The cat coughs a lot. Mechanism of cough development. The cat is coughing as if he is choking, what should I do?

Inflammation of the tissues adjacent to the breathing tube is perceived by nerve receptors as irritation and provokes a cough. This type is called cardiac because it occurs due to the pressure of hypertrophied myocardium on the nearby trachea. If a cat is coughing, it is necessary to determine the cause of the reflex exhalation.

Causes

The following are the causes of cough in a cat:

• Blockage of the breathing tube by a foreign object.
• Trichobezoar. This is a lump formed from hairs that get into the intestinal canal during licking. With the help of coughing, the cat expels bezoars through the mouth.
• Mechanical injuries. A fish bone or other object scratches the throat and triggers a reflex. Battle wounds received during a fight.
• Infectious diseases.
• Bronchial asthma.
• Cardiac pathologies. They are symptoms of underlying diseases.
• Neoplasms.

Types of cough

Forced exhalation is distinguished by the following characteristics:

• Duration:

1. Spicy. Duration up to several weeks.
2. Permanent - several months.

• Intensity. A slight cough or a debilitating attack.
• Sound. Voiceless or voiced.
• View. Dry or wet.
• Times of Day. The cat coughs at some time of the day or constantly.
• Season of the year.

When seeking veterinary help, the veterinarian should describe in detail the type of cough the cat has or record the process on video.

Symptoms

When the respiratory canal is blocked, a debilitating attack is observed, ending with release from a foreign object or asphyxia.

If a cat has hairballs accumulated in its stomach, it will cause it to cough until it vomits.

With rhinotracheitis, viral etiology, convulsive coughing attacks are observed. Additional signs There may be diarrhea and watery eyes.

The reproduction of some helminths occurs in the animal's body. The hatched larvae penetrate the lungs through the bloodstream, injure them and cause a short forced exhalation of moderate intensity. When the intensity of the invasion increases, the intensity of the attacks intensifies and is accompanied by vomiting.

Bronchial asthma is characterized by cough paroxysms of moderate or debilitating intensity. Additional signs are: shortness of breath, sneezing, hoarseness.

Young (1...3 years) animals of Siamese and Himalayan breeds are predisposed to the disease. Pathology manifests itself in autumn or spring.

The intensity of cough in heart diseases increases steadily with the development of cardiac hypertrophy, acquiring a dull sound. The symptoms resemble blockage of the respiratory canal by a foreign object, but do not stop and do not end with asphyxia. Contents from respiratory tract doesn't stand out.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis is established according to anamnesis, examination of the respiratory tract, x-rays and standard blood tests.

The doctor may prescribe additional diagnostic tests: endoscopy of the trachea, esophagus or bronchi, identification of the causative agent of the disease, analysis of feces for helminth eggs, electrocardiogram.

Diagnostic procedures take a lot of time, so without waiting for their results, the veterinarian prescribes symptomatic and supportive treatment.

Treatment

Therapy is focused on combating the underlying disease and eliminating symptoms. Depending on the diagnosis, the following drugs are used:

• Immunostimulants.
• Antibiotics.
• Anti-inflammatory.
• Anthelmintics.
• Heartfelt.
• Antihistamines.

Medicines for symptomatic treatment are divided into two groups:

• Suppresses the cough reflex.
• Expectorants.

Antitussives are potent and are used by a veterinarian if a dry, debilitating cough develops. Self-administration of a potent drug is unacceptable due to the following reasons:

1. Stopping coughing can mask the culprit of the disease, but not eliminate it.
2. The use of a potent product is fraught with poisoning.

Expectorants help increase the secretion of mucus by the bronchial epithelium and remove products of the inflammatory process from the respiratory canal

Prevention

To prevent the occurrence of infectious diseases, animals must be vaccinated in a timely manner.

Prevention of the occurrence of trichobezoars consists of regular combing of the hair, consumption of dietary foods that prevent the formation of hairballs and pastes that help remove them from the intestines.

To prevent your cat from being injured by a sharp bone, you should not feed it table scraps.

A cough with wheezing is a situation when you should worry about the health of your pet. The attack is often accompanied by the release of sputum and mucus, the sound when the pet coughs and wheezes is low and muffled, and the duration can be different each time. No wheezing is heard during coughing, since this symptom accompanies the cat almost the entire remaining time.

Wheezing in the sternum area can be easily heard, because it is the respiratory tract that is affected by a disease that causes coughing and wheezing.

Wheezing can be heard when your cat is panting, eating or drinking. They do not stop during sleep, but more often turn into snoring or snoring. Loud snoring in a dream speaks of strong problem in the respiratory tract. Snoring is often accompanied by discharge from the nose, eyes, and swelling. These are all serious symptoms.

Cough is a companion to many diseases, but the presence of snoring makes diagnosis easier. Pedigree cats with flattened faces often snore for no reason. The structure of their nasopharynx does not allow deep breaths, and snoring is a constant symptom that does not interfere with life in any way. If your cat is coughing and wheezing, it is most likely due to:

• Respiratory disease;
• A foreign object stuck in the larynx;
• Throat injury;
• Laryngeal paralysis.

It is quite simple to distinguish the reasons why a cat coughs and wheezes, since they differ in external manifestation.

Respiratory diseases

All respiratory diseases are accompanied not only by the fact that the animal is coughing and wheezing. Cats begin to sneeze, their eyes water, and nasal discharge appears. The first few days the cough is dry, piercing, but after a few days a cough forms in the larynx. a large number of mucus that comes out with a cough.

During the exacerbation season, it becomes difficult for the cat to breathe, so coughing and wheezing are observed periodically. Also during this period, you can experience a sore throat. The disease is chronic and should be treated only under the supervision of a doctor. But with normal respiratory diseases You can rely on the choice of the seller at the veterinary pharmacy.

Foreign body in the larynx

Cats do not swallow foreign objects very often, but this possibility should not be ruled out. The cat may cough and wheeze, as if he was choking. The cough reflex tries to push out a stuck object. Wheezing occurs due to the fact that air cannot pass freely through the respiratory tract. Wheezing is especially audible when exhaling. During sleep, the animal does not snore, but excessively loud snoring and even whistling can be heard.

It is necessary to remove the foreign object from the larynx as quickly as possible, after which the symptom will disappear. Sometimes a bezoar made from the animal's own fur can become a foreign object.

Injury

Internal injuries occur due to poor nutrition. Often this is the presence of bones in the diet, but in some cases the reason is the lack of free access to water, which is why the cat cannot chew food properly.

Cats get external throat injuries in fights among themselves, as well as due to poor treatment by people. The injury does not have to be in the area of ​​the sternum and throat; the animal often begins to cough and wheeze due to the poor condition of the internal organs after an unsuccessful fall. For example, a short cough can cause damage to the gastrointestinal tract.

In the case of internal microtraumas of the larynx, you can simply change the diet to a more gentle one. And after a fight, you may have to apply a tight bandage and take cough suppressants.

Laryngeal paralysis is not self-diagnosed. At this time, the cat seems to wheeze and sneeze, but these processes are implicit and drawn out. For this you need comprehensive analysis and observation by a veterinarian for several days. Accordingly, treatment is prescribed only by a doctor after determining why the cat is coughing and wheezing.

Speaking about this symptom and behavior when a cat coughs and wheezes while pressing its head to the floor, it should be noted that the cough zones located in the trachea and bronchi react to irritants from both the respiratory system and the outer surface. Due to this feature, there are quite a lot of factors for the appearance.

Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways.

Not associated with the development of bacteria, it is allergic in nature. It is expressed by attacks of suffocation due to bronchial spasms and swelling of the mucous membrane. Like many allergic reactions, it has a genetic basis; less commonly, it is an acquired pathology.

Breathing is difficult, wheezing and shortness of breath are heard. The pet is lethargic, sleepy, refuses food, and has no contact. In severe cases, the animal lies on its stomach, opens its mouth, and breathes heavily. Pronounced cyanosis is visible on the mucous membranes.

One of the basic, unconditioned reflexes in higher vertebrates is coughing. With the help of this mechanism, nature protected the respiratory tract from small fragments of foreign bodies entering them. Also, a cat’s cough serves in the body to evacuate exudative secretions during pathological processes in the respiratory system. But there are times when a cat coughs as if it was choking and this is no longer a harmless cough.

The cough center, located in the medulla oblongata, sends impulses to perform a sharp reflex exhalation (which, in fact, is a cough) after it is vagus nerve a signal will be received from the receptors of the irritated mucous membrane lining inner surface trachea, larynx and bronchi.

But what reasons contribute to the fact that the cat coughs with such anguish, as if he was choking? Why do cats cough?

The most common reasons why a cat is coughing as if he is choking

There are many reasons for coughing in cats. And these cannot only be attributed to colds or mechanical causes. A cat may cough as if it is choking for these reasons:

In addition to the reasons listed above, cats can cough for other reasons. But listing a complete list is not the point of this article.

Features and types of cough in cats

Compared to dogs, cats cough much less often. Instead of coughing, they experience difficulty breathing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Being exceptionally cautious and secretive, they do not make any noise, hide in a dark and warm place and sit there until they recover or, alas, until their end. Therefore, you need to be especially attentive to your purr and try to notice something is wrong with its health at first.

By type, cough is divided into the following types:

• Spicy. Its duration is 2-30 days.
• Chronic. One that lasts longer than a month.
• Wet or dry. This depends on the presence of exudate in the bronchi, which can be expectorated.
• Voiceless or voiced.
• Light, hysterical or dull. Vomiting is also possible when coughing.
• Evening, daytime or morning - depending on the time of occurrence.

To make a correct diagnosis veterinarian you need to describe all the details down to the smallest detail. This way he will be able to most accurately determine the cause of the disease and prescribe correct treatment. The owner of the furry cat who can tell you most accurately about his cat will be able to help as much as possible in further treatment.

Cough mechanism

Coughing is the body's way of clearing foreign objects from the upper respiratory tract and throat. Dust, mucus, liquid - special receptors react to everything that enters the larynx and bronchi, causing the lungs to eject air with short sharp contractions, and then we say that the cat is coughing.

These receptors are very sensitive, but “stupid” - they work not only when you really need to clean the lungs. Any irritation of the receptors - from inflammation, pungent odors, allergic reactions - causes them to fire and a cough begins, from which the body does not receive any benefit.

“False launches” can also be due to pressure from other organs. For example, short-term strong contractions of the diaphragm and stomach when trying to vomit also cause the lungs to throw out air and it seems that the cat is coughing because she is choking.

The mechanism for the appearance of cough is the same for everyone - from a chicken to an elephant, but the diseases manifested by cough in each species of animal are their own and it is not worth transferring human sensations and diseases onto a cat.

Coughing is a protective reaction of the body aimed at removing foreign elements from the lungs or stomach that irritate the insides of the animal. On the other hand, coughing is a sign of a number of respiratory, cardiovascular or intestinal diseases. The main purpose of cough is to remove mucus, pus and other pathogenic formations from the respiratory system.

Causes of cough in cats

Cough can be caused by several factors. On the one hand, a pussy cough is a protective reaction of the animal’s body to exposure to chemical or physical irritants from the outside. On the other hand, cough is a symptom characteristic of certain diseases.

Considering cough as a reflexive defensive reaction, we can say that it can manifest itself in the following cases:

1. Exposure to caustic smoke - tobacco, asphyxiating gas or smoke resulting from the burning of plastic, the evaporation of sharp-smelling or chemical toxic substances.
2. Foreign bodies stuck in the throat, esophagus or respiratory tract (bones, hairpins, small toys, balls) that got there during outdoor games or feeding. At the same time, the cat will try with all its might to cough up the extra object out of itself.
3. Simple dust or other fine substances suspended in the air (ground pepper, flour, mustard powder), may cause some soreness or unpleasant irritation in the throat.

As a symptom, a cat’s cough occurs with the following diseases:

1. Various respiratory diseases(tracheitis, laryngitis, bronchitis or pneumonia) that are caused by microbes or viruses.
2. Cardiovascular diseases.
3. Allergic reactions manifested in the form of bronchial asthma.
4. Invasive diseases (presence of worms). In this case, the cat will cough during the migration of the larvae - when they enter the bronchi and lungs through the bloodstream.

So, a cat’s cough is not some kind of separate ailment, but a serious symptom of a certain disease or the result of the influence of external irritating factors on the animal’s body.

In search of an answer to the question of why a cat coughs as if it is choking, you should study the reasons for this behavior. There may be several of them:

1. The resulting hairball - this happens especially often with long-haired beauties. The procedure does not threaten your health in any way; just regurgitating the hair is enough to make you feel great again.
2. Injuries. If you allow your pet to play with small objects, feed him fish and meat with bones, then one day the delicate surface of the organs inside will be injured. And it’s good if you manage to get away with scratches - there are also severe injuries when it is impossible to stop the bleeding.
3. Worms. Some owners believe that domestic kitties are not at risk of this attack, but eggs can be carried on shoes or clothing. Once infected, they spread throughout the body and can lead to coughing.
4. Pneumonia - a small fluffy ball experiences it very hard: pneumonia is accompanied by an increase in temperature and a lethargic state. It is enough to bathe the baby in cool water or leave it in a draft so that you can think about treatment the next day.
5. Asthma is another cause that is quite common. The animal suffers due to constant attacks, begins to choke and panic - in this case, immediate help is required.

The cat is coughing because it just has a cold

This never happens with cats. Even people, in fact, cough not because they are frozen or have wet feet, but because, against the background of hypothermia, resistance to various viruses decreases, causing what is combined with the term “ colds" There are a lot of viral pathogens that cause colds, and as soon as the immune system weakens, they happily begin to multiply in the throat and nasopharynx, causing you to sneeze and cough for a week or two until the immune system copes with the scourge.

Such “harmless” viruses do not affect cats. Feline rhinovirus, which causes coughing and discharge from the nose and eyes, is very dangerous and without timely intensive treatment often ends in the death of the animal.

The cat is coughing because it has worms

This is not entirely true. Most likely, this myth arose from human medicine, because the cat helminth Toxocara cati, in humans, causes the disease toxacorosis, which is manifested by coughing. The belief in this myth is also fueled by the development cycle of toxcara - at the larval stage, helminths migrate throughout the body with the blood and enter, including the lungs.

A person, an atypical host for this worm, begins to cough from such an invasion, but it is designed “better” for cats and moves throughout the cat’s body without causing irritation.

A cat may well have a cough and toxacara at the same time, but one is not related to the other.

There are helminths that can actually cause a cough, but not a pulmonary cough, but a heart cough - dirofilaria. They multiply in the heart and prevent it from working. An attempt to cure such a cough by giving a regular dewormer can kill the cat - a ball of dead helminths clogs the aorta and stops blood circulation.

The cat is coughing because she choked on her fur.

Long-haired cats, when licking themselves, can actually choke on hair; more precisely, the hairs wrap around the uvula (velopharyngeal arch) or the root of the tongue, irritate them and the cat begins to try to get rid of the hair by convulsively contracting the pharynx. Technically it's more of an attempt to vomit than a cough, but it can look similar.

Much more often, the cat does not choke on the fur, but regurgitates what has accumulated in the stomach. There it clumps into a strong lump, which interferes with the digestion of food, and does not “exit” into the intestines. In such cases, you have to get rid of the “ballast” by burping, and this does not always happen right away.

Convulsive contractions of the stomach, in an attempt to push out a sticky mass of fur and food debris, are often mistaken for a cough.

The cat is coughing - she has pneumonia

Oddly enough, pneumonia in cats is very rarely accompanied by a cough. Feline pneumonia is weakness, high fever, hoarse, heavy breathing, and lack of appetite. There may not be a cough at all, until the very end of the illness, and if it does happen, it is completely different from “as if choking” - the cat coughs quietly, almost silently, once or twice per attack.

The cat is coughing because it scratched its throat with bones

Boiled bones from fish and meat can get old in the throat, causing a reflex cough. If a cat choked on a bone, so it was not immediately possible to remove it, then for some time after that she may actually cough - a maximum of an hour or two.

If the cat coughs longer, then the cause of the cough is not in the bones.

Cats never injure their throat with raw bones; it is specially adapted for such food, since our four-legged friends are predators.

If there are wounds and ulcers in the throat, and the veterinarian claims that this is the result of feeding meat with bones, you need to urgently change the doctor, because this is a symptom of feline chlamydia. If chlamydia is not treated, people can become infected.

There are few problems that cause cats to start coughing, and even as if they are choking.

Cough occurs when:

A cat's cough is not particularly different from the cough of another representative of mammals - humans; it can also be wet and dry, infrequent and constant, painful and not.

Impact of external factors

Why is it that sometimes a hoarse and coughing sound is heard from the cat’s throat, while she herself, having assumed a half-sitting position, arches her back and stretches her neck towards the floor, trying to suppress the cough reflex?

Since cough receptors are located in the larynx, trachea and bronchi, the causes of cough may be their irritation, both externally and internally. reverse side respiratory lumen.

This happens in the following cases:

• ingestion of objects that irritate the mucous membrane of the pharynx: fish bones, chewed fish toys with sharp edges, injuring the throat and causing coughing with wheezing;
• accumulations of hairballs in the stomach, formed after cleaning clean animals thoroughly, disturb the digestive organs, so the cat gets rid of them through a sharp and deep exhalation;
• getting into the throat small substances flying in the air (dust, spices, flour) or smoke with caustic, unpleasant smell trigger a protective reflex, protecting the animal from unwanted effects external factors on her well-being.

A cough that occurs for these reasons is not dangerous to the pet’s health, but, on the contrary, is necessary for it: in this way, the body evacuates dangerous and unwanted foreign objects from the respiratory tract.

Respiratory infections

Unfortunately, cats, like humans, can catch an infection and develop bronchitis, laryngitis, flu or pneumonia. Most often, cough is provoked by viral infections, which, when entering the body, affect the trachea and bronchi, and are accompanied by a dry and hysterical cough. With pneumonia, the animal has a high fever, decreased appetite, difficulty breathing and a convulsive, frequent cough.

Immunity weakened by viruses makes the cat’s body susceptible to the destructive work of harmful bacteria. The cough is accompanied by symptoms such as sneezing, sniffles, diarrhea, purulent mucus from the eyes and nose.

It is worth noting that bacterial infections of the nasopharynx rarely affect cats. This fact is explained by the good antibacterial immune system of the domestic predator, inherent in it by nature. Without such protection, the ancestors of domestic cats simply would not have been able to survive in the harsh conditions of the wild, fighting for their existence.

Cardiac (cardiac cough)

Types of cough

Experts distinguish the following types of cough:

• by intensity (from coughing to debilitating);
• by duration - acute (lasts from two days to one month), chronic (lasts several months);
• by sound - ringing or muffled;
• by the time of onset of the attack;
• according to the nature of the discharge - dry or wet with mucus.

The owner of a sick cat needs to observe the nature of the animal’s cough for some time. Thanks to accurate description attacks, the veterinarian will be able to more accurately diagnose the cause of the disease and prescribe effective treatment.

Cat cough varies:

1. Duration: acute or chronic. The first is characterized by a sudden appearance and duration from 1 day to 2-3 weeks. And here chronic variety lasts from 1 to several months;
2. By timbre: muffled or ringing;
3. According to the presence of discharge: wet or dry. The first form is accompanied by wheezing and gurgling, mucous and blood rejections are possible. A wet cough is caused by accumulations of exudate in the lungs. A dry cough, in turn, is abrupt;
4. By time of appearance and intensification: in the morning, daytime, evening and night;
5. By strength: weak, more like coughing, and strong, reminiscent of gagging;

In addition, cat cough is divided into types:

When a cat coughs, as if choking, doctors distinguish several types of its manifestation:

1. Duration: acute, chronic.
2. In terms of strength - mild, hysterical, debilitating, with or without vomiting.
3. By nature - voiced and deaf.
4. By type of discharge - dry and wet with phlegm, mucus, blood.
5. According to the time of occurrence - for example, only in the mornings or evenings, in spring or summer.

Note! Reduced immunity can cause a viral infection, so the animal should be excluded from the risk group in advance.

In search of an answer to the question of why a cat coughs, as if regurgitating, doctors determine the type of cough: the owner can record the actions on camera to simplify diagnosis. So, a respiratory attack indicates an infection, viruses in the lungs or bronchi. Harmful bacteria may not come out immediately, but pus and mucus will soon form, which dramatically worsens the condition of the furry patient. This type is rare in felines.

Cardiac cough is caused by a disorder of the heart muscle: defects can be congenital or acquired; cardiac pathologies or foreign bodies are often encountered. Treatment at home is impossible, since in addition to diagnostics, it will require taking medications and possibly surgery. There is no point in delaying a visit to the doctor, especially if the frequency of attacks increases and the condition worsens.

Veterinarians distinguish several types of cough in cats based on the following signs:

• duration;
• strength;
• timbre;
• discharge when coughing;
• time of day when the cat starts coughing.

The cough can be acute, lasting several days or weeks, or chronic, lasting for a number of months or years. The attacks can progress as follows: mild form, manifesting itself in the form of small coughs and in the form of a hysterical cough. The volume of cough varies from clear and loud to quiet and muffled.

Long-term veterinary practice allows us to distinguish several types of cough. Each of them characterizes a certain property of a biological process:

• Temporary feature: acute process over a couple of days, weeks; chronic – for years.
• Intensity: light superficial, powerful, strained.
• Sound alarm: barking, ringing, noisy, hoarse.
• Presence of discharge: wet, dry, purulent, mucous.
• Time of appearance: morning, afternoon, season of the year.

Each type of cough listed can manifest itself as an independent symptom, or it can occur in combination with a number of other bad signs of the disease. Let's take a closer look at possible reasons ah development of cough in cats.

Provoking factors

A single attack of cough spasm can be caused by exposure to foreign body(chicken or fish bones etc.) into the respiratory tract or esophagus (traumatic cough).

The hysterical urge will continue until the object is coughed up independently or removed through professional intervention.

In this case, the cat coughs, as if choking, and does not eat anything. Long-haired beauties regularly suffer from the formation of hairballs in the throat, which do not threaten their health and simply regurgitate.

A cat may also cough due to changes in the inhaled air, which contains dust, corrosive gases, smoke, aerosol particles, Strong smell household chemicals, paint and varnish materials, food or toilet litter. This also includes fine powders, in particular ground pepper, flour, mustard and other seasonings. The smell of tobacco affects the body of a pet in a similar way. All this applies to allergic manifestations.

However, the above-mentioned cough types are also provoked by pathological internal disorders in the body. They are called:

It is quite difficult to confuse a regular cough with other diseases, since it is similar to a regular cough. human symptom, but it may feel like the cat is choking or wants to vomit.

Coughing up the pussy occurs as a result of the need to get rid of accumulated mucus in the larynx, so when the bronchi and lungs are clogged (with dead cells, foreign bodies), a cough begins.

When coughing, the cat often stretches its neck forward and makes peculiar movements: arches its back, makes characteristic sounds. Cough is a symptom that indicates a disease, regardless of its nature. Whether it's a grunt or a barely noticeable wheeze, your cat needs a timely, thorough examination and diagnosis.

It is very difficult to confuse a cough with other diseases: it resembles an ordinary human symptom, but as if the animal is choking and wants to vomit. The respiratory muscles contract, the glottis immediately opens when inhaling, which leads to consequences in the pussy. Coughing is caused by the need to rid the larynx of accumulated mucus, so if the lungs and bronchi are clogged with foreign bodies and dead cells, a cough begins.

Unlike a person, the cat stretches its neck forward, making specific movements: its back bends, and characteristic sounds can also be heard. The symptom indicates a disease, regardless of its nature - whether it is wheezing or grunting, your cat needs examination and diagnosis. The body mobilizes protective reflexes in an attempt to prevent more serious illnesses.

Basic principles of diagnosing and treating cough in cats

Diagnosis of the disease includes the following studies:

1. Clinical examination (the doctor pays attention to the general condition of the animal, measures body temperature, examines the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and the eyeball).
2. Laboratory research. It is mandatory to take a blood and urine test, which allows you to identify inflammatory processes in organism.
3. Examination of internal organs (X-ray of the respiratory system, cardiogram to identify cardiovascular pathologies and so on).

For asthmatic diseases, the doctor prescribes courses of antihistamines and hormonal medications, and corticosteroids are often used. At the same time, treatment of bronchial asthma takes long time, often courses of drugs will have to be given to the animal for the rest of its life in order to maintain its stable condition. In most cases, asthma is a seasonal disease, so it is recommended to give medications twice a year - in spring and autumn.

An invasive cough reflex, that is, when affected by helminths, is treated with anti-worm medications, which should be given to the cat once every six months (this will ensure not only treatment, but also reliable prevention of this disease).

Cough resulting from viral diseases can be successfully treated with modern antibacterial drugs, as well as medications with an expectorant effect. After just a few days of this therapy, the animal’s condition will improve, and the cough will be much less frequent. However, in some cases, it is not recommended to give drugs that stop the cough reflex: this is done to ensure that all pathogenic microorganisms leave the body as quickly as possible.

• Coughing up trichobezoars.
• A cough that is caused traumatic injuries throat.
• Viral diseases.
• Helminthic infestations.
• Pneumonia.
• Asthma.

Coughing up trichobezoars

Cough in cats, caused by irritation of the gastric mucosa and its release through vomiting, is a physiological process in the body.

The process is due to the fact that the cat regularly carries out hygiene procedures by licking itself. Hair from the tongue, along with saliva, enters the stomach through the esophagus, where a hairball is formed, which irritates the mucous membrane. The cat feels discomfort and tries to free the stomach from the foreign body.

At the end of the attack, a round ball of hair comes out of the mouth and the animal stops wanting to cough.

This process is physiological and does not require treatment. If the problem recurs, the owners do not know what to do. In this case, the animal must be transferred to special food, reducing hair loss. Sometimes pastes are used that dissolve fur in the stomach, reducing its irritating effect.

Cough caused by traumatic throat injuries

Throat injuries can occur as a result of:

• feeding fish with bones;
• feeding poultry with bones;
• chewing toys and eating small parts.

These factors may cause minor scratches and cracks in the mucous membrane of the throat, which cause irritation, causing the cat to start coughing.

Before treating a cough in a cat or kitten, you need to make sure that it is not caused by injury to the tissues of the throat.

As a rule, this problem resolves at home without additional treatment after changing food. It is forbidden to feed adult cats, and especially kittens, foods with bones; they can cause not only damage to the throat, but also to the stomach and intestines!

Viral diseases

The most common viral diseases domestic cats are rhinotracheitis and calcivirosis.

Cough in cats due to viral infections is accompanied by lacrimation and inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose. The animal has elevated temperature, the cat constantly cranes his neck, the cat sneezes.

Kittens are vaccinated against rhinotracheitis and calcivirosis from the age of three months; this is the only way to prevent your pet from getting sick.

Worm infestations

Worms can develop in many organs. Quite often, roundworm larvae can migrate to the lungs. In this case, the cat’s cough is accompanied by stretching of the neck; the cat wants to pull out a ball of helminths.

Treatment and prevention helminthic infestations consists of regular deworming; it should be carried out at least once every 4 months. Regular preventive use of anthelmintics is easier than treating an animal with to a large extent infestations.

Pneumonia

Signs of pneumonia

• Increased body temperature.
• The cat coughs and wheezes.
• Lack of appetite.

Inflammatory processes in the lungs in cats develop very quickly, so it is necessary to promptly seek help from a veterinarian; he will make an accurate diagnosis and tell you how to cure the animal from pneumonia.

The main difference between pneumonia and diseases of viral etiology is the presence of wheezing in the lungs during and after coughing; the cough is so strong that the animal may begin to choke.

Rhinotracheitis may be accompanied by sneezing of the animal, which cannot be observed with pneumonia.

If a cat is coughing from pneumonia, then independent attempts to cure the pet can cause the development of irreversible processes in the lung tissues and lead to the death of the animal.

Lately, veterinarians often put similar diagnosis pets. Asthma can develop against the background of allergic processes, when the allergen constantly affects the animal. IN in rare cases Asthma can manifest itself as an independent congenital disease.

If the cat coughs in fits, during which the animal may sit with its neck extended and pressed to the floor. In this case, there is no general depression of the body, characteristic of pneumonia or viral infections.

To treat asthma, you need to seek the help of a veterinarian; he will establish a diagnosis and prescribe a course of treatment based on the cat’s health condition. It is strictly forbidden to start treating asthma on your own - this can cause a chronic disease in the animal.

Other causes of cough in cats

• Closure of the airway by a foreign object. If liquid gets into the nose, the cat sneezes. Occurs when an animal chokes on food or a foreign object; in other words, the cat simply choked.
• Development of cardiovascular failure.

  With this pathology, the symptom may be a dry cough that lasts more than 2 weeks.

• Development of tumors in the organs of the chest cavity. Neoplasms can cause compression of the airways and cause coughing.
• Hydrothorax and pneumothorax.

  These pathologies are quite rare, but can cause a cat to develop a cough.

• Hernias on the diaphragm. This pathology may be accompanied by the fact that the organs abdominal cavity enter the chest, causing compression and coughing.

Regardless of the reasons why a cat is coughing, it needs to be closely monitored. Coughing in cats occurs less frequently than in other animal species and is often a symptom of serious illness.

Only a veterinarian can determine the real reason If your cat has a cough and give her the right treatment.

Diagnosis of the causes of cough should include x-rays of the respiratory system, clinical analysis blood, in some cases it is recommended to conduct a test for the presence of a viral infection, as well as a bronchial biopsy.

Treating cough separately is not practical; it is necessary to combat the cause that led to this ailment. However, certain steps can be taken to alleviate your pet's condition. If a cat coughs violently and hysterically, it is recommended to use antitussive drugs that act directly on a specific area in the animal’s brain that is responsible for coughing.

Diagnosis of a cough in a cat, which caused such a painful condition for your furry, includes a number of special diagnostic techniques and studies. After an initial survey of the owner, the doctor will prescribe:

• General blood and urine analysis.
• Biochemical blood test.
• X-ray of the chest organs.
• Serological blood test.
• Analysis of feces for worm eggs.
• Endotracheal examination of the trachea.
• Examination of sputum samples.
• If cancer is suspected, a biopsy is taken.

Regarding treatment, it can be said that specific treatment cough does not exist. Considering the fact that cough is a symptom of a disease, symptomatic therapy is provided to reduce the severity and frequency of manifestations.

Of course, if a cat has been coughing as if he has been choking for a long time, then the owners will want to immediately relieve him of this debilitating cough. Depending on the characteristics of the disease that caused it, a number of bronchiolytic drugs (thinning sputum), antibiotics for infectious processes, anthelmintic and other medicines.

Cough treatment

A veterinarian knows best how to treat a coughing and hoarse cat. The chosen treatment methods will directly depend on the causes that gave rise to the pathological phenomenon.

If the owner of the mustache knows the exact cause of the cat’s cough, then he can show some independence by trying to help the cat.

Get rid of foreign objects

First of all, check your pet's mouth and tongue. A hairball or small foreign object can easily get into the mouth. To properly open the mouth, insert your fingers into it (in the area of ​​​​the corners where there are no teeth).

Try to move your jaws apart very carefully, showing special caution. If you find a foreign object, also try to pull it out as gently as possible, without touching the mucous membrane of the oral cavity.

Lack of moisture or allergic reaction

If you don’t find anything in the cat’s mouth, and the cat doesn’t stop sneezing, coughing, and stretches its neck towards the floor, then think about whether your pet is allergic to a new substance that has appeared in the house.

It is worth considering that allergies can occur not only when ingesting something, but also during inhalation. If a new item makes you suspicious, temporarily remove it from your home. Thanks to this, you can either refute the theory of the development of allergies in a cat, or confirm it.

What else can you do if your pet won't stop coughing? In some cases, the cat may simply suffer from lack of humidity. To help your furry breathe comfortably, try using humidifiers. A simplified version of a humidifier is an ordinary damp towel placed on a working battery.

Rid your pussy of worms

According to the above, one of the possible causes of cough in a cat is worms. If you haven’t paid attention to this for a year, be sure to purchase products specially designed for this at the pharmacy, using them strictly according to the instructions.

When a cat constantly coughs, as if choking, treatment is prescribed depending on the root cause of the disease and associated factors. There are various medications, including expectorants. They are sold in pet stores, but you should consult your doctor before using them. In your situation, you may need an expectorant product; you also often need remedies against the dry type of illness. The procedures are accompanied by antibacterial therapy, bed rest and additional restoration of the immune system are required.

Medicines for animals are produced in different forms, whether tablets or drops. You can choose any shape; fortunately, there are many types on the market. Treatment is carried out at home, doctor supervision is not required during the process, injections are prescribed extremely rarely. The average course takes about a week - of course, it all depends on the severity and stage, but most four-legged friends manage to recover during this time.

Successful treatment of cough depends on the accuracy of the diagnosis.

Infectious viral diseases are treated primarily by stimulating active work immune system, whereas in the case of an allergic cough (a symptom of bronchial asthma) or cancer, immunostimulants and vitamins will only worsen the animal’s condition.

When coughing infectious origin To destroy developing harmful microflora, antibiotics are often prescribed, but they should not be used without examination by a veterinarian. An incorrectly selected antibiotic will not solve the problem, but may confuse the diagnosis due to side effects or the emergence of bacteria resistant to it.

Self-medication for cat cough is effective only if it is caused by fur in the stomach.

All other cases of cough require an urgent visit to the doctor.

Coughing is a natural protective reaction of the body, which occurs when a foreign body enters the respiratory tract. Accordingly, the cat sneezes and coughs. However, this may be a symptom signaling the onset of a disease.

Possible reasons

If your cat is coughing, you need to consider all sorts of reasons:

The causes of cough in cats and kittens can be very different. And regardless of the fact that the pet sneezes and wheezes quite rarely, with the help of this he can contribute to the functioning of the whole organism. When coughing, the throat is cleared if the kitten or cat is choking.

Recognize a cough in furry pet possible with some movements. Typically, during this process, the pet stretches its neck down, arches its back and draws in its abdominal wall. At the same time, he wheezes, makes coughing sounds, and sometimes sneezes. In some situations, coughing is accompanied by vomiting.

After watching the video, you will learn exactly how a cat coughs.

Possible symptoms

To determine how to treat your pet, you need to find out the type of symptom:

1. Respiratory. The cough in such a situation at the very beginning of the disease is dry. Sputum and pus are not released.
2. Cardinal. This is a heart cough. The cause of its occurrence may be an enlargement of the heart muscle. It gradually begins to compress the trachea. In such a situation, the intensity with which the cat coughs and sneezes increases gradually. At the very beginning, the cough is muffled and unproductive.

If your furry creature is coughing and sneezing at regular intervals, you should consult a doctor. He will tell you what to do and how to treat the cat.

Why does fluffy cough?

The nature of the cough can help determine the causes. If it occurs at night, then in most situations this indicates inspiratory tracheal stenosis.

If a cat sneezes and coughs after physical exertion and excitement, then this can be considered a consequence of the fact that the mucous membrane of the larynx, tongue, trachea or bronchi is irritated. An attack-like process can be observed in the presence of asthma, viral infections. It is usually accompanied by inflammation of the upper respiratory tract.

If your pet is sneezing and coughing, but the cause cannot be determined, an x-ray examination, laboratory diagnostics, and monitoring of the pet over time may be required.

Self-treatment

When the fluffy starts coughing, it needs to be treated. And only veterinarians can not always cope with this. You can be independent and try to cure the cat.

Getting rid of foreign objects

First of all, you need to figure out whether your pet is really coughing. Maybe he's just sneezing. Usually, when coughing, the fluffy makes a wheezing sound. He begins to open his mouth. Sometimes he even sticks out his tongue. It may feel like the cat is simply suffocating.

Why might a cat cough? Check his mouth and tongue. A foreign object or hairballs may get into the mouth. In order to open the mouth, insert your fingers into it in the area of ​​​​the corners where there are no teeth. Open your jaws carefully, using caution.

Allergic reaction or lack of moisture

If there is nothing in the mouth, and the cat is sneezing, coughing, stretching its neck, think about whether all this could be due to an allergy. It can be caused by a new substance that has appeared in the house. Remember that allergies occur not only when you eat something, but also when you inhale it. If any item is suspicious, you need to temporarily remove it from the house.

What to do if your pet is coughing? It may simply not have enough moisture. Use humidifiers to improve your furry's breathing comfort. A damp towel, which is recommended to be placed on a working battery, will help with this.

Rid your pet of worms

As mentioned earlier, we need to figure out why the cat is sneezing and coughing. And the reason for this can be worms. In order to get rid of them, you need to purchase them at the pharmacy. special means and add them to your food. This action should be performed at least once a year.

Under the supervision of a doctor

If all of the above steps have been completed, and the cat is still sneezing and coughing, you need to contact a veterinarian. You should also consult a doctor if your pet begins to eat less and avoid communicating with people and other cats. In such situations, only a doctor should treat.

What to do if you can’t treat yourself? In such a situation, a set of special measures will be required that only a professional can perform. We are talking about laboratory tests, clinical examination, diagnostics of internal organs.

If the cough is a reflex, you just need to eliminate the cause. There is no need to do anything else, as the cat’s condition has stabilized. Coughing attacks will stop tormenting him.

Asthma is usually seasonal. Signs appear most often in summer and autumn. Accordingly, it is recommended to give medications in advance so that during the next attack the cat does not crane his neck and lie on the floor trying to clear his throat.

Invasive cough can be completely prevented if preventive deworming is carried out. It is recommended to do this procedure once every six months.

Use of antibiotics

If a cat cranes his neck, coughs while lying on the floor, and wheezes due to problems with the cardiovascular system, then a veterinarian should treat him. In such a situation, the owner does not need to do anything on his own.

Antibiotics should be used if the cause of cough is respiratory diseases. You may also need expectorant medications, which are designed to alleviate the animal's condition by reducing coughing. A doctor should prescribe such medications.

Antitussives

In order to change the nature of the cough (make it wet instead of dry) or stop it completely, experts have developed an impressive list medicines, which can be divided into two groups.

The first is medications that block this reflex, that is, they affect the cough center regardless of its nature. Such medical supplies otherwise called centrally acting antitussives. To use them, you only need a doctor's prescription.

Antitussive drugs include complex treatment. This is due to the fact that often they can only remove the symptoms of the disease without eliminating the root cause of its development.

As a result, the cat owner may have the illusion of recovery, but in reality the disease will progress. Another disadvantage of cough suppressants is that they are quite potent, so if used incorrectly, they can seriously harm your pet.

The second group of antitussive drugs are expectorants. They are not intended to relieve a cough, but to provide noticeable relief from a dry cough.

Expectorants increase the volume of mucus produced and thin it. Along with it, the pathogens themselves leave the body. These drugs are used to treat infectious coughs.

Regular pharmacies sell an unimaginable number of different combination medications- both expectorants and antitussives. But for effective treatment Not all of them will suit your cat. Moreover, some types of medications are strictly contraindicated for animals.

If you are sure that your pet is coughing and sneezing due to a cold, and you do not have the opportunity to visit a veterinarian, then buy Amoxiclav or another antibiotic of this group intended for cats at the pharmacy.

This drug is produced in the form of tablets and powder, from which a suspension is prepared. It is the liquid form of the drug that has proven itself to be more effective. To treat a cat, select the lowest dosage and pour in the powder clean water. Try feeding your animal this liquid three times a day, 2.5 ml, for no more than a week.

So, the owner of a furry couch potato should not ignore a cough, since this can be caused by serious ailments of the lungs, upper respiratory tract, and even the heart. Remember that self-medication of a pet can have extremely undesirable consequences.

Prevention

To prevent cough problems from bothering you in the future, it is recommended to follow simple rules prevention:

• do not let the baby become hypothermic;
• avoid swimming in cold water;
• stay on the street should be limited;
• regularly treat for worms;
• give balanced food;
• include hairball paste in your diet;
• fish and bones can damage the throat and intestines - you should avoid them;
• Kittens should not be allowed to play with small objects.

Note! Cleanliness in the apartment and basic hygiene will help you avoid many troubles: just clean more often, and don’t let your cat play with outdoor shoes.

Now you know why a cat coughs, as if choking. There can be many reasons, and it is extremely difficult to find out the source at home. But in medical institution After examination and tests, they will help you cope with the problem. Treatment will not be difficult if you visit a doctor on time. It's even better to practice preventive measures so that illnesses do not bother you.

Video on the topic

What can I do to prevent coughing from bothering my cat? Preventative measures will help keep your pet healthy:

1. Strengthening the immune system – the most important task. Twice a year, during periods of exacerbation chronic diseases, the cat must accept vitamin supplements, which were recommended by the veterinarian. Modern vitamins for animals have a rich and pleasant taste, so your pet will be happy to eat the aromatic tablet.
2. Timely prevention against the occurrence of helminths will avoid infection.
3. Avoid hypothermia of the animal: prolonged stay on the balcony in cold weather is not acceptable.
4. Vaccinate your cat promptly against diseases such as plague, laryngotracheitis, and so on. This will allow the animal to grow strong and healthy.

Thus, a cough in a cat in most cases indicates the presence of pathology in the body. Self-medication can lead to unwanted complications and even fatal outcome, therefore, if you notice a deterioration in your health pet, make an appointment with a qualified veterinarian as soon as possible.

Still have questions? You can ask them to our site's in-house veterinarian in the comment box below, who as soon as possible will answer them.

Most reliable way Prevention of infectious cough is timely and regular vaccination against viral diseases.

Modern vaccines reliably protect cats not only from rhinotracheitis, but also from calcivirosis, viral leukemia, rabies.

The use of special food additives and regular brushing of the pet will help to avoid coughing due to hairballs in shaggy cats.

Preventing cough as a separate ailment is hardly advisable, but you can alleviate the cat’s condition. Try to make it easy to breathe in the room: regularly ventilate the rooms, use humidifiers, do not use cheap household chemicals, do not smoke. In addition, make sure that the cat does not expose itself to unnecessary physical stress, as active body movements can make the pet cough with a vengeance.

A beloved pet, just like its owner, can catch a cold and start coughing. If such a symptom is noticed in a purring cat, then she has problems with respiratory system. In order to properly help an animal, you first need to understand why the cat started coughing - after all, this is how a serious illness can manifest itself.

When a fluffy coughs, he arches his back, sucks in his stomach and pulls his neck toward the floor. He may wheeze, sneeze and vomit; it often seems that the mustache is choking and trying to vomit. If mucus discharge is observed, it may contain blood.

A prolonged and loud cough indicates pathological processes in the respiratory tract. If a fluffy dog ​​suffers from coughing at night, then most likely it is inspiratory tracheal stenosis.

For asthmatic and allergic cough the pet seems to be suffocating. In the initial stage of the disease, attacks rarely make themselves felt, but the further the problem goes on and without contacting a specialist, the worse it gets. The disease can be inherited by a furry cat or manifest itself during life; it is more common in purrs older than 2 years.

A cough that worries your pet due to the accumulation of worms in the gastrointestinal tract is usually accompanied by the release of vomit. A pet can pick up worms both on the street and in the house by licking the owner’s shoes.

If an animal has heart problems, a cardiac cough is likely to occur when the enlarged heart muscle puts pressure on the trachea. Coughing sounds in in this case wheezing is ruled out, but the attack develops progressively. Usually, elderly creatures with mustaches suffer from this disease.

You can put off treatment for a long time, thinking that everything will go away on its own, but if the cause of the illness is serious, then the cough can become chronic. Correctly identify the root of the problem and start effective therapy Only a doctor can.

We provide assistance

Having understood the question of why your pet is coughing, in some situations you can provide independent help to the mustache:

1. If your pet sneezes, coughs, sticking out its tongue, then immediately rule out the presence of a foreign body in the mouth. Press on the corners of your mouth with your fingers, as if expanding it, and spread your jaws with special care. You may find a ball of fur in the mouth, which happens very often, or another small object.
2. If you suspect allergic reaction(which can be not only for food), try to remove all newly appeared substances in the house or temporarily do not use them (flavors, powders, etc.)
3. If your pet is suffering from cohabitation with worms, then you need to add special anthelmintic drugs to the food.

Whatever the cause of sneezing and coughing, take care normal level humidity in the room. If you don’t have a household humidifier, simply hang dampened towels over the radiators and periodically re-wet them in water.

When should you go to the veterinary clinic?

When the owner cannot find the root of the problem and has no idea what to do if his beloved cat is coughing, then it is worth taking the sick furry cat for examination to a veterinary clinic. If, along with a cough, the mustache changes eating behavior, the temperature rises, he becomes passive and less sociable, then you should not delay the trip to the doctor, because the reason can be very serious.

Therapy, started on time, usually returns the cat to a normal, non-coughing life within 7-8 days. Before prescribing medication, the doctor will examine the sick purr, listen to breathing, and conduct laboratory research and check internal organs. In some doubtful cases, an x-ray will be taken. To rule out viral diseases, a bronchial biopsy will most likely be needed.

Treatment will be carried out at home, but under the supervision of a specialist. Courses of injections are required in very rare cases.

If bronchial asthma is detected, then therapy will be long-term, using antihistamines and hormonal drugs. In some cases, the disease accompanies the pet throughout its life.

In order for the animal to get rid of mucus, medications with an expectorant effect are prescribed. You should not give your pet medications from your first aid kit. Effective drugs They are sold in pet stores, where you can choose a convenient release form - drops or tablets.

IN in some cases Antibiotic therapy and additional drugs are prescribed to restore immune defense.

Prevention

Exist simple rules that minimize the risk of disease:

• You should not bathe your fluffy in cold water.
• It is necessary to control the time your pet spends outside, especially during the cold season.
• Don’t forget about deworming 2 times a year and routine vaccinations.
• Make sure there are no drafts and sharp jumps temperature.
• Feed your pet a balanced diet of high-quality food.
• Use a paste in the diet that prevents the appearance of hairballs.
• Make sure that your pets do not feast on fish with sharp bones.
• Protect your four-legged creature from swallowing small objects as much as possible.
• Clean the room regularly and monitor air humidity.

Video

How much joy our beloved pets bring us! Your affectionate furry (or smooth-haired) four-legged friend greets you from work, purrs with happiness that he has waited for his beloved owner, and in the evening tries to climb onto your lap and watch TV with you. Idyll...

And suddenly you notice that the cat seems to be coughing. Is your pet sick? The first thought that comes to your mind is: he caught a cold or choked on something. Subconsciously, you begin to build an associative parallel between yourself and your four-legged friend. But you shouldn't do this. The fact is that cough (as a physiological act) is very similar in almost all mammals, but the reasons that cause it differ in humans and animals.

Moreover, a cat’s cough can be a symptom of quite serious cardiovascular or respiratory diseases, a sign of an acute infection.

What is a cough?

In cats, this is a reflexive, involuntary, jerky, sonorous exhalation. The cough comes from the cough center located in the medulla oblongata. It receives a signal from sensitive receptors. The largest number of them are located in the region vocal cords, larynx, as well as in the divisions of the bronchi and trachea. The places where cough receptors accumulate are called reflexogenic zones (cough zones).

It should be borne in mind that coughing is primarily a protective reflex that occurs in the animal’s body as a result of chemical or mechanical irritation of sensitive areas. For many diseases, it helps to more effectively evacuate pus, mucus, and foreign particles from the airways, thereby promoting speedy recovery animal.

A peculiarity of the cough zones, which are located in the bronchi and trachea, is that they respond almost equally to the provided irritation, which comes from the respiratory lumen or from the outside. Therefore, cough is considered a symptom of a disease both directly in the respiratory tract and in the tissues and organs surrounding them. In this regard, there can be many reasons for coughing.

Causes of cough

Veterinarians believe that such a symptom may indicate at least a hundred diseases. Naturally, we won’t be able to tell you about them all, but we will describe the most common ones.

Asthma

It is necessary to talk about this disease first of all, since cats, just like people, suffer from it quite often. Symptoms that a pet owner should pay attention to include the following:

1. The cat is coughing.
2. The animal develops shortness of breath.

The age of the cat is of particular importance in this case. Most often, this terrible disease develops in animals older than two years. At first, the attacks are rare, but over time they recur more and more often. The cat's general condition worsens - after a short time he may stop reacting to everything that happens around him. The disease requires immediate initiation of therapy. The causes of this disease in animals have not yet been fully identified. In some cats, the disease can be triggered by allergies, while others inherit it, at the genetic level.

Allergy

Don’t be surprised, but this disease, which affects millions of people all over the world, has not spared our smaller brothers. Have you noticed that barn cats sometimes cough? As a rule, this is a reaction to plant pollen. Although more often in this case they sneeze. If you notice that purebred kittens react this way, immediately show the babies to a veterinarian. If the diagnosis is confirmed, your pets will be prescribed the necessary medications.

Helminths

In this case, the animal’s immunity weakens. And coughing with this disease causes irritation of the receptors of the esophagus (due to vomiting).

Foreign object

Animals are very curious, and if small objects (beads, buttons, etc.) are within their reach, your pet may get serious injury. This is often the case with purebred kittens who are just beginning to explore the world. As a result of a foreign object entering the respiratory tract, the cat coughs.

If you think that the animal is suffering precisely for this reason, do not try to get the object on your own - without special tools and experience, you will only harm the animal. In such a situation, urgent veterinary attention is needed.

Heart diseases

You may have heard about the so-called “heart” cough in people. It can manifest itself in the same way in animals. The cause may be heart disease, in particular abnormalities in the functioning of the heart valves. With this pathology, the heart muscle increases in volume and puts pressure on the trachea, which is located very close to it. Because of this, the cat coughs, and the intensity of the attack gradually increases. At the same time, no wheezing is heard.

Features of cough

Unlike dogs, cats cough much less frequently. Often, with one disease in dogs, it progresses, and the purring beauties develop labored, hoarse breathing and shortness of breath. In addition, these symptoms are quite difficult to notice, let alone recognize.

It's all about the cat's instinct of self-preservation - animals intuitively avoid factors that provoke coughing when various diseases: they don’t play, move much less, don’t show unnecessary emotions, settle down in a well-ventilated place where no one and nothing bothers them.

In itself, such unusual behavior can be regarded as the beginning of some kind of disease. Have you noticed this with your pet? If possible, consult a specialist.

Types of cough

Doctors distinguish the following types of cough:

• by duration - acute (from two days to a month) and chronic (from several months);
• by intensity (from coughing to debilitating);
• by sound - muffled or ringing;
• by the nature of the discharge - wet with mucus or dry;
• according to the time of the attack.

Observe your pet's cough pattern. Your description of the attacks will help the doctor more accurately diagnose the causes of the disease.

Cat diseases: symptoms and treatment

And again let's return to bronchial asthma. A sick cat may suffer from sudden moderate or severe severe attacks cough. The animal is breathing heavily and has difficulty passing air. Typically, with this disease, the cat coughs and wheezes. Frequent sneezing is common with asthma.

The development of the disease can be affected by stress, air pollution, and weather changes. Bronchial asthma on initial stages It is more often observed in young animals (up to three years old); as a rule, representatives of the Himalayan and Siamese breeds are susceptible to it. Attacks become more frequent in spring and autumn, which is typical for most allergic diseases.

This diagnosis is made based on clinical examination animal - laboratory tests and radiography. Treatment is long-term and usually consists of corticosteroids and bronchodilators, given as injections or tablets.

Viral rhinotracheitis

This is an infectious disease that causes convulsive and frequent coughing attacks. For him, the age of the cat does not matter. At severe course illness the animal sneezes and coughs. His eyes are watering. The disease may be accompanied by a runny nose and diarrhea. All these symptoms are similar to the clinical picture of human influenza. But this does not mean that the cat has a cold. In this case, treatment is difficult and takes a lot of time. Therefore, timely vaccination is necessary as a preventive measure.

Cough after receiving “battle” wounds

If you have a young cat who likes to sort things out with his brothers, then suddenly he may start coughing. This may occur due to direct damage to the trachea from a bite received during a fight with an opponent. Such injuries provoke not only a cough: the animal often sneezes and even refuses to eat, since the passage of food causes pain.

In this case, help consists in treating the injury to avoid suppuration of the wound.

Cough from worms

The intensity of the cough with problems with the heart valve increases gradually, it is usually muffled (uterine), and does not contain any secretions. This disease usually affects older animals. It seems that the old cat seems to have choked on something and is trying to get rid of a foreign body. You can make sure that this is a cardiac pathology by observing your pet for several days. If the cough is absolutely the same in nature, and its intensity and frequency also increases, then a visit to veterinary clinic cannot be postponed.

Treatment

If your pet is coughing, wheezing, or has shortness of breath, and all these symptoms are accompanied by a deterioration in health, complete absence or a decrease in appetite, and even the cat’s temperature has increased, it is urgent to show him to a specialist.

Before visiting the clinic, provide the animal with an influx of fresh air and complete peace. In some cases, humidifying the air in the room helps alleviate the condition. Before determining the causes of the disease, do not give any medications - you will only blur the real picture of the disease and complicate its diagnosis, which can cause irreparable harm to your pet.

The doctor will collect an anamnesis and, based on it, recreate a complete picture of the occurrence and development of the disease, after asking you about the conditions of keeping and feeding the animal. This is usually followed by examination of the upper respiratory tract, listening to the trachea, lungs and bronchi. Often in such a situation it is done X-ray and a blood test is taken. If specific pathologies are suspected, an X-ray contrast examination of the esophagus, laryngo-, tracheo-, broncho- and esophagoscopy will be required. In addition, a study will be carried out for the presence of viral blood infections, and a bronchial biopsy is possible.

This process can be long and quite labor-intensive. For this reason, before the underlying cause of the cough is identified, the doctor will prescribe symptomatic, supportive treatment to alleviate the condition of the four-legged patient.

Antitussives

To stop a cough and/or change its character (remove dry and cause wet), there are many medications. Conventionally, they are divided into two groups. The first includes medications that block this reflex and affect the cough center, regardless of its nature. They are called central action. Only a doctor prescribes such drugs. They are usually included in complex therapy. This is primarily due to the fact that in most cases they only remove the symptoms of the disease, but do not eliminate the cause of its occurrence. As a result, the illusion of recovery may be created, but in fact the disease will progress. In addition, antitussive drugs are classified as potent drugs, and if used incorrectly, they can harm the animal.

The second group is expectorants. They do not stop coughing, but they significantly alleviate dry coughs by increasing the volume of mucus produced and diluting it. Along with it, pathogens of the disease are eliminated from the body. These drugs are used to treat infectious coughs.

Pharmacies sell many combination medications for people - both expectorants and antitussives. However, not all of them are suitable for your pet. Moreover, some products are strictly contraindicated for animals.

If you are sure that your cat is coughing and sneezing because he has a cold, and you do not have the opportunity to visit a veterinarian, you can buy Amoxiclav or another antibiotic of this group (for cats) at the pharmacy. It can be presented in the form of tablets and powders, from which a suspension is prepared. More often than not, the liquid form is more effective.

It is necessary to select the smallest dosage and add water to the powder. Give this drug to the animal three times a day, 2.5 ml. The course of treatment is no more than seven days.

Before starting treatment, it is necessary to accurately identify the cause of the disease. Do not forget that coughing in many cases is a protective reaction of the animal’s body; it can be beneficial by speeding up recovery. In other words, it is often not necessary to fight it until complete victory with the help of antitussives. The only exception may be a dry, debilitating cough, which causes anxiety and deterioration in the animal. general condition. In this case, consultation with a specialist is necessary.

The immune system of cats (as well as many other predators) is focused on powerful antibacterial immunity. This is due to the fact that in the struggle for territory or during hunting, the wild ancestors of our beloved pets quite often received injuries. Without strong immune protection against various bacteria, no animal can survive in the wild.

Bacterial infections of the nasopharynx (including respiratory cough) are much less common in cats than in humans and dogs. They can develop only against the background of severe weakening of the immune system. Therefore, the generally accepted concept of a “cold” is not typical for cats, although, of course, there are exceptions.

Let's sum it up

If you want your pet to be healthy (and almost all animal owners want this), then, if you notice that the cat is coughing, observe him for 24 hours (of course, if there are no signs of suffocation), and then go to the veterinary clinic. Do not self-medicate: it is just as dangerous for animals as for people. Spend everything necessary vaccinations and regularly cleanse the animal’s body of helminths. Only in this case will your affectionate pet be healthy and you happy.

The material in this article contains only information that may be useful for general familiarization with such a problem and making further decisions on the treatment of your beloved pet, but it is worth remembering that only a veterinarian can give advice in a specific case.

Cough in cats: symptoms, causes and treatment with folk remedies

Coughing in cats is very similar to humans - a sharp exhalation when inhaling with compression of the pectoral muscles. At the same time, cats suck in their stomachs and extend their heads.

A cough may occur due to a protective reaction when a foreign body enters the respiratory tract, but if the cough is prolonged, then it is possible that the cough is just a symptom of some disease. If your pet is diagnosed with bronchitis, then traditional treatment You can also use folk remedies.

Warm milk with herbs is a good folk recipe that will help your pet recover faster.

Add a tablespoon of sage to a glass of milk. Place the mixture on the fire, stirring little by little. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and strain. Give in small portions before bedtime. Reheat before serving!

Why does a cat cough as if it was choking or choking and how to treat it

This cough occurs when a foreign body enters the respiratory tract. May be caused by: pepper, fluff or any mechanical damage respiratory tract. What to do? Protect your cat from getting foreign substances into her lungs and she will soon recover.

Why does a cat cough at night, after eating or drinking, in the morning?

Most likely, the cat has a respiratory illness, which should be examined by a doctor immediately. Only a veterinarian, after establishing the type of cough, can make an accurate diagnosis. Sometimes the appearance of a cough cannot give a complete picture of the disease, so the cat will have to be tested.

Why does a cat cough and stretch its neck?

Typically, neck craning is one of the symptoms of coughing.

Why does a cat cough and breathe heavily, how to treat it

Is your pet's heavy breathing accompanied by a cough? This is one of the main signs of bronchitis in a cat, so immediately take your pet to a veterinarian, who will indicate the correct treatment.

Cough in cats with heart failure, asthma, calcivirus, what to give her

They give antihistamines, support with vitamins, and the doctor, in turn, prescribes antibiotics. Such diseases cannot be treated independently - they can lead to fatalities. Contact your veterinarian if you notice symptoms similar to calcivirus or heart failure or asthma.

A cat coughs until he vomits, what to treat

For respiratory diseases “cough until vomiting” common occurrence, as it can be strong and long-lasting. They treat the disease itself, not the symptom! Therefore, contact a veterinarian who will indicate how to treat this or that disease.

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The cat has a cough, treatment is not helping. What should I do?