Coughing in Cats: The 3 Most Common Causes

By B. Oscar

There are many causes that can lead to coughing in cats. In this article “Coughing in Cats: The Most Common Causes” from CatsMeaw, we will see together what are the most common causes that help answer the question “why is my cat coughing?”.

As for frequency, this article will specifically deal with cases where your cat coughs several times a day for several days but without this cough ending up altering its routine and without it showing other worrying symptoms.

Coughing in Cats The Most Common Causes

In any case, a coughing cat is a reason to make an appointment with the veterinarian, so we invite you to continue reading to find out why your cat keeps coughing.

Reasons of Coughing in Cats?

The 3 most common reasons of coughing in cats:

  • Asthma
  • Rhinotracheitis
  • The strongyles

In the rest of our article coughing in cats: the most common causes, we will detail the points that we briefly covered in this box.

Cat’s Cough

As we have said, a punctual cough should not be a reason to alarm you, it is from the moment when it becomes chronic, when it is repeated and does not go away that you will have to ask your veterinarian for advice as it can be caused by several causes. Generally speaking, the purpose of coughing is to expel any substance or foreign body from the body.

If this is the case, you will see that your cat starts coughing suddenly and continuously. Coughing in cats will have different characteristics depending on where it comes from, whether it is caused by the throat or the lungs. Leaving aside sudden coughing fits, in the rest of our article we will look at the most common causes that can explain why your cat coughs a lot.

Cat Asthma

It causes your cat to cough with intensity and at very variable intervals. In some cats cat asthma is associated with an allergic reaction which can be caused by flaking human skin. A reaction occurs involving histamines and eosinophils (a type of white blood cell that is associated with allergic reactions and parasitic infections).

Sometimes, accompanied by the coughing in cats, episodes of apnea occur in which the cat no longer breathes. Typically, your cat will not experience any other symptoms. The diagnosis can be based on x-rays which will show a certain pulmonary pattern. A blood analyst can also reveal the eosinophil count. In cases where you suspect an allergy in your cat, we recommend that you have the corresponding tests taken.

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Treatment of cat asthma will depend on the degree of the condition. Some cats will not need one while others will rely on an inhaler. In more severe cases, some cats may even need oxygen therapy. As you will have realized, the answer to the question “why is my cat coughing” comes, in this specific case, from respiratory difficulty at the pulmonary level.

Rhinotracheitis in Cats

Rhinotracheitis is a very common and very contagious viral disease in cats, especially in cats that have not yet developed their immune system, in cats carrying the feline immunodeficiency virus, which deprives them of their immune defense, and in cats that live in communities.

Coughing in Cats The Most Common Causes

It is produced by a herpesvirus and, in addition to coughing, it usually causes sneezing, nasal and eye discharge, fever, lethargy and anorexia because the phlegm interferes with the sense of smell and this added to the pain it causes, prevents them from eating normally. When coughing, you will see your cat stretching its neck in a characteristic posture.

There is no treatment for viruses, it is just possible to prescribe supportive measures which will include antibiotics to combat secondary opportunistic infections, fluid therapy for cases where dehydration occurs, in addition to all medications supplements considered necessary by your veterinarian.

It is very important that you treat your cat at its first symptoms because rhinotracheitis is a potentially fatal disease. You should know that cats who survive then become carriers of the virus. This means that rhinotracheitis is one of the causes of why your cat is coughing even though it is no longer sick.

Strongles

Let’s conclude our article Coughing in Cats: The Most Common Causes by looking at the last and most common cause of cat cough: strongyles.

Strongyles are parasitic worms which, at one point in one of their life cycle phases, invade the lungs of cats, causing the latter to cough a lot. Additionally, coughing is usually the only noticeable symptom and reflects the severity of the infestation. This cough occurs both when the cat is at rest and when it is active.

Cats contract these parasites through the ingestion of small animals. The majority of cases are asymptomatic and can be resolved without treatment, thanks to the body’s defense mechanisms. They can be diagnosed by direct observation under a microscope of a stool sample. When your coughing in cats, cats swallow the strongyles which end up in the digestive system and, therefore, in the cat’s stool. Your veterinarian will therefore need to choose an antiparasitic for your cat.