cat hiccups because it is cold and trembles, it must be warmed up. But treatment in the case of pathological hiccups should only be prescribed by a veterinarian.

Sources:

https://koshek.ru/pochemu-koshka-ikaet.html https://veterinargid.ru/cats/vet/koshka-ikaet.html https://koshkamurka.ru/8528-pochemu-koshka-ikaet.html

Diagnostics

It is important to understand that the causes of blood in urine without pain can be serious pathologies. To detect or exclude them, you need to contact a competent specialist as soon as possible. The State Urology Center employs specialized doctors focused on optimal treatment strategies.

This problem is dealt with by a urologist; for diagnosis, he needs to collect anamnesis and identify risk factors. An initial examination of the patient is required, which allows one to detect specific symptoms. In addition, laboratory instrumental tests may be prescribed to find out why the urine contains blood:

• general urine analysis;
• general blood analysis;
• cystography;
• Ultrasound of the genitourinary system;
• urography;
• CT scan;
• MRI.