The cat is coughing a lot. Why does a cat cough and wheeze: what to do?

In the process of communicating with furry pets, owners often notice that the cat is coughing, as if it was choking. This condition cannot be left to chance, since the causes of cough can be very diverse: from a simple cold to the development of a severe form of asthmatic disease.

You can determine some of the reasons for changes in an animal’s health yourself by carefully observing its behavior. Knowledge of the main factors leading to coughing in cats will help to timely diagnose the pathological condition and provide assistance.

Read in this article

Mechanism of cough development

Coughing in humans and animals is a protective reflex caused by irritation of sensitive areas in the upper respiratory tract.

In this case, irritants can be very diverse: mechanical (dust), chemical (acids, alkalis), biological (viruses, bacteria, fungi). By coughing, the airways are cleared of mucus, inflammatory products, and foreign particles.

When watching cats cough, owners note that this phenomenon is a little similar to a normal human cough. However, the animals take a specific pose: the animal stretches its neck forward, and the characteristic sounds produced cause the feeling that vomiting will follow.

The cough mechanism is associated with the development of irritation on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract: bronchi, lungs. Inflammatory processes often lead to this phenomenon. Inflammation provokes the accumulation of mucus in the lumen of the larynx. Irritation of the receptors provokes the body to get rid of exudate.

The cough center is located in the brain, according to a signal from which nerve impulse reaches sensitive receptors located in the larynx. The muscles of the upper respiratory tract contract reflexively; when inhaling, the open glottis causes the sound characteristic of coughing.

Having discovered a characteristic posture and sound in his pet, the owner must take measures to determine the causes of this condition. For this purpose, it is useful to know what types of cough can be, how they are characterized, and what consequences they have for the health of the animal.

About what causes coughing in cats and how to help for a pet, watch in this video:

Species

Veterinary experts distinguish the following categories of cough in couch potatoes:

Duration: acute or chronic. Acute cough is characterized by sudden occurrence and lasting from 1 to 7 days. Chronic can drag on for a long time - up to several months.

By sound - ringing or muffled.

Depending on the type of discharge (or lack thereof) – dry or wet. A dry cough is characterized by a hacking sound. When wet, the owner may notice wheezing and gurgling. The cough may be accompanied by the release of mucus, sputum, and blood.

By time of appearance: morning, afternoon, evening, night.

By strength: weak, noted as coughing and strong, while the cat coughs as if he wants to vomit.

The owner of the animal should pay attention to these features. Detailed information about the type of cough will allow the veterinarian to correctly guess the cause, prescribe diagnostic procedures and determine treatment.

In addition to the above categories, veterinary specialists also note the respiratory and cardiac forms. At respiratory form The cough is usually loud.

In the first stages inflammatory process no secretions are observed in the respiratory organs, associated symptoms(runny nose, sneezing, fever) do not appear immediately.

A cardiac or cardiac cough is the cause and is accompanied by a dull sound. No mucus or sputum secretion is observed. The reason for such a reflex act is either a pathological thickening of the walls of the heart, or the accumulation of exudate in the lungs due to circulatory disorders in the pulmonary circle.

Reasons for appearance

There are many reasons why a cat coughs.

When a cat coughs and sneezes, what should the owner do in such a situation? First of all, it is necessary to carefully observe the pet, understand the nature and characteristics of the reflex act. A variety of factors leading to coughing require a qualified examination of the animal by a specialist. Self-diagnosis can lead to deterioration of the animal’s condition, and in some cases (foreign bodies in the trachea) even to death.

Diagnosis of the condition

After collecting an anamnesis, which includes information about the conditions of detention, the pictures began pathological process, the veterinary specialist will carry out a number of diagnostic measures:

Diversity diagnostic methods and techniques indicates the difficulty of diagnosing the causes of such a phenomenon as coughing in a cat.

Treatment

When a cat coughs and wheezes, only a veterinarian can determine how to treat it. Therapy will depend on the causes that gave rise to pathological phenomenon. If the cough is caused by an injury to the upper respiratory tract, the animal will receive immediate qualified assistance. Delay in this case may result in the death of the animal from suffocation.

Most often, for serious pathologies, antibiotics are used in the form of injections: Amoxoil Retard, Enrofloxacin, etc. For effective treatment Before prescribing antibacterial drugs, a sensitivity test is performed.

Spacer for cats with bronchial asthma

In addition to antibiotics, pets are prescribed expectorants and mucolytic drugs that improve the separation of mucus from the upper respiratory tract. Immunomodulators and vitamins are of no small importance. Vitamin A and ascorbic acid will be especially useful.

If the reason chronic cough If myocardial pathology is established, therapy is aimed at treating cardiac pathology. Asthmatic etiology is treated with bronchodilators and glucocorticosteroids. In case of allergic etiology, actions are aimed at identifying the allergen and eliminating it. To alleviate the pet's condition, antihistamines are used, for example, Tavegil, Suprastin.

Prevention

Experienced breeders and veterinarians recommend that owners take the following preventive measures:

Keeping your pet in a clean and ventilated area. Regular wet cleaning, use of air humidifiers, lack of tobacco smoke reduce the risk of developing reflex cough in pets.

Prevention of hypothermia - keep in a warm room, without drafts.

Regular treatment of the animal against helminths. Exclusion from the pet's diet raw meat and fish.

Vaccination against such viral infections, such as rhinotracheitis, calcivirosis, etc.

Strengthening the pet's immunity: feeding with nutritious food, vitamin and mineral prophylaxis.

The owner of a furry couch potato should not ignore a cough. The cause of the reflex act can be serious diseases of the upper respiratory tract, lungs and even the heart. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate your pet. The effectiveness of treatment directly depends on correct and timely diagnosis.

It's funny when runny nose in cats most often it is the cause of a cold, which does not pose a danger to the animal if treatment is started. But, unfortunately, in domestic cats, nasal discharge can indicate serious illnesses. Correct diagnosis the veterinarian will diagnose. Our article about the causes of a runny nose, what to do if cat sneezing t, types of nasal diseases accompanied by a runny nose, and how to treat an animal at home.

How to tell if your cat has a cold

Cats get colds for the same reasons as people get colds. Cats of any age can develop a runny nose. Hypothermia and drafts cause colds. If after bathing the cat was on a cold floor or in front of open window and after that the cat sneezes - be sure that she has a common cold.

The causes and symptoms of colds in cats are as follows:

Increased body temperature (measured through anus. The normal body temperature of a cat is 38 degrees).

Hot nose, ears, paw pads.

The cat sneezes and coughs periodically.

Weakness.

Lack of appetite.

The cat mostly sleeps.

Also an additional sign of a cold -.

Treatment of colds in cats

When treating a cold the first day you can get by traditional methods: provide the cat with warmth, food in the form warm milk, vitamins, grass and, if possible, massage her paws. This will increase blood flow, which will speed up recovery.

Clean your nose and eyes with a cotton pad. For this, chlorhexedine or weak solution potassium permanganate.

1. Novocaine 1% + Adrenaline.

2. Tannin 0.5%.

3. Ethacridine 0.2%.

4. Zinc sulfate - 2%.

If your eyes begin to fester and nasal discharge changes consistency, switch to antibiotics Tobrex or Ciprofloxacin.

UNDER NO EVENT don't give it to the cat paracetamol. The composition of the medicine is toxic to cats and can cause severe internal bleeding.

Usually these measures help the animal overcome a cold.

Symptoms and treatment of laryngitis

Laryngitis in cats- This is an inflammation of the laryngeal mucosa. It occurs due to hypothermia of the animal, feeding very cold or icy food, prolonged exposure to the cold, as well as chemical odors and smoke. Laryngitis can also be provoked.
We recommend that you do not make a diagnosis yourself or experiment with medicines. Laryngitis accompanies rabies and tuberculosis, and the symptoms of the disease can easily be confused with calcivirosis and rhinotracheitis.

The disease is manifested by wheezing, difficulty swallowing, lack of appetite, weakness of the animal and prolonged sleep. Body temperature usually remains normal or slightly elevated. Sometimes vomiting appears after coughing - this is due to inflammation of the larynx.

Treatment: When the cat sneezes and coughs

Warmed food, water, milk, broth will help cope with laryngitis. Do not give dry food - so as not to irritate the throat mucosa. Switch to feeding temporarily wet food or natural food.

Keep your pet warm - do not bathe him under any circumstances until he recovers, and do not expose him to drafts.

Bromhexine and mucaltin cure a cat's cough.

If laryngitis is a consequence of allergies, it is appropriate to use Diphenhydramine or Prednisolone.

It is also appropriate to apply dry compresses (heated salt wrapped in cloth) to the cat's neck area.

To cure a runny nose in a cat, bury the nose sea buckthorn oil- it has antibacterial effect and heals the mucous membrane.

Rhinitis in cats

Runny nose in cats most often occurs due to a cold. Rhinitis can also be the result of allergies - to dust, perfume, air freshener or other products household chemicals. If left untreated, rhinitis progresses to chronic form- then it is dangerous due to the growth of polyps and adenoids. How can you tell if a cat’s runny nose is due to an allergy? The discharge is watery, sneezing is frequent. If there is an infection, the discharge becomes colored, becomes viscous and has a specific odor.

With rhinitis, a cat's nose becomes red, especially the edges of the nostrils, wheezing is heard when breathing, and with infections - lacrimation and the formation of crusts under the eyes.

How to cure rhinitis in cats

1. Regularly treat your eyes, remove crusts with a cotton swab moistened with chlorhexedine or saline solution.

2. When infectious agent drip your nose Galazolin- 2 drops each

3. Rinse the spout saline solution- Dissolve 1 ml of salt in 100 ml of water. For administration, use a syringe without a needle or a pipette with a sharp tip.

4. Treatment of a runny nose in cats is carried out with a solution of adrenaline with 1% novocaine. Also suitable for children Naphthyzin.

5. Mandatory for boosting immunity - Gamavit.

6. If the cat is given, do inhalation by adding 2 drops of eucalyptus to the steaming water.

7. In case of complications, give Dioxycycline By following diagram: Day 1, half a tablet per 1 kg of weight. The next 2 days - a tenth of a tablet per 1 kg of weight.

Fosprenil- 0.5 ml/kg. Course - 7 days.

Sinusitis in cats

Sinusitis is difficult to diagnose on your own. Colds Symptoms are similar in cats. In cats, the symptoms of sinusitis do not differ from those in humans - the cat rubs its nose with its paw, tries not to make sudden movements of its head, becomes less mobile, sneezes often, body temperature is slightly elevated, nasal discharge is cloudy, sometimes greenish in color, and stretchy.

Treatment at home

1. For instillation: Maxidin (0.15%) or Furacilin (0.1%).

2. Treat the nose chlorhexedine.

3. Lubricate the nostrils oxolinic ointment.

4. Drip 1 drop of St. John's wort decoction into the nostrils - the herb stops the growth of pathogenic microflora.

5. Penicillin antibiotics are needed.

6. If possible, provide the animal with warming up.

Other possible causes of a runny nose

1. Caries. Infection in oral cavity penetrates the nasopharynx, causing inflammation of the mucous membrane. As a result, the cat sneezes, its nose runs, and its eyes water. In this case, you need to contact a veterinarian to eliminate the cause of the runny nose.

Untimely treatment of these diseases is fatal for cats.

Contact a specialist. The veterinarian will provide full information about your pet’s condition, make a diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment.

Coughing in cats as an independent phenomenon is rare. The reasons for the development of cough can be collected in a whole sea. Treatment is used in situations where there are other signs of the disease, or when it is impossible to independently eliminate the causes. Cough is a reflex movement of the airways and lungs. The main purpose of coughing is to expel anything foreign.

Causes of cough in cats

There are two main causes of cough: inhalation, ingestion of foreign substances, and illness. Inhalation of dust and dirt particles contributes to the coating of the respiratory tract with harmful elements. Small particles irritate the sensitive mucous membrane. The amount of substance ingested directly affects the manifestation of cough. Large-scale penetration develops strong, deep cough. Also, a certain painful reaction is caused by inhalation of burning food products, aerosols.

Then signs of allergies are added: lacrimation, salivation, sneezing. Cat contact with ground pepper, mustard. The products have a pronounced aftertaste and strongly irritate the pharynx and esophagus. Some cats are so sensitive that contact may end anaphylactic shock. Volatile caustic substances cause coughing. At home main danger represents cigarette, tobacco smoke, hookah.

Cigarette smoke contains, in addition to an unpleasant odor, a certain amount of components that are harmful to a cat’s health. As they accumulate, they oppress protective functions organism, cause various disorders. The first to suffer respiratory system, manifested by a cough, the occurrence of mucosal lesions - ulcers, wounds, crusts. Burning plastics and rubber is also extremely dangerous. Inhalation of such fumes can result in massive poisoning and death of the cat.

Ingestion of foreign objects is a separate category of cough development. Cats are famous for their ability to get into hard-to-reach places and feast on inedible things. The range of substances ingested can be astounding. Houseplants the first to suffer. Many plants grown at home pose some degree of threat to cats. Many are poisonous and may contain toxic substances. Eating a leaf you like best case scenario ends with coughing and vomiting. At worst, poisoning begins.

Then follow various toys, unattended items belonging to small child, careless owner. Little kittens love to play with balls; a classic toy is a ball of thread. The fibers of the threads are dangerous, they easily get tangled between the teeth and remain on the root of the tongue. The size of the threads is very small, but you can feel it. The cat diligently coughs up an unpleasant substance. The problem with such toys lies in the possibility of intestinal blockage.

Soft rag toys may tear or be partially swallowed. Left behind paper, notebooks, and pens become the subject of games for active cats. Of course, such objects are usually swallowed accidentally. They can get stuck and move deeper into the cat's esophagus. In the vast majority of cases, the cat copes with what it has swallowed on its own.

Poorly processed ingredients in food cause coughing. Hazardous components: fish bones, poultry, hard pieces meat, foreign non-food items, concentrated spices, unprocessed offal. Many canned foods have an incorrectly balanced composition. Some add animal skin containing hairline, there may be inedible bone parts of the body, excessive amounts of preservatives.

A side effect of a cat eating food quickly is that particularly large pieces get stuck across the throat. The cat coughs and gets rid of the inconvenient piece, then eats it again. Quick Drinking cold water stimulates the development of reflex cough. By the way, excessive dry air, high temperature may contribute to a mild cough.

Diseases of the heart and blood vessels cause the development of the reflex. Usually, the course of such a disease is mixed with specific symptoms, which can be difficult to miss. The cough is long-lasting and periodically intensifies. Rejection of mucus and secretions may also occur. The last source of cough is allergies. The nature of the manifestations will differ, depending on the allergen and the place of exposure to the irritant.

Cough symptoms

It is worth remembering that a spasm is always a sign of problems in the cat’s health. There is no such disease as “cough”. The symptoms of a cough are obvious. The essence of the mechanism is as follows: a quick sharp exhalation after a deep inhalation. Lungs strain, grow chest pressure, followed by a reflex spasm, the lungs and throat clear. The cat arches, sucks in its stomach, tilts its head.

Coughing is accompanied by various sounds depending on the cause. It can be heard deep, chesty, booming, ringing. Discharge when coughing can vary, so the cough can be wet (wet) or dry. Any type that is accompanied by air humidification is considered humid. The strength of the reflex is also different: one-time spontaneous, long-term, exhausting.

The duration and period of occurrence of the cough also matters. It is necessary to track the time of the onset of spasms and the characteristics of their manifestation. Of course, a full diagnosis can only be made after comprehensive tests.

Cough treatment

Therapeutic measures can be partially carried out at home, especially when the problem does not lie in illness. Treatment for ingestion of foreign objects comes down to eliminating and removing them. You can additionally give your cat a wound healing agent. Poisonous products are washed out by treating the oral cavity. Tobacco smoke is dissipated by ventilating the room.

Detection of worms requires application anthelmintic drugs. Usually a single dose is enough. It is recommended to treat your cat preventively every six months. The protection is strong and lasts a long time. The problematic food needs to be replaced, or the ingredients must be additionally crushed. Allergic manifestations relieved with antihistamines.

Diseases cardiovascular system, respiratory infections are treated by a veterinarian. A suitable treatment regimen is developed taking into account physiological characteristics cats, conditions, sensitivity to drugs. For respiratory diseases, it is useful to use specific medications aimed at a specific type of cough.

Cough prevention

This includes timely anthelmintic treatment, vaccinations for the cat, and compliance with adequate maintenance standards. It is recommended to provide the correct temperature regime, monitor the composition of the air - avoid smoking indoors.

A cat's cough indicates that the animal's airways are irritated. foreign object or your pet is sick. This symptom cannot be ignored - you need to take the animal to a veterinary clinic for examination. Once diagnosed, it is important to begin treatment immediately.

Causes and types of cough in cats

Cough is important defense mechanism, the main task of which is to cleanse the respiratory tract of foreign objects. Such objects can be hard objects, fur, stuck food - anything that gets in the way normal breathing and swallowing. A reflex cough can occur due to irritants such as smoke. Often serves as a mechanism for removing inflammatory products along with the cause of their occurrence (sputum with allergens is released, pathogenic microorganisms, helminths, etc.).

Cats have a slightly different cough than humans. If in a person coughing begins with a quick deep breath (it lasts no longer than 2 seconds), then in an animal such a primary phase can last up to 4-7 seconds, during which the cat makes wave-like movements of the body, similar to the urge to vomit. During the cough itself, both humans and animals use abdominal muscles(contract to increase pressure in the chest and “squeeze out” a foreign object located in the respiratory tract). But at the same time, the cat takes a specific pose - bends down to the floor, stretches its neck forward, turns its head, opens its mouth wide, and stretches out its tongue.

If the cat presses down to the ground, stretches its neck, turns its head, opens its mouth, then these are warning signs of either coughing or vomiting.

You can suspect a particular pathology by the type of cough and accompanying symptoms:

Incessant muffled cough, the cat has difficulty taking a breath, saliva flows from its mouth - this indicates a foreign object in the larynx.
A barking, frequent cough may indicate swelling of the larynx (for example, during an allergic attack).
Dry cough with stridor (wheezing) occurs with infectious diseases and tumors of the upper respiratory tract, acute cardiovascular failure.
Paroxysmal cough, accompanied by signs of asphyxia, occurs with complicated allergies and asthma.
A “gurgling” loud cough is characteristic of pathologies accompanied by the formation of pus (sputum) in the respiratory organs (the cause is complicated infectious diseases, helminthic infestation).
Periodic cough with a small amount of mucous sputum (sometimes streaked with blood) is a sign of a tumor or myocardial pathology.

Based on the nature of the cough, one or another disease can be suspected. But accurate diagnosis is based on comprehensive examination, which is difficult to do at home - you need to take the coughing animal to the veterinarian.

If the cat cannot clear its throat, makes whistling sounds, drools, and its back bends in a wave-like manner, the animal is most likely choking and needs emergency help.

How are coughing animals diagnosed?

IN veterinary clinic the doctor will interview the owner about the nature of the cough, the presence of other symptoms (vomiting, mucous discharge from the nose and eyes, diarrhea, refusal to eat, insomnia). Then he will examine the cat, measure its body temperature, and listen to its bronchi, lungs, and trachea with a phonendoscope. To exclude infection, blood, feces and urine microflora tests are taken. If you suspect cardiovascular failure The cat is examined using ultrasound. To identify worms settling in the respiratory organs, washes are made from the mucous membranes of the trachea and pharynx.

A chest x-ray is done when chronic course cough. The image shows purulent foci, tumors, and foreign objects. If during the study thickening of the bronchial walls is revealed, then the cause of the cat’s illness is asthma or bronchitis. Allows you to accurately determine pathology cytological analysis bronchial mucus (in asthma there will be an abundance of eosinophils, in bronchitis there will be a predominance of neutrophils and macrophages).

X-ray of the cat's chest allows you to identify most of the pathologies that cause chronic cough

Basic methods of treating pathologies that cause cough

Putting off visiting a veterinarian if you have a cough and trying to help your pet yourself is dangerous - you can unknowingly make a mistake with the diagnosis and start incorrect treatment. You can take independent measures before contacting a veterinarian only if you suspect that the animal is choking. In this case, delay is dangerous, as it can lead to death.

If you see that a cat cannot clear its throat, it begins to experience asphyxia and saliva flows from its mouth, then you need to quickly pick up the animal and carefully open its mouth with your fingers. It is better for several people to participate - one person will hold the animal, illuminate the larynx with a flashlight, and the second will remove the foreign object with fingers or tweezers. If the object in the cat’s throat is not visible, then you need to lower the animal to the floor and lift it back body and at the same time gently squeeze chest cat or tap it between the shoulder blades. If within 3-5 minutes of performing these actions the cat still does not cough or spit out foreign object, then you can’t do without the help of a doctor - you need to find every opportunity to show the animal to a specialist as quickly as possible.

To examine the mouth of a cat that has choked on something, you need to gently press on the cheekbone area with one hand from above, and with the other hand slightly pull the skin under the jaw (you cannot press on the jaw itself with your fingers, as this can lead to a fracture)

If there are no symptoms of asphyxia, a coughing cat should also be seen by a doctor. True, in this case there is no need for emergency hospitalization animal (for example, if the cough occurs at night, you can wait to visit the clinic until the morning). After diagnosing and determining the source of the problem, the doctor prescribes the necessary course of treatment.

Therapy is divided into two parts - symptomatic (temporarily improving the cat’s well-being) and eliminating the cause of the malaise. For cough, the animal is given drugs that act on the cough center, blocking the reflex (for example, Sinekod, Bronholitin). Such medications should only be prescribed by a veterinarian and must be included in complex treatment. For a dry cough, expectorants such as ammonium chloride or salbutamol are given. They provoke the liquefaction and removal of mucus (at first they make the cough worse, but when the mucus comes out, the cat immediately feels better).

The main treatment depends on the diagnosis:

If the cough is caused by worms, the cat needs a course of anthelmintics: Milbemax, Stronghold, Kanikvantel, etc.
In the case of an allergic cough, the animal is given Suprastin, Tavegil or others antihistamines. It is imperative to identify the allergen and make sure that the cat no longer comes into contact with it (otherwise it is useless to take medications - attacks will be repeated constantly).
At infectious pathology antibiotics are taken (penicillins, cephalosporins, tetracyclines, chloramphenicol, macrolides or other groups antimicrobial agents- are selected depending on the type of pathogen).
Heart failure is treated with glycosides and potassium preparations. It is imperative to protect your pet from elevated physical activity and stress, which are provocateurs for increased cardiac cough.
Injuries to the larynx require immobilization (rest) of the neck, antibacterial, analgesic, and decongestant therapy. Feeding may be done through a feeding tube to prevent food from irritating the wound.
Bronchitis and others inflammatory diseases respiratory organs are treated with antibiotics wide range actions (for example, Streptomycin, Erythromycin) and anti-inflammatory drugs.
When a cat has an asthmatic attack, glucocorticosteroids and bronchodilators (drugs that dilate the bronchi) are prescribed.

In addition to medications, a sick cat needs special care: he needs warmth, peace and proper nutrition(only liquid or soft food is given, as hard pieces will irritate the throat and worsen the cough)

How to treat a kitten's cough

Even isolated cases Coughing in kittens should alert the owner. Immune protection babies are not able to cope with attacks from viruses and bacteria. The disease in children develops 5 times faster and more complex than in adults; it can have such a rapid course that without timely treatment, the baby will die in less than a couple of days.

A kitten can cough for the same reasons as a large animal. Most often, diseases occur due to incorrect conditions contents (if the “nest” is in a draft, the baby freezes all the time). Infection viral disease, worms can come from the mother cat.

The methods of treating a coughing kitten are identical to the principles of treating an adult cat. But when selecting medications, you need to look at the instructions so that there is no age contraindications, and also carefully measure the dosage depending on the weight of the kitten. It is advisable to add immunostimulants and probiotics (for example, Vetom, Symbolact, Florentin) to the course of treatment, which will strengthen the immune system and improve the absorption of medications taken.

Preventive measures

The following preventive measures will help reduce the risk of diseases accompanied by cough:

Do not allow your pet to become hypothermic. Do not let the cat sleep on a cold surface, sit in drafts, or let it go outside in severe frosts or high humidity.
Regularly ventilate rooms in the house and do frequent cleaning to eliminate the possibility of developing allergies or asthma.
Avoid contact with sick animals.
Do not let your cat lick or rub against outdoor shoes.
Do not allow your pet to drink dirty water or eat foods that may contain helminth eggs (raw meat and river fish pose a particular threat).

It is important that the cat’s diet is balanced and contains vitamins and microelements. Respiratory diseases caused by viruses can be avoided through timely vaccination. It is also recommended to undergo 2-3 times a year preventive examination at the veterinarian, even if at the moment there is no reason to worry. This will allow us to identify diseases at the very first, asymptomatic stages, and prescribe necessary treatment and quickly eliminate the pathology.

It is important to understand that a cat begins to cough if there are foreign objects, inflammation, or suppuration in its respiratory tract (due to worms, infection, tumor, etc.). Every cause of illness requires certain treatment - universal methods There is no therapy. Medicines for diseases that provoke cough are prescribed by a veterinarian after examination and tests.

Considering that a healthy animal normally does not make any noise extraneous sounds, an owner should be seriously concerned when he hears his cat coughing. It's not common for cats to cough without a reason, and leaving this condition unattended can be dangerous, as triggers can range from a cold or allergy to asthma or infection.

The owner can independently determine some of the reasons that provoked the cough by observing his pet; other factors can only be identified by an experienced veterinarian. Today we will talk about what can lead to cat cough, how to help your pet and prevent problems.

Like humans, animals cough due to irritation of the area upper paths breathing. The body starts protective reflex in an attempt to push out the irritating factor. These factors can be divided into three groups:

Biological (associated with viruses, bacteria and fungi).
Mechanical (dust, mucus, foreign body).
Chemical (acid, alkali).

When an animal coughs, its airways are cleared, pushing out foreign particles, cellular breakdown products due to inflammation, or mucus. Despite the fact that in sound and big picture A cat’s cough will be similar to a human’s; unlike humans, animals take a characteristic position - they pull their neck forward, freeze, and twist their head. Sometimes it seems that the animal will continue to vomit.

Cough has the following development mechanism: the brain cough center sends an impulse to receptors located in the laryngeal region. Receiving this signal, in the respiratory tract, in the upper compartment, it contracts smooth muscle, the mucous membrane is irritated, and on inhalation you can hear characteristic sound, associated with reflex compression of the glottis.

Therefore, the owner who hears coughing sounds from his pet should be wary. If the cough happened once and does not recur, we can assume that the cat simply inhaled dust or choked slightly. If the cough has a recurring tendency, you need to carefully monitor the animal, trying to understand from its behavior what specific cough is bothering it.

Causes of cat cough

Cats just don't cough - that's why pathological condition there is always a reason. Cough itself is not an independent illness; it will always be a symptom of another disease. However, there is such a thing as a reflex cough - it usually occurs once and is associated with the following reasons:

There is a foreign object in the respiratory tract (the cat will cough until the interfering foreign object is removed or the animal pushes it out on its own).
Negative changes in the air (smoke from cigarettes, hookah, fire, steam, gas, harsh or unpleasant odors, fine powders).

If we talk about cough as a symptom, then it can accompany many ailments. The most common ones include allergic reactions, bronchial asthma, respiratory diseases (viral or bacterial: bronchitis, pneumonia, laryngotracheitis and the like).

Factors in the development of cough can be traumatic problems - scratches of the throat and trachea, injuries to the chest, neck or lungs. An animal coughs when there is a diaphragmatic hernia, when the peritoneal organs enter the chest cavity and irritate the mucous membranes. Also, a persistent unpleasant cough appears if excess air or liquid accumulates in the animal’s chest cavity, as well as neoplasms (oncology).

Let's take a closer look at some of the reasons why a cat may cough. Yes, when allergic cough will play a key role irritating factors. If animals cough while they are smoking nearby, doing painting work, spraying perfume or aerosols, we can say that the cause of the cough is external. An animal may be allergic to litter (cough after visiting the litter box) or react to flowering plants.

Types of cough in cats

Veterinarians distinguish several types of cough in cats, depending on the duration, nature of occurrence, sound, strength and presence of discharge. So, a cat’s cough can be chronic, long-lasting, or acute, starting suddenly. A cat may cough muffledly or loudly. Just like in humans, cats' cough can be dry, hacking, without secretions, or wet, when phlegm literally flies out of the cat's mouth.

Cough in cats is characterized by the time of its occurrence (morning, evening, night), strength (coughing or strong, almost reaching vomiting). All these points must be remembered or written down and described in as much detail as possible at the appointment with a veterinary specialist. Since a veterinarian cannot monitor a cat 24/7, the owner's words will be extremely valuable in making a correct diagnosis.

Table 2. Cough in a cat: features

Signs	Characteristic
Frequency of occurrence	constantly; often; occasionally.
Cough force	exhausting; hysterical; easy.
Timbre	distinct and sonorous; hoarse, dull, hissing.
Presence of sputum	bloody; purulent; slimy; dry.
Duration	acute (one to two weeks); chronic (longer than a month).
Appearance time	by season (spring, summer); by time of day (morning, afternoon, evening or night).

Cough when a cat is choking

Many owners describe their pet’s cough as “the cat feels like it’s choking.” You need to be able to distinguish when the process simply looks like the animal is choking, and when it really is. If a cat is choking, this means that there is a foreign object in the throat or even the esophagus that is stuck and does not pass into the stomach or out through the mouth.

This condition does not arise out of nowhere (for example, a cat is sleeping and suddenly begins to choke). Usually the animal is licking itself, eating or playing, and suddenly begins to cough. The attack occurs spontaneously characteristic pose with an elongated neck may be absent (the cat simply does not have time to accept it).

We can say that in the generally accepted sense, the cough itself is not present - the animal wheezes, the urge to vomit increases, and gurgling or hissing sounds can be heard. In this case, the cat will try to rub its muzzle on objects, roll on the floor, and try to help itself with its paws. At this moment it is observed profuse drooling, due to the fact that the cat cannot swallow saliva due to a blocked larynx.

In such a situation, the animal needs urgent help! You need to fix the pet and try to see what the animal choked on. It is better if there are two people nearby - one will hold the pet, the other will look for a foreign object and try to remove it.

How to help a cat that is choking?

First, you need to act immediately. In cats, choking develops very quickly due to the narrow larynx, and if normal air flow is not ensured, the pet will simply suffocate. The animal is caught and wrapped in thick fabric - a towel, blanket, jacket, so that only the head remains outside. Have a flashlight and long tweezers at hand.

The animal’s head is pulled back and fingers are pressed into the cheekbone area to open the mouth. There is no need to put your fingers in the animal’s mouth or open its jaws with both hands - just fix the head from the side. Then you need to examine the animal’s oral cavity and look deeper to see the foreign body.

If a foreign object is visible, you need to carefully remove it - with your fingers or tweezers. What to do if foreign body not visible? First, you need to squeeze the cat's chest or tap between the animal's shoulder blades. To do this, the animal is placed on the floor, raised hind limbs, and several times confidently but gently squeeze the chest.

It is necessary for the cat to cough deeply and independently push the object higher so that the owner can pick it up and get it out. If the cat loses consciousness, staggers or barely breathes, you need to immediately go to the clinic. Warn the veterinarians about your arrival in advance; you can also get advice on how you can help the animal on the road.

Video - What to do if your cat chokes on food?

Diagnosis of cough

If you are sure that the animal has not choked, you need to visit a veterinarian, but not so urgently. Perhaps it makes sense to observe the pet for a couple of days (if the condition is stable and does not cause concern) in order to report important diagnostic data to the veterinary clinic. You cannot make an independent diagnosis, as factors causing cough, are very multifaceted, and only a qualified doctor can identify the true cause.

First of all, the veterinarian will ask the owner about the nature of the pet’s cough, then he will look at the cat, listen with a phonendoscope to the bronchi, lungs, trachea, and conduct a visual assessment of the oral cavity and pharynx.

Cat cough: how to treat?

Let us repeat once again - only a qualified person has the right to prescribe a therapeutic regimen for a coughing pet. veterinarian, based on research and diagnostic data. If the cough continues traumatic nature or caused by a neoplasm, surgical intervention may be required; in other situations, treatment is usually medicinal.

Cough in cats: prevention

Everyone knows that it is easier to prevent a disease than to eliminate it for a long time, wasting time and money on treatment, as well as risking the health and even life of the animal. In order to protect the cat from both symptomatic cough and reflex cough (caused by external factors), you just need to provide your pet with decent living conditions.

In the room where the cat lives, you need to do regular cleaning, ventilation, and also limit the penetration of tobacco smoke, chemical fumes and other substances that irritate the delicate cat’s body. The animal should not catch a cold, be in a draft, or in a cold or damp place.

It is also necessary to carry out anthelmintic treatment for the cat regularly, once every four months, and do not give it raw food. river fish, exclude meat from unverified sources from the diet. Nutrition should be balanced, contain vitamins and microelements. Every year your cat should receive a vaccine against major diseases.

It is important to understand that a cat’s cough will not go away on its own unless the owner intervenes. But you can’t make decisions about your pet’s treatment yourself either - effective therapy can only be prescribed by a zoo doctor, after diagnosis and identification of the root cause of the symptom.