What this means
A coughing cat typically crouches with its chest near the floor, stretches its neck forward and low and hacks, or seems to be trying to bring something up. Such a cough is easy to take for a hairball, but do not assume that. If nothing comes up afterwards, if it keeps returning or if a wheeze is heard as well, it may be inflammation of the airways, like asthma, and a vet is needed to find out.
Between episodes a cat can look perfectly well, which makes it easy to write the cough off as something that will pass. But a cough is an important sign even when it lasts only a few seconds, because airway and lung problems in cats can get worse, and cats hide from us that they are struggling.
Write down when your cat coughs, how long it lasts, whether anything comes up, and what came before: play, dust, smoke, strong smells or another irritant in the air. If you can, film an episode, because a short video will show the vet more than a description.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your cat.
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Asthma-like inflammation of the airways
The small airways become inflamed, narrow and fill with mucus. The cat coughs with its neck stretched out, sometimes wheezes and may breathe faster.
About the condition: Feline asthma -
Irritants in the air
Dust, smoke, strong smells or pollen irritate the airways and can set off a cough. Sensitive cats cough after such exposure.
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An infection of the airways or lungs
An infection can cause a cough, sneezing, discharge from the nose and a poorer appetite. A deeper lung infection makes breathing harder.
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Heart disease
Heart disease can lead to fluid collecting in or around the lungs and change breathing. Sometimes a cough or fast breathing is one of the signs.
About the condition: Heart disease -
Something stuck in the throat or airway
A foreign object or another irritant can cause a sudden cough or choking. The cat may shake its head, paw at its mouth or drool.
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A growth in the chest or throat
A growth can press on or irritate the airways and cause a lasting cough. The cat may lose weight or eat less as well.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- Whether your cat coughs crouched low with its neck stretched out
- Whether anything comes up afterwards, and whether it really is a hairball
- How long a spell lasts and how often it returns
- Whether there is a wheeze as well or breathing turns fast
- What was happening before: play, dust, smoke, strong smells
- Whether your cat eats less, tires quickly or plays less
When to book a routine visit
Book a vet visit if your cat coughs, even if it looks like a hairball or the cough was brief. If it coughs while breathing with its mouth open, struggles to breathe or the gums turn bluish, go straight away.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Feline asthma Breathing A long-lasting inflammation of the small airways in the lungs. When it flares, the airways tighten and fill with mucus, so air moves in and out with difficulty. It matters because an attack can leave a cat struggling to breathe.
- Hairballs Digestion and liver Clumps of swallowed hair that form in the stomach when a cat takes in more hair while grooming than its gut can pass on. A single hairball brought up is not necessarily serious, but hairballs that keep coming, or that come with a loss of appetite, show that something is wrong.
Body systems: Breathing Digestion and liver