The cat is coughing and wheezing - the causes of the cough, and what to do?

Danil Ignatievich Safronov

veterinarian Petstory

When a cat coughs, owners often ask – is this normal? Basically, coughing is a protective reflex designed to remove foreign particles, mucus, and microbes from the respiratory tract. It is not always a cause for concern, but if the cough persists, you may need to consult a veterinarian.

How do cats cough?

The cough reflex occurs due to irritation of special receptors (mechanoreceptors or chemoreceptors) that are located throughout the respiratory tract. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to tell just by the presence of a cough whether it is a consequence of a problem in the lower or upper respiratory tract.

When coughing begins, the pet takes a certain position: it stretches its neck forward as much as possible, presses itself to the floor and makes sounds that can be mistaken for vomiting. He can open his mouth wide, stretch out his tongue, and sudden movements of the chest and abdomen are also noted.

Types of cough

Just like in humans, a cat’s cough is characterized by several criteria, thus being divided into types:

By duration:

• Chronic – lasts for months;
• acute – lasts several days.

By the nature of the discharge:

• wet;
• dry.

By volume:

• muted;
• weak;
• voiced.

By intensity:

• easy;
• hysterical, leading to vomiting.

By time of day:

• morning;
• evening.

By season:

• spring;
• autumn, etc.

When you observe your pet's cough, try to determine its type based on these parameters, so that you can then provide the doctor with a complete picture of the disease. Also pay attention to the time of day at which the cough peaks.

Why does a cat cough - the main reasons

The causes of cough can be both physiological and pathological factors. If your cat coughs rarely and for short periods of time (every few months or even less), then this may be normal.

If we talk about pathology, then there is a dry cough and a wet one. Dry sounds like wheezing and does not contain mucous secretions. A wet cough resembles a crackling or gurgling sound and is accompanied by the secretion of mucus. At night, it accumulates in the bronchi, and therefore, after sleep, the cough may be more pronounced.

As noted above, sometimes owners may confuse vomiting with coughing. Therefore, you first need to determine exactly what an attack is. If there is no visible discharge (foam, pieces of undigested food or foreign objects), then this is most likely a cough reflex.

Many brachycephalic breeds (Persian, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, Scottish, etc.) experience so-called reverse sneezing with a characteristic grunting or snoring sound, which can also be confused with a cough. But this process is normal for animals.

I would also like to draw attention to the fact that coughing in dogs is the main symptom of heart failure. In relation to cats, this is just a misconception, which, unfortunately, is still widespread among owners of breeds predisposed to heart pathologies (for example, Sphynx, British). It is important to remember that with heart disease, the leading symptoms in cats will be shortness of breath and heavy wheezing breathing.

Asthma

A common disease that causes swelling and narrowing of the airways. Often with asthma there is a situation when the cat coughs, as if he wants to vomit. This is due to the release of mucus when coughing, which the pet then swallows back. Although asthma cannot be completely cured, its symptoms can be relieved with medication. Triggering factors that cause asthma include: pollen, dust mites, various strong-smelling substances (tobacco smoke, perfumes, aerosols).

Respiratory infections

They are caused by viral, bacterial, fungal pathogens and are accompanied by inflammation, swelling of the tissues of the respiratory system, and accumulation of mucus in the bronchi. With these diseases, the pet usually coughs and sneezes heavily.

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Parasitoses

There are several diseases in which helminths can be localized directly in the lungs (elurostrongylosis, capillariasis, toxocariasis) or in the chambers of the heart (dirofilariasis), provoking a cough attack.

Pleural effusion

This is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the chest cavity, which causes irritation of the lung tissue and, as a result, is accompanied by coughing attacks. Occurs for a variety of reasons: complication of infection, neoplasm in the chest, heart failure, trauma.

Neoplasms (tumors), polyps

They are found in both elderly and young animals in various parts of the respiratory system. They can be benign or malignant and can partially or completely block the airways.

Injury

Physical, chemical or thermal damage to the respiratory tract (for example, an unsuccessful fall from a height, a car injury).

Foreign objects

When a cat coughs as if she is choking, it may be due to small particles of food, grass, or other objects getting into her respiratory tract. Animals will experience wheezing, sneezing, restlessness, and attempts to paw at foreign objects.

What to do when a cat chokes

When your pet coughs and wheezes, constantly rubs its mouth with its paw, opens its mouth wide and sticks out its tongue, you should be wary. The cause may be a foreign body. An insect, small parts of toys, scattered beads, toilet filler, strings, and plastic bags can get into your pet's mouth. Often, a kitten may cough after accidentally swallowing Christmas tree tinsel, threads from a ball and other objects that it uses for games. Sometimes the situation is more serious. The cat swallows a spicy fish or chicken bone, which gets stuck in the throat and makes it difficult to breathe. If the problem is not addressed urgently, the animal may suffocate or die from bleeding after soft tissue damage.

A careful examination will help you find out the real reason. You need to take the pet in your arms and open its mouth. If a foreign object cannot be found in the mouth, you need to urgently take the animal to the clinic. In this case, the veterinarian will tell you what to do if the cat is coughing. The doctor will examine the throat, determine exactly where the foreign body is located, and try to push it through, freeing the throat. If this is not possible, the pet will undergo surgery. You can’t put off a trip to the clinic: if a sharp object gets into the esophagus, the clock counts.

A hairball stuck in the throat does not require removal. The cat manages to either spit it out or swallow it. Frequent brushing of your pet will help prevent further licking of lost hairs. It is recommended to regularly give your cat a special paste with fish or meat flavor, which can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy. The drug promotes the rapid and painless dissolution of hairballs trapped in the stomach.

Diagnostics

To diagnose all the causes of cough and wheezing described above, a medical history is first taken. This is an important part of making a diagnosis. The veterinarian must present a clear picture of what is happening - what the pet eats, whether it is vaccinated or not, whether it has been treated for parasites, when the first symptoms began, whether there is vomiting, etc. After collecting an anamnesis and examination, a number of special laboratory and instrumental tests are prescribed.

The main ones are: auscultation (listening) of the lungs using a phonendoscope; clinical blood test and biochemical study of blood serum (if necessary); stool analysis for helminth eggs (carried out to exclude the presence of parasites in the intestines); specific tests for the presence of bacteria and viruses (for example, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method - to detect herpes virus infection, calicivirus, mycoplasmosis, bordetellosis).

Instrumental diagnostics include: chest X-ray, ultrasound examination of the heart and lungs, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An important stage of diagnosis is bronchoscopy with collection of material for cytological and bacteriological examination. If there is effusion in the chest cavity, it is also subjected to cytology and bacteriological examination.

All procedures that require immobilization of the pet are performed under sedation or anesthesia, and the cat usually remains in the veterinary clinic for several hours.

Treatment of cough at home

Therapy is determined by the complexity of the pathological process and is aimed at eliminating it:

1. For invasive cough, antiparasitic procedures are prescribed, and in the future it is recommended to regularly prevent the disease.
2. Attacks due to cardiac problems are eliminated by comprehensive treatment of the cardiovascular system and general cough suppressants.
3. The specificity of antiviral and antibacterial therapy is determined by the characteristics of the cough: expectorants are prescribed for dry coughs, and antitussives for wet coughs.
4. Asthmatic attacks are stopped by hormonal and glucocorticosteroid, antiallergic drugs.
5. Special creams and pastes improve the condition of trichobezoar They cover the surface of hairballs and facilitate their natural release.
6. Cough from injuries to the respiratory organs and throat subsides as they heal. If internal organs are injured, the pet is given crushed food. For external wounds, treatment methods depend on the severity of the pathology. In serious situations, the wound is surgically sutured and antibacterial therapy is carried out.

How and what to treat a cat's cough

Treatment options vary depending on the animal's condition and the cause of the cough. Therefore, it is better to immediately contact a veterinary clinic and not self-medicate at home.

What can you do at home?

If your cat has a severe cough, you need to remain calm and keep stressful situations to a minimum. Excessive agitation or anxiety of the animal can aggravate the condition. It is worth limiting physical activity (exercises or movements) as much as possible and contacting a veterinary clinic.

It is not recommended to give your cat any medications without first consulting a veterinarian. This is especially true for human medications, as some of them contain toxic ingredients (eg, ibuprofen, paracetamol).

It is also necessary to film the coughing attacks in order to show it to the veterinarian.

Veterinary assistance

If a cat's respiratory disease is caused or complicated by a bacterial infection, treatment may include a course of antibiotics. This is especially important when diagnosed with pneumonia.

If your pet has been diagnosed with asthma, there are two main types of medications used for treatment: corticosteroids to control inflammation and bronchodilators to widen the airways. These drugs are inhaled, oral, or injectable. Inhalation agents are more preferable. Giving them to a cat using an inhaler is simple and effective if you use special devices - spacers for animals (for example, the Aerokat spacer). They ensure that the cat can inhale the full dose of medication.

If the cause of the cough is a parasitic infection, the patient will be prescribed deworming medications (that is, against worms).

As symptomatic therapy for many reasons, expectorants and mucolytics are widely used to increase the rate of secretion in the bronchial tree. The selection of dosage, duration of treatment and drug in all cases is made by a veterinarian.

A diagnosed cough in a cat with wheezing that occurs due to trauma to the respiratory tract may require immediate surgical intervention. Any delay may result in asphyxia (suffocation) and death.

If there are neoplasms in the respiratory system, consultation with a veterinary oncologist is required. After all the features of the pathological process have been clarified, the animal may be given chemotherapy, pain relief, or surgery may be recommended.

Cats with acute respiratory failure should be placed in oxygen chambers for 24-hour monitoring until their condition stabilizes.

Regardless of the cause of the cough, your pet will need follow-up examinations to ensure the problem has been resolved and treatment needs to be adjusted.

In what cases should you urgently consult a doctor?

A doctor should be consulted in all cases of coughing in a cat, especially if the cause is unknown. Cough is a symptom of a large number of diseases, and to cure it it is important to correctly determine the cause of the disease. The appearance of a cough may indicate the onset of an infectious disease, as well as decompensation of the course of a chronic disease; therefore a visit to the veterinarian is necessary. When visiting a veterinarian, it is important to correctly describe the nature of your cat's cough; You should not give antitussive drugs to your animal yourself, as this will make it difficult to make a correct diagnosis.

If a cough appears, a visit to the veterinarian is mandatory - since there are a lot of diseases that accompany coughing

Prevention

If a cat's cough is associated with infectious diseases, then they can be prevented in advance with vaccination, which usually begins at 2 months of age. In the future, the animal is revaccinated annually.

Quarterly antiparasitic treatments for cats are an important part of a preventative program for caring for your pet’s health. This includes both treatment for internal parasites - worms, and for external parasites - fleas and ticks.

Regular health checks (dispensaries) at a veterinary clinic, combined with annual vaccinations, will help identify the main problems at the very beginning.

It is necessary to carry out wet cleaning in a timely manner, especially in places where a lot of dust accumulates. The apartment needs to be well ventilated and at the same time protect the pet from drafts.

Keep any dangerous, small objects that cats can chew, inhale or swallow out of reach. It is also advisable to minimize the use of air fresheners, perfumes and other potential allergens.

Preventive measures

Carefully following your veterinarian's instructions will help prevent coughing attacks. If an animal has chronic diseases (bronchial asthma, fungal pneumonia), it is necessary to promptly give it immunomodulatory, antifungal drugs and vitamin complexes. It is recommended to take a blood test 1-2 times a year to confirm the absence of hidden ailments.

Preventive administration of anti-worm medications will help prevent helminthic infestation. They are given every 3 months, choosing products with the softest and most gentle composition. Kittens, pregnant and elderly cats, as well as animals with free access to the street are at particular risk.

If coughing attacks occur while eating, you should review your pet's menu. It is better to replace hard granules with canned food. Soaking ready-made dry food in water also helps. Cats that eat natural food should not be given river fish with bones on which the cat can choke. Tubular chicken bones are strictly prohibited. If your cat likes to chew, it is better to give her ready-made toys made from beef veins, which can be bought at a pet store.

It is necessary to remove from the house easily breakable toys, Christmas tree tinsel and other items that the animal can swallow. It is recommended to remove poisonous indoor plants. An accidentally bitten leaf can cause swelling of the mucous membrane and an attack of suffocation.

Only a veterinarian can understand why a cat is coughing and what to do. If attacks occur repeatedly and are accompanied by other alarming symptoms, you should not postpone a visit to the clinic. They will do all the necessary tests and prescribe adequate treatment that will help maintain the health of your pet.

Cough in cats: the main thing

1. Coughing is a protective reflex necessary to rid the airways of foreign particles, mucus, germs and other irritants.
2. Common causes of pathological cough include: asthma, infectious diseases, parasites, foreign objects, neoplasms in the respiratory system, injuries.
3. To make a diagnosis, the following is necessary: ​​anamnesis, physical examination of the pet, instrumental and laboratory diagnostics (X-ray and ultrasound of the chest, blood tests, stool examination, bronchoscopy, etc.).
4. The goal of treatment is to eliminate the main cause of cough and reduce the severity of symptoms.
5. Prevention of cough includes: vaccination and deworming, annual medical examination, minimizing the use of strong smelling substances and maintaining cleanliness.

Helminths

Worms that appear in the body irritate the mucous membrane, causing a cough. This is often accompanied by weight loss, vomiting and dandruff. To combat them, the pet is given antihelminthic medications. In severe cases, they are given again a week after the first dose. Delay can lead to problems with the liver, kidneys and even death.

Trichobezoars, coughing up hair

Cats groom themselves by licking their fur coat with their tongue. That, in turn, can enter the digestive organs. The lumps formed there provoke coughing. It doesn't pose a threat. A paste that dissolves lumps or special food will help.

To measure the temperature

Throat injuries

They also irritate the larynx. Sores and ulcers can be a sign of chlamydia, which people can become infected with.

Heart diseases

Cardiac cough gradually intensifies and is accompanied by lethargy, shortness of breath, and heavy breathing. A cardiogram will confirm this version.

Respiratory diseases

These include viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. Immediately the cough is dry and loud. On the second day, sputum separates and he becomes deaf. In addition, nasal discharge, rotting of the eyes, weakness, and increased body temperature appear.

Veterinarian recommendations

Each diagnosis requires special treatment:

• For example, infections are treated by increasing the animal’s immunity, which in the case of an allergic cough can worsen the patient’s condition. Antihistamines are needed here. If an allergen is identified, it is advisable to completely eliminate it from the animal’s life.
• For asthma, inhalers are prescribed; if this does not help, glucocorticoids are prescribed.
• A course of antibiotics is used to treat viral infections. Cough is eliminated with the help of mucolytics and expectorants.
• Helminthiasis is treated comprehensively, and medications are taken twice to completely destroy adult worms and their offspring. Be sure to monitor the animal’s condition after such treatment; in case of dehydration and exhaustion, infusion solutions are prescribed.
• When removing a foreign body, various tissue damage is sometimes discovered. Wounds are treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, and antibiotics are prescribed if necessary.

In any case, one well-known fact should be remembered. The best treatment for cats, as well as for people, is prevention and prevention of the disease.

Heart problems

Many people do not know what to do if a cat coughs and wheezes, for what reason this reflex occurs. A serious reason to see a doctor is the occurrence of heart problems. Most often, this disease occurs in old and overweight animals. At first, coughing rarely bothers the animal, but later it inevitably becomes more frequent.

The disease is diagnosed by tactile and visual examination. The pet's blood pressure is measured, electrocardiography and radiography are performed. Such a disease requires lifelong care for the animal and maintenance therapy. Treatment is prescribed by a veterinarian based on the research results obtained. Giving medications at your own discretion is strictly prohibited.

The cat must be provided with rest, proper nutrition and follow the doctor's instructions. For animals with this pathology, special dietary foods are sold in pharmacies.

Asthma attacks

Bronchial asthma is a chronic disease of the respiratory tract. It is allergic in nature and is not associated with bacterial growth. The nature of development is most often genetic, but sometimes acquired pathologies occur. The signs of the disease are as follows:

• severe coughing attack;
• dyspnea;
• restless state;
• hoarse breathing;
• pronounced cyanosis is visible on the mucous membranes;
• increased drowsiness;
• refusal of food;
• the pet takes a forced position - lowers its head and stretches its neck, trying to cough up phlegm;
• in severe cases, eye rolling and loss of consciousness may occur.

To accurately establish a diagnosis, tests are taken from the animal, a hardware examination of the abdominal and chest cavity is performed, and then treatment is prescribed. It includes taking antispasmodics, antibacterial drugs, as well as vitamin complexes, especially vitamins C and E, which are natural antioxidants. It is also recommended to purchase an inhaler that will help relieve the attack and prevent your pet from suffocating.