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What's going on with a cat's cough?
A cat's cough can be divided into pathological and non-pathological causes. Pathological causes are coughs caused by diseases such as asthma, pneumonia, and feline upper respiratory tract infections. Non-pathological causes mainly include eating too fast, foreign objects in the throat, and stimuli such as odors. If you find that your cat is coughing, it is recommended to go to the pet hospital as soon as possible. First, find the cause of the cough, and then proceed with treatment.
Pathological causes
Asthma
When a cat has asthma, it usually shows symptoms such as rapid breathing, chest tightness, and coughing. Severe cases can even have difficulty breathing and hypoxemia in a short period of time. When the cat is having an attack, place it in a well-ventilated position. Do not violently shake the cat's body, as this could cause suffocation. Once the cat improves, take it to the pet hospital for examination and treatment.
- Pneumonia
There are many causes of feline pneumonia, which can be divided into foreign body pneumonia, bacterial pneumonia, and mycoplasma infection pneumonia. Clinical manifestations mainly include nasal discharge, coughing, and respiratory sounds during auscultation. In severe cases, there will be difficulty breathing, accelerated heart rate, and cyanosis of the conjunctiva due to hypoxia. Treatment mainly involves the use of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as cough suppressants and bronchodilators. As long as the cat receives medical attention in time, there is a more than 90% chance of survival.
- Feline Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (FURTI)
FURTI is caused by infection with the herpesvirus in cats. It is mainly transmitted through contact or secretions, especially susceptible to infection in cats that have not been vaccinated. After a cat is infected with FURTI, the main symptoms are upper respiratory tract symptoms such as sneezing, rhinorrhea, coughing, and increased tear production. These symptoms are often easily confused with the common cold. Therefore, when a cat shows these symptoms, it is recommended to take it to the pet hospital for inspection.
Non-pathological causes
Eating too fast
When a cat sees food it likes, it may eat too quickly, stimulating the throat and causing coughing. In this case, the owner should stop feeding the cat and let it rest for a moment, which usually leads to significant improvement.
- Foreign objects in the throat
If a cat coughs at a low frequency, such as occasionally coughing once, it is generally suspected of inhaling a foreign object into the throat, which may be accompanied by dry heaving. In this case, immediately open the cat's throat to see if the object can be removed. If necessary, take it to the pet hospital for removal to avoid suffocation.
- Odor stimulation
When a cat is stimulated by odors such as air fresheners, dust, or strong perfumes, it may also develop coughing. In this case, move the cat to a well-ventilated and open area, and let it rest for a while before it recovers.