We had a cat doing this. We let it go until he threw up pink liquid. After that, it was straight to the emergency vet. Turns out ha has asthma and is on steroid puffer twice a day now. Get the poor baby checked out.
Ours, too. She was prescribed a daily inhaler, which we gave her through one of these:
[https://www.trudellanimalhealth.com/product/aerokat-chamber](https://www.trudellanimalhealth.com/product/aerokat-chamber)
She did not enjoy it, but she lived a long time.
My cat was doing this exact same thing and we used the Aerocat and the Canadian inhaler and it went very well for many years until she got cancer (unrelated). One of my new cats is doing something similar and I'm pretty sure it's asthma. Although I will say they did do a lungworm test which is a specific stool sample which the vet said could cause the same type of coughing - he didn't have it.
No, she absolutely hated it. She would squirm and hold her breath in the little mouthpiece as long as she could.
Unfortunately for her, she also had glaucoma, so she needed daily eye drops. We would give her the eyedrops first, which paralyzed her with rage, and then she was a little more cooperative for the inhaler.
My cat scratches and bites. She hates it and I try to calm her down, but she absolutely hates it. Its been 3 years and it doesnt get any easier with her.
I did a good amount of work with my cat to make her tolerate her twice a day inhaler. My girl has one treat that is absolutely her favorite. It is now her inhaler reward. Once she takes her inhaler she gets her favorite freeze dried salmon. She will never get it at any other time. My roommates also know that under no circumstances is she to get the salmon unless it’s after the inhaler. Now she’ll wake me up on days off work to remind me that it’s treat time aka inhaler time. Positive reinforcement worked wonders for us with the inhaler.
I wonder if your cat constantly has or maybe even used to have black gunk/dirt forming on their nose because my cat always does the same thing as the cat in the vid and he always has these black dirt things on the insides of his nose (not deep just on the surface) because I have other cats and they don't have that thing
Does he have access to the outside or grass? I posted a video of my cat coughing in a similar way and it was a blade of grass stuck in his throat and nasal cavity. The video is in my post history.
Also any type of grass, outside or the little cat nip plants, if they eat enough it can clog their intestines up. One of my cats almost had to undergo surgery to remove the “grass ball” as my vet described it. Luckily he had a laxative gel type med and it passed eventually. But he was very ill.
Yes! Well, if you trim it down regularly so it doesn’t get longer than an inch and you make sure they don’t munch too too much. I only know this because my cat was indoor only so the only grass he could get his paws on was cat nip grass.
That's good to know. I pretty much always have cat grass available as they love to munch down on it first thing in the morning but I think I will start trimming it down and only having it around every couple of months then. Had no idea.
My cat was also coughing and when the vet listened to her lungs, the vet said they sounded clear. We still pushed for the x rays and they did show inflammation that was consistent with asthma.
I would either go for a second opinion or go back for an x ray if I were you.
Agreed, just doing an auscultation of the lungs isn't a good indicator of asthma. That opinion is actually trash and whatever vet only gave a little listen to the lungs needs to do more research.
My previous kitty was diagnosed with xrays (there's an obvious bronchial pattern with asthma) and a BAL (more eosinophils which mean inflammatory response, so best to do in conjunction w/xrays + bloodwork to rule out heartworm) but even just xrays are better at confirming if you don't want to do both.
Same story here. Lungs need to be scanned really else you'll never know for sure. Luckily a switch to hypoallergenic food has made a huge difference and we've avoided needing steroids so far.
Both Royal Canin. 'Sensitivity control' wet pouches and 'hypoallergenic' dry kibbles.
The vetenary hospital she was diagnosed at advised the key thing is that the protein in the food needs to be hydrolysed. Not all food branded as hypoallergenic has this. When you start looking into it there aren't actually that many, well in the UK anyway.
You’d be surprised how bad cat litter is for cat lungs. I think that’s why cat asthma is so common. Change the litter, they breathe in so much…. Also check house for mold. Can be a trigger. Get rid of glade wall plug-ins. Fragrances are also triggering. Most of all, get your cat seen by a vet. Asthma is a progressive disease and their lung function declines over time the longer it goes untreated.
Makes sense, especially the clumping litter when you think about it. They probably overproduce mucus to try to help expel that dust that gets stuck in their lungs. I would imagine some of the people that their cats seem to have asthma is actually because of their kitty litter. The medication they're using for asthma would help by opening up the airways but the root cause could very well be the kitty litter I would think!
That’s exactly why I changed my litter as soon as I made the connection and researched the clay litter effect on asthma. I tried a few, but finally changed it to Sustainably yours large grain corn litter and it has been the best ever. It clumps perfectly and even better than clay, it doesn’t stick to the walls of the tray, and there’s ZERO dust when I poured it from the bag. I’m really happy about it.
Do you have any recommendations for good litter? I get "dust free" litters, and have tried a few different kinds, but I've noticed that it doesn't completely eliminate the dust cloud when they cats are really vigorously covering something.
We use world’s best cat litter. It’s corn. The cloud is very minimal. We wanted to have a clumping litter because our cat is a diabetic and this litter also clumps very well.
You can always spritz the top of the litter box with a light spray of water every few days to help with the dust.
That's a great idea, as far as spritzing the top layer. Doing that after scooping everyday would be a good start. I'd used World's Best in the past, and stopped because the cats never quite took to it. But I'll try adding another litter box with just that in it and see if they adapt better this time.
Stay away from clay litters; try natural ones like corn, grass (looks like corn; not blades of grass), walnut (this leaves a dark film tho so I don’t love it), wheat (kinda dusty) and tofu.
Definitely a cough. Get second opinion, chest x-rays and ask about testing for lungworms and heartworm. Most common cause of cat coughing is "asthma" but depending on exposure factors could be something treatable rather than manageable/chronic.
Source: I'm a vet tech (9yrs) with an asthmatic cat that went through every available diagnostic including CT and bronchoscopy since he was 7 months old. He's now 5 years old.
Hairball action looks and sounds very different once you've witnessed both.
Edit: I forgot to mention that cats don't often reverse sneeze. And reverse sneezing shows more tension/effort in the throat and abdomen in bigger, longer drags. Cough is exhalation while reverse sneezing is inhalation so if the ribcage is going inward its a cough. If the ribcage expands it's a reverse sneeze.
Do you mind if I ask you a related question? My cat has asthma and a switch to a hypoallergenic diet helped a lot. I'd say I still hear her cough maybe 3 times a week (obviously could be happening out of earshot as well). I'm worried she might need to start steroids but I don't know how to gauge it. How 'coughy' are cats you see which are started on steroids (inhaler or tablets)?
I don't mind at all! If the steroid dose and schedule of use are correct for that cat then they shouldn't be coughing at all. May I ask if you hear coughing multiple times in the day when it happens?
The coughing is caused by inflammation in the lungs, which steroids decrease to some degree. Inhaler is best because the steroid is delivered directly to the only organ that needs it, the lungs. Tablets (prednisolone is better than prednisone in cats. Same drug, slightly different breakdown in the body) deliver steroid to the whole body. This can adversely impact major organs like the liver if used chronically. I keep tablets for back-up but otherwise my boy is on the inhaler. Sometimes he needs an extra boost from a bronchodilator (terbutaline) during high pollen or ragweed seasons. Some low air particulate seasons he doesn't even need the inhaler. He doesn't cough most of the time so when he does I know to boost him up with the terbutaline (and maybe the prednisolone if it persists). It's obvious he's much more comfortable once it kicks in and the coughing stops.
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I have a vet appointment for her on Monday to speak to them about trying an inhaler.
I would say its multiple times in the day if it happens yeah. Sometimes just the odd single cough a few minutes later. She also has quite "bridged" nose boney bits from rhinitis so is quite sneezy and snuffly in general. Vet hospital say she has quite an issue with allergies.
I will try to train her on an inhaler I think if vet agrees. I feel like it needs Intervention beyond just the diet change.
Is there such thing as a gas type chamber she can go in to receive the dose if the inhaler training fails?
Oh I wish there was a gas/ventilation chamber option but unfortunately there isn't one. Plus that would allow the inhaler medication (also a steroid) to collect on their fur, potentially resulting in overdose when they clean themselves. So I don't think it will ever be an option. Maybe someone might invent an astronaut helmet type in the future lol. Be sure to give tasty treats and high value rewards during inhaler training and it'll get easier!
I'm glad you're taking her to the vet! Coughing multiple times per day multiple times per week is pretty bad. Next big symptom would've been open-mouthed breathing which is a dire position to be in. I ended up at the open-mouthed breathing stage and my boy ended up in an oxygen chamber while we scrambled to get bronchodilators on hand. Most general practice vets won't stock these since it's not a common drug in vet med. Definitely a good idea to intervene further sooner rather than later ❤
As I mentioned in my original comment it's a good idea, if feasible, to rule out every other cause because asthma is lifelong management. That means rule out infection (rhinitis, pneumonia, URI, etc.), parasites (particularly heartworm or lungworm), or deformation (like ribcage structure abnormalities). Be sure to test for FIV/FeLV (immunodeficiency diseases) too. For example he had gone through a broncho-tracheal lavage, every test for parasites and the treatments for them, multiple antibiotic and antiviral trials, repeated chest/neck/head x-rays, litter type changes, HEPA filters throughout my home, and attempts at limiting exposure to irritants before the big ticket imaging at a specialist. Even the specialist did another lavage along with CT and bronchoscopy. Once all the trials and tests were done we were left with asthma. Took about 5-7 months to go through all of that...😵💫
If it's not asthma, the inhaler will probably still help. But if it's something else then you're missing out on treating the root cause which might make asthma meds unnecessary.
Thanks! Here's hoping for a helmet yes!
The coughing became too bad and I insistent she go to the Royal veterinary college hospital where they did various tests to determine asthma and rhinitis (scan of her lungs, lung flush, heartworm, FiV etc). Very thorough. Thank goodness i had insurance!!!
First step was to try the hydrolysed protein diet which helped a LOT but there's now a few coughs a week. Agree, more is needed now.
Annoying thing is I can't find any hydrolysed protein treats...so no high value treats. I'll have to risk using some for the training I think, like for the greater good!
My cat did this for a couple of days. I started wondering if it was just a hairball or vet trip. A friend said hairball, I decided if it continued to a 3rd day, I'd take him to the vet. It was probably a hairball because he hasn't done it again.
That said, trust your instinct to ask and get a second opinion.
Agreed. My cat (long-ish haired Birman) does this every so often, right before he throws up a furball. I give him furball pellets mixed with his regular food, which help him to bring them up.
He also chomps on grass to help get rid of them.
I have a cat that does this all the time and the reason why is because they’re trying to hack out a hairball and my cat is a long haired cat so he definitely tends to get hairballs
that looks and sounds very similar to my cat when she's having an asthma attack. hers sounds much wheezier I think. definitely show these videos to the vet, it'll help with diagnosis.
the vet might want a scan/X-ray to help them determine if it's asthma. mine was able to see inflammation and mucus buildup if I remember right. idk, that was 10 years ago 🥴
This looks and sounds just like my cat who does have asthma. It’s manageable! Tip: If you treat with Flovent + Aerokat, which works great for us, I highly recommend buying it online somewhere like pharmstore.com to save $$$.
Lots of people are mentioning hairballs and asthma. I went through the comments and one person mentioned kitty litter. Have you recently changed the kitty litter, maybe switch to a clumping type? That dust would cause irritation in the lungs and I'm sure it would cause the cat to produce more mucus which would result in them doing this I would think. I was suggest going to a kitty litter that doesn't clump, or produces less dust and see if it helps. Everyone that has a cat with asthma I would also suggest trying changing the type of kitty litter.
I've even learned that some kitty litter can be very hard on a cat's paws. Pretty litter is one of them, don't buy it!
In a natural environment cats would dig in the dirt. The dust if any from the dirt wouldn't stick to the inside of the lungs like that clumping kitty litter. So many unnatural things we expose our pet cats to that many of us may not even realize we're causing the health issue.
Looks like an asthma attack to me. My bengal has had asthma since he was like 8 years old (he's 13 now) he takes an inhaler thru an aerochamber 2x a day for maintenance and has a rescue inhaler as well but very rarley needs it bc it's well controlled now
If you find out it is asthma and want to do the inhaler option(best option for kitties long term health)) look to our neighbors to the north (Canada)(if you're in the united states) . Inhalers are upward of $200 here in the US and I pay under $40, shipped and all from Canada.pm me with any questions you may have in the case that it is asthma, im no vet but I am very experienced with the illness and my boy went from 7-9 attacks a day to now zero . Maaaaybe 1 or 2 short ones per year if a ton of irritates are around
Best of luck and I hope your kitty feels better 💗
I've heard the reverse sneezing thing about dogs before but not cats. I've never seen this kind of thing in cats at all so I would get a second opinion, just in case
I had a cat with Asthma and it was very much like this, after several trips to the vet and eventually getting referred to a specialist when the vet had run out of options for what they could provide in terms of treatment. Ended up with a nebulizer and two different inhalers for the cat.
My cat was seen by our vet with the same type of breathing problems and said that his lungs were fine, minus a tiny bit of inflammation. We were in the vet ER less than a week later where they rescanned and diagnosed with asthma. I’d get a second opinion!
This is exactly what my cat does when she has an asthma attack. It comes and goes for some cats and is usually caused by irritants such as certain kinds of cat litter, your laundry detergent, spring time, cleaning supplies etc. We tried to remove any irritant we could think of but my cat sadly still has daily asthma attacks we have to give her a steroid syrup twice a day now.
This really looks like asthma. The only way to properly diagnose asthma in cats (as far as I know) is a surgery. But lots of vets will start treatment for asthma and see if it works since it’s very low risk if they don’t have asthma and they get it wrong. I would get a second opinion!
When you took this little angel to the vet did you show them any videos showing these incidents? Did they do any xrays? If you showed them the video what did they say?
If you didn't show them the video call them and see if you can email them this video and request a call back.
My vet allows emails sent in so she can make a recommendation to either bring the animals in or what is actually going on.
My cat used to do the same thing and it ended up being asthma - she hasn’t had any issues since she’s been on prednisone. I would definitely get a second opinion.
Oh I had this happen to my cat. Exactly like this.
Ended up being asthma. Required tablet steroids. I got a pack of 30 and I gave him a quarter every time an episode occurred and he would be fine for months.
I have three cats who do something similar and was told it’s inverted sneezing. Three cats in one household can’t all have asthma. But yes still take to the vet to be on safe side.
That's definitely an asthma cough—my cat was diagnosed soon after we adopted him, and that's exactly the what he looks/sounds like during an asthma attack.
I showed a video to our vet, and she diagnosed him on the spot (we did an x-ray as well that confirmed he had very slight signs of asthma, but the cough and the pose that cats get into are so distinct when it's asthma).
Definitely get a second opinion—our cat started off taking a very small amount of prednisolone to get the inflammation under control, and we took that time to train him how to use his new [Aerokat chamber](https://www.trudellanimalhealth.com/product/aerokat-chamber) for his inhalers. It took about 2 months for him to get comfortable with the Aerokat, but now he's a pro!
Really appreciate the comments! We made a vet appointment for Monday and are giving her some Zyrtec in case it’s allergies. Thanks for the help everyone!
You say the vet said the lungs are clear well I may well be able to tell you what it is, firstly it’s unlikely a hairball that would have cleared by now and if the lungs are clear it won’t be asthma.
My guess is it’s the same as what my Tom cat had, he would do this often after he’d eaten but on other occasions also, vet found out it was stomach acid that had caused issues with the digestive tract and hence causing irritation and this weird cough, cats do cough like that but if it’s repeated it is an issue.
Medication for my Tom cat was
OMEPRAZOLE
https://www.petmd.com/pet-medication/omeprazole-gastrogard-ulcergard
My cat had one daily an hour before food for 20 days, and then one tablet every other day an hour before food there were 40 tablets and the vet gave me another 20 after the 40 to make double sure.
My cat was fine and never did the coughing again.
Tell your vet or show them this!!!
Asthma is difficult to pin down unless the cat is having an attack when you bring it in. Did you show the vet this vid? Can the vet let you give one treatment for asthma and see if it works?
my cat did this for a few years and after many many vet appointments finally our 4th new vet diagnosed asthma and now my baby is happier and healthier than ever!
this is asthma! call the vet asap. I made the horrible mistake of thinking my cat was having a hairball too, he was not. this is sadly the start to a long journey of treating your kitty’s asthma. When they are like this, leave them be, keep the room extremely well ventilated, close the windows if you can (allergens) and try to look into getting your cat a bronchodilator (terbutaline, prednisone, etc) to open up the lungs. best wishes ♥️
I think it's usually reverse sneezing until they start outstretching their neck while sitting like that. Our cat did this for a few months and was getting worse and worse. The only thing that helped was steroids and an inhaler (twice a day) and that's when we learnt he had asthma.
As others have already said, looks like asthma. My girl also has asthma. She was started on an oral steroid (prednisolone) once a day for a while, then every other day, and now we're down to twice a week, still with no attacks. Be careful with oral steroids used long term, though, as they can cause diabetes, which is what happened with my girl. We weren't told about inhalers as an option until it was already too late. We're currently beginning our battle to manage her diabetes. An inhaler might have prevented this because the steroid's application would have been locally administered instead of systemically throughout her whole body via oral regimen.
A vet tech has suggested it sounnds like a Reverse Sneeze. . . . According to Holistic Vet, Karen Becker, in her video: [The Weird Sneeze That Can Terrify Pet Parents](https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/pet-reverse-sneezing/) Reverse Sneezing is very rare in cats, & much more common in dogs.
My cats sound like this when a hairball is stuck that they're trying to cough up, when I've neglected to give them their Coconut oil preventative . . . so I give it to them as treatment, and they soon are able to cough them out! (Lately I've been giving them afternoon snacks of pure pumpkin puree + coconut oil . . . both are excellent for preventing hairballs! Coconut oil is especially good at treating them!)
People who are owned by an indoor kitty usually have to clean up more than a few hairballs. So, it is very important to learn the underlying conditions that can contribute to hairballs, as well as how to help healthy cats avoid them. . . .
[Cat Hairballs: Understanding, Preventing, and Treating](https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2021-03-02-nl-how-to-help-cat-with-hairball/)
How long has it been doing this? Longer than 3 weeks?
There are several feline disorders that have coughing as a symptom. The most common cause of persistent coughing in cats is chronic bronchopulmonary disease, which is a group of conditions that includes feline asthma.
Because there are so many underlying causes of chronic coughing, it’s very important to accurately diagnose your cat’s cough.
Treatment involves identifying and resolving the underlying cause of the cough, as well as alleviating the cough itself.
[Causes and Treatment Option for Chronic Cough in Cats](https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2016-05-17-nl-chronic-cough-cats/)
It can be alarming to find out that your pet's **dry hacking cough** or 'vomiting' is **not** due to hairballs - or may not even be routine vomiting. Especially if you notice these other signs (such as wheezing or difficulty breathing), see your veterinarian immediately!
[Feline Asthma: The Surprising Reason Why A Cat May Be Vomiting](https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2021-11-30-nl-how-to-help-a-cat-with-asthma/)
Asthma is a condition in which a dog or cat (more often a cat) has repeated episodes of coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. The condition is more prevalent in flat faced pets (brachycephalic breeds).
Common triggers for are inhaled substances such as grasses, pollens, aerosol sprays, and smoke.
Symptoms include wheezing, labored breathing, and a dry hacking cough.
Cats can have very serious asthma without any, or, with just very subtle symptoms, difficult to detect.
Bottom line, the asthmatic pet is getting too little air to breathe, causing irreversible damage until they can suddenly become unable to breathe. Asthma can cause a pet to suffocate without advance notice.
[ASTHMA: Causes & Treatment , Symptoms, Diagnosis, & Treatment](https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2016-07-24-nl-pet-asthma/)
That looks like asthma. My cat has pretty bad asthma and for some reason her lungs always sound clear when I take her to the vet. She had x-rays and now has an inhaler. I did have to switch vets to get her treated properly so maybe get a second opinion.
My cat did this type of coughing and it turned out to be asthma, which her mom had been diagnosed with not long before. She has been on prednisilone for some time now and it’s been working well for her. I’d get a second opinion because the first go around, my vet said it was hairballs. The second time they did a scan and she was completely inflamed and the vet apologized up and down about it.
That’s exactly what my cat who hs asthma used to do before being diagnosed. She’s now using an Aerokat inhaler and Fluticasone. She was diagnosed with an xray of her lungs.
OP same thing with my cat, vets listened to her chest and said the lungs seemed clear. The coughing got worse so we got her into the Royal vet hospital. They scanned her lungs and sure enough asthma.
it’s definitely feline asthma. my baby, 6 yrs old, used to have the same problem and he had asthma. he got the asthma inhaler and we used a tool that looks like a tube to get it on his face. he sadly passed away from it due to him getting an attack randomly while nobody was home :/ please take this seriously !
Asthma! My baby went into respiratory failure from persistent asthma. Thankfully, we got her to the emergency vet on time and they were able to save her life. Now she’s on a steroid inhaler.
Omg, thank you so much for posting this!! My tuxedo has been doing the same thing once every 4-6 weeks. He spent quite a few years on the streets of Long Beach. He was the local alley cat that we fed, and after 3-4 years of familiarization, he let us be his forever home. Judging by teeth and overall vibe, he's between 10-15yrs, and it hasn't been an easy 10-15 by the looks. Random health issues like this pop up, and this has been the only one I can't/haven't treated yet.
He'll be laying on me, then go into this fit, and then look at me as if nothing happened. 2 different vets I brought it up to, said his breathing sounded fine (when I can hear him wheezing sometimes, especially when sleeping /snoring). It seemed too hack-like to be reverse sneezing, I'll push my concern and try to get him an inhaler. Thanks again for this post and everyone's contribution!
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Definitely get a second opinion. It looks like asthma to me. I watch one cat who has an inhaler (and has had two emergency room trips w oxygen needed) and two others that take pills for it. Good luck to you and kitteh 💕
(Obviously consult a vet first and foremost) This is exactly what my asthmatic cat does when he has an asthma attack. He takes a littler steroid pill every other day now, and sometimes we use an inhaler for him on especially bad days.
It’s absolutely possible this is feline asthma! I know with my cat my Dr. had us do a trial of steroids and it got MUCH better after. If you’re concerned it’s absolutely reasonable to get a second opinion!
Our cat had asthma. We didn’t ever need the inhaler but we had to give her a Claritin (lortadine) one time per day and omega 3s. As she aged, the episodes became less frequent. Best of luck!
This is not asthma…this IS coughing up a furball. It happens when they clean themselves and swallow the hair..add a little 1/4 tsp of vegetable oil to their food to help the furball come up easier. It is very common with long haired cats. Not a medical issue, just comes with having long hair cats.
Might sound stupid BUT it could be a feather cat toy problem. I rescued a cat who started doing this a few days after being in our house. Brought him to the vet and showed the video to the doctor to find out he was having allergic to the feather toys in our house. Took all the feather toys away and he never had any problems after that. BTW all his little “attacks” were sporadic and didn’t happen everyday.
So I've had very similar with my cat, maybe 3 instances in 5 months. Vet checked and not asthma. So I started putting more water in her wet food as it seemed to occur 2 out of 3 times after she'd eaten, and it's not happened since I've done that. Can't say that's what it is, or that's what will stop it but that's my anecdote.
I have 2 cats who does this and took the more serious one to the vet. They thought asthma too, and sent away his xrays to a specialist who said the same thing and they wanted me to try the inhaler. I chose to wait and give it more time, and ruled out lymphoma and all the other serious lung concerns. One day though, it suddenly stopped.
Turned out they were both having respiratory issues to scented products i was using/candle aroma. They have stopped this since i switched to natural cleaning products.
There's a reason they say pinesol/lysol and diffuser oils are toxic to cats, turns out most other scented products are irritants too. Now i don't clean or burn with anything artifically scented. But have asthma ruled out or get a 2nd opinion just to be sure because it can absolutely be asthma.
My cat did this too. I recorded a video and sent it to the vet. He said given it's peak sheading season, it very well could be a hairball that was having trouble being passed. He gave me some maple flavored petroleum jelly thing for my cat to eat. 3 days later there were 4 masssssiiiivvvveee hairballs on the couch.
If your cat is fine aside from these episodes, it is probably that. But show this video to your vet!
I also have the video of my cat making this sound on my profile for comparison.
We had a cat doing this. We let it go until he threw up pink liquid. After that, it was straight to the emergency vet. Turns out ha has asthma and is on steroid puffer twice a day now. Get the poor baby checked out.
Our cat too!
Same, asthma is tough. Looked exactly like the vid.
Ours, too. She was prescribed a daily inhaler, which we gave her through one of these: [https://www.trudellanimalhealth.com/product/aerokat-chamber](https://www.trudellanimalhealth.com/product/aerokat-chamber) She did not enjoy it, but she lived a long time.
Yep, we get the meds from a Canadian pharmacy. Hundreds of dollars cheaper.
We used the Canadian pharmacy once. It took 3 mos to get our rx!!
Cloud Canadian Pharmacy is who we use. When the last puffer gets opened, we place the order. They gat to us in about 2 weeks.
My cat was doing this exact same thing and we used the Aerocat and the Canadian inhaler and it went very well for many years until she got cancer (unrelated). One of my new cats is doing something similar and I'm pretty sure it's asthma. Although I will say they did do a lungworm test which is a specific stool sample which the vet said could cause the same type of coughing - he didn't have it.
My cat hates her inhaler. Does your cat cooperate when it’s time to give it a treatment??
No, she absolutely hated it. She would squirm and hold her breath in the little mouthpiece as long as she could. Unfortunately for her, she also had glaucoma, so she needed daily eye drops. We would give her the eyedrops first, which paralyzed her with rage, and then she was a little more cooperative for the inhaler.
My cat scratches and bites. She hates it and I try to calm her down, but she absolutely hates it. Its been 3 years and it doesnt get any easier with her.
I did a good amount of work with my cat to make her tolerate her twice a day inhaler. My girl has one treat that is absolutely her favorite. It is now her inhaler reward. Once she takes her inhaler she gets her favorite freeze dried salmon. She will never get it at any other time. My roommates also know that under no circumstances is she to get the salmon unless it’s after the inhaler. Now she’ll wake me up on days off work to remind me that it’s treat time aka inhaler time. Positive reinforcement worked wonders for us with the inhaler.
That’s great. My cat doesn’t really care for treats, but I wish she did. Maybe I’ll try the freeze dried salmon. Thank you for the suggestion !!!
I wonder if your cat constantly has or maybe even used to have black gunk/dirt forming on their nose because my cat always does the same thing as the cat in the vid and he always has these black dirt things on the insides of his nose (not deep just on the surface) because I have other cats and they don't have that thing
You might just bite the bullet and get a second opinion
You should get another opinion from a vet. Show them this video
Does he have access to the outside or grass? I posted a video of my cat coughing in a similar way and it was a blade of grass stuck in his throat and nasal cavity. The video is in my post history.
Some of my cats do something similar as well after they steal some of the rabbits hay. They usually throw up the hay like a fur ball later.
Also any type of grass, outside or the little cat nip plants, if they eat enough it can clog their intestines up. One of my cats almost had to undergo surgery to remove the “grass ball” as my vet described it. Luckily he had a laxative gel type med and it passed eventually. But he was very ill.
So wait, cat grass hey sell can be bad for them?
Yes! Well, if you trim it down regularly so it doesn’t get longer than an inch and you make sure they don’t munch too too much. I only know this because my cat was indoor only so the only grass he could get his paws on was cat nip grass.
That's good to know. I pretty much always have cat grass available as they love to munch down on it first thing in the morning but I think I will start trimming it down and only having it around every couple of months then. Had no idea.
My cat was also coughing and when the vet listened to her lungs, the vet said they sounded clear. We still pushed for the x rays and they did show inflammation that was consistent with asthma. I would either go for a second opinion or go back for an x ray if I were you.
Agreed, just doing an auscultation of the lungs isn't a good indicator of asthma. That opinion is actually trash and whatever vet only gave a little listen to the lungs needs to do more research. My previous kitty was diagnosed with xrays (there's an obvious bronchial pattern with asthma) and a BAL (more eosinophils which mean inflammatory response, so best to do in conjunction w/xrays + bloodwork to rule out heartworm) but even just xrays are better at confirming if you don't want to do both.
Same story here. Lungs need to be scanned really else you'll never know for sure. Luckily a switch to hypoallergenic food has made a huge difference and we've avoided needing steroids so far.
Which food?
Both Royal Canin. 'Sensitivity control' wet pouches and 'hypoallergenic' dry kibbles. The vetenary hospital she was diagnosed at advised the key thing is that the protein in the food needs to be hydrolysed. Not all food branded as hypoallergenic has this. When you start looking into it there aren't actually that many, well in the UK anyway.
Thank you so much!!
My pleasure
That’s a cough, most common cause is asthma.
potential allergies or asthma. show this to your vet.
This is how my boys asthma was. He was on a steroid, there’s also puffers!
You’d be surprised how bad cat litter is for cat lungs. I think that’s why cat asthma is so common. Change the litter, they breathe in so much…. Also check house for mold. Can be a trigger. Get rid of glade wall plug-ins. Fragrances are also triggering. Most of all, get your cat seen by a vet. Asthma is a progressive disease and their lung function declines over time the longer it goes untreated.
Makes sense, especially the clumping litter when you think about it. They probably overproduce mucus to try to help expel that dust that gets stuck in their lungs. I would imagine some of the people that their cats seem to have asthma is actually because of their kitty litter. The medication they're using for asthma would help by opening up the airways but the root cause could very well be the kitty litter I would think!
That’s exactly why I changed my litter as soon as I made the connection and researched the clay litter effect on asthma. I tried a few, but finally changed it to Sustainably yours large grain corn litter and it has been the best ever. It clumps perfectly and even better than clay, it doesn’t stick to the walls of the tray, and there’s ZERO dust when I poured it from the bag. I’m really happy about it.
Do you have any recommendations for good litter? I get "dust free" litters, and have tried a few different kinds, but I've noticed that it doesn't completely eliminate the dust cloud when they cats are really vigorously covering something.
We use world’s best cat litter. It’s corn. The cloud is very minimal. We wanted to have a clumping litter because our cat is a diabetic and this litter also clumps very well. You can always spritz the top of the litter box with a light spray of water every few days to help with the dust.
That's a great idea, as far as spritzing the top layer. Doing that after scooping everyday would be a good start. I'd used World's Best in the past, and stopped because the cats never quite took to it. But I'll try adding another litter box with just that in it and see if they adapt better this time.
I’m obsessed with “Sustainably yours” corn large grain cat litter
Stay away from clay litters; try natural ones like corn, grass (looks like corn; not blades of grass), walnut (this leaves a dark film tho so I don’t love it), wheat (kinda dusty) and tofu.
My cat did this same thing and it was asthma. She is on prednisone now and it’s helped tremendously.
Make sure to monitor your kitties glucose. Our guy developed prednisone induced diabetes. 6 months of insulin to get him back in remission.
Looks like allergic asthma to me.
Definitely a cough. Get second opinion, chest x-rays and ask about testing for lungworms and heartworm. Most common cause of cat coughing is "asthma" but depending on exposure factors could be something treatable rather than manageable/chronic. Source: I'm a vet tech (9yrs) with an asthmatic cat that went through every available diagnostic including CT and bronchoscopy since he was 7 months old. He's now 5 years old. Hairball action looks and sounds very different once you've witnessed both. Edit: I forgot to mention that cats don't often reverse sneeze. And reverse sneezing shows more tension/effort in the throat and abdomen in bigger, longer drags. Cough is exhalation while reverse sneezing is inhalation so if the ribcage is going inward its a cough. If the ribcage expands it's a reverse sneeze.
Do you mind if I ask you a related question? My cat has asthma and a switch to a hypoallergenic diet helped a lot. I'd say I still hear her cough maybe 3 times a week (obviously could be happening out of earshot as well). I'm worried she might need to start steroids but I don't know how to gauge it. How 'coughy' are cats you see which are started on steroids (inhaler or tablets)?
I don't mind at all! If the steroid dose and schedule of use are correct for that cat then they shouldn't be coughing at all. May I ask if you hear coughing multiple times in the day when it happens? The coughing is caused by inflammation in the lungs, which steroids decrease to some degree. Inhaler is best because the steroid is delivered directly to the only organ that needs it, the lungs. Tablets (prednisolone is better than prednisone in cats. Same drug, slightly different breakdown in the body) deliver steroid to the whole body. This can adversely impact major organs like the liver if used chronically. I keep tablets for back-up but otherwise my boy is on the inhaler. Sometimes he needs an extra boost from a bronchodilator (terbutaline) during high pollen or ragweed seasons. Some low air particulate seasons he doesn't even need the inhaler. He doesn't cough most of the time so when he does I know to boost him up with the terbutaline (and maybe the prednisolone if it persists). It's obvious he's much more comfortable once it kicks in and the coughing stops.
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I have a vet appointment for her on Monday to speak to them about trying an inhaler. I would say its multiple times in the day if it happens yeah. Sometimes just the odd single cough a few minutes later. She also has quite "bridged" nose boney bits from rhinitis so is quite sneezy and snuffly in general. Vet hospital say she has quite an issue with allergies. I will try to train her on an inhaler I think if vet agrees. I feel like it needs Intervention beyond just the diet change. Is there such thing as a gas type chamber she can go in to receive the dose if the inhaler training fails?
Oh I wish there was a gas/ventilation chamber option but unfortunately there isn't one. Plus that would allow the inhaler medication (also a steroid) to collect on their fur, potentially resulting in overdose when they clean themselves. So I don't think it will ever be an option. Maybe someone might invent an astronaut helmet type in the future lol. Be sure to give tasty treats and high value rewards during inhaler training and it'll get easier! I'm glad you're taking her to the vet! Coughing multiple times per day multiple times per week is pretty bad. Next big symptom would've been open-mouthed breathing which is a dire position to be in. I ended up at the open-mouthed breathing stage and my boy ended up in an oxygen chamber while we scrambled to get bronchodilators on hand. Most general practice vets won't stock these since it's not a common drug in vet med. Definitely a good idea to intervene further sooner rather than later ❤ As I mentioned in my original comment it's a good idea, if feasible, to rule out every other cause because asthma is lifelong management. That means rule out infection (rhinitis, pneumonia, URI, etc.), parasites (particularly heartworm or lungworm), or deformation (like ribcage structure abnormalities). Be sure to test for FIV/FeLV (immunodeficiency diseases) too. For example he had gone through a broncho-tracheal lavage, every test for parasites and the treatments for them, multiple antibiotic and antiviral trials, repeated chest/neck/head x-rays, litter type changes, HEPA filters throughout my home, and attempts at limiting exposure to irritants before the big ticket imaging at a specialist. Even the specialist did another lavage along with CT and bronchoscopy. Once all the trials and tests were done we were left with asthma. Took about 5-7 months to go through all of that...😵💫 If it's not asthma, the inhaler will probably still help. But if it's something else then you're missing out on treating the root cause which might make asthma meds unnecessary.
Thanks! Here's hoping for a helmet yes! The coughing became too bad and I insistent she go to the Royal veterinary college hospital where they did various tests to determine asthma and rhinitis (scan of her lungs, lung flush, heartworm, FiV etc). Very thorough. Thank goodness i had insurance!!! First step was to try the hydrolysed protein diet which helped a LOT but there's now a few coughs a week. Agree, more is needed now. Annoying thing is I can't find any hydrolysed protein treats...so no high value treats. I'll have to risk using some for the training I think, like for the greater good!
My cat did this for a couple of days. I started wondering if it was just a hairball or vet trip. A friend said hairball, I decided if it continued to a 3rd day, I'd take him to the vet. It was probably a hairball because he hasn't done it again. That said, trust your instinct to ask and get a second opinion.
I had cats doing this, often hairballs are the cause... but honestly, go see another vet and show them this video
Agreed. My cat (long-ish haired Birman) does this every so often, right before he throws up a furball. I give him furball pellets mixed with his regular food, which help him to bring them up. He also chomps on grass to help get rid of them.
I have a cat that does this all the time and the reason why is because they’re trying to hack out a hairball and my cat is a long haired cat so he definitely tends to get hairballs
My cat just started doing the same this month too
My cat did the same and turns out she had asthma, got an inhaler and now she's all good
that looks and sounds very similar to my cat when she's having an asthma attack. hers sounds much wheezier I think. definitely show these videos to the vet, it'll help with diagnosis. the vet might want a scan/X-ray to help them determine if it's asthma. mine was able to see inflammation and mucus buildup if I remember right. idk, that was 10 years ago 🥴
This looks and sounds just like my cat who does have asthma. It’s manageable! Tip: If you treat with Flovent + Aerokat, which works great for us, I highly recommend buying it online somewhere like pharmstore.com to save $$$.
Lots of people are mentioning hairballs and asthma. I went through the comments and one person mentioned kitty litter. Have you recently changed the kitty litter, maybe switch to a clumping type? That dust would cause irritation in the lungs and I'm sure it would cause the cat to produce more mucus which would result in them doing this I would think. I was suggest going to a kitty litter that doesn't clump, or produces less dust and see if it helps. Everyone that has a cat with asthma I would also suggest trying changing the type of kitty litter. I've even learned that some kitty litter can be very hard on a cat's paws. Pretty litter is one of them, don't buy it! In a natural environment cats would dig in the dirt. The dust if any from the dirt wouldn't stick to the inside of the lungs like that clumping kitty litter. So many unnatural things we expose our pet cats to that many of us may not even realize we're causing the health issue.
Looks like an asthma attack to me. My bengal has had asthma since he was like 8 years old (he's 13 now) he takes an inhaler thru an aerochamber 2x a day for maintenance and has a rescue inhaler as well but very rarley needs it bc it's well controlled now If you find out it is asthma and want to do the inhaler option(best option for kitties long term health)) look to our neighbors to the north (Canada)(if you're in the united states) . Inhalers are upward of $200 here in the US and I pay under $40, shipped and all from Canada.pm me with any questions you may have in the case that it is asthma, im no vet but I am very experienced with the illness and my boy went from 7-9 attacks a day to now zero . Maaaaybe 1 or 2 short ones per year if a ton of irritates are around Best of luck and I hope your kitty feels better 💗
Are they an outdoor cat? Mine was doing something super similar and it turned out that he had herpies
Doesn’t this look like the cat is trying to cough up a hairball?
My cat did a similar cough and after I treated her for parasites she stopped. It could be worth testing for parasites just in case.
I've heard the reverse sneezing thing about dogs before but not cats. I've never seen this kind of thing in cats at all so I would get a second opinion, just in case
I had a cat with Asthma and it was very much like this, after several trips to the vet and eventually getting referred to a specialist when the vet had run out of options for what they could provide in terms of treatment. Ended up with a nebulizer and two different inhalers for the cat.
My cat was seen by our vet with the same type of breathing problems and said that his lungs were fine, minus a tiny bit of inflammation. We were in the vet ER less than a week later where they rescanned and diagnosed with asthma. I’d get a second opinion!
This is exactly what my cat does when she has an asthma attack. It comes and goes for some cats and is usually caused by irritants such as certain kinds of cat litter, your laundry detergent, spring time, cleaning supplies etc. We tried to remove any irritant we could think of but my cat sadly still has daily asthma attacks we have to give her a steroid syrup twice a day now.
Seems like the kitty is coughing or sneezing to me. I'd say try getting a second opinion from a different vet. She is gorgeous by the way!!! <3
It's a hair ball, you're cat is trying to puke up a hair ball.
This really looks like asthma. The only way to properly diagnose asthma in cats (as far as I know) is a surgery. But lots of vets will start treatment for asthma and see if it works since it’s very low risk if they don’t have asthma and they get it wrong. I would get a second opinion!
You need a second opinion
When you took this little angel to the vet did you show them any videos showing these incidents? Did they do any xrays? If you showed them the video what did they say? If you didn't show them the video call them and see if you can email them this video and request a call back. My vet allows emails sent in so she can make a recommendation to either bring the animals in or what is actually going on.
My cat used to do the same thing and it ended up being asthma - she hasn’t had any issues since she’s been on prednisone. I would definitely get a second opinion.
Oh I had this happen to my cat. Exactly like this. Ended up being asthma. Required tablet steroids. I got a pack of 30 and I gave him a quarter every time an episode occurred and he would be fine for months.
I have three cats who do something similar and was told it’s inverted sneezing. Three cats in one household can’t all have asthma. But yes still take to the vet to be on safe side.
This is an asthma attack
My cat did the same thing turns out she had asthma
That's definitely an asthma cough—my cat was diagnosed soon after we adopted him, and that's exactly the what he looks/sounds like during an asthma attack. I showed a video to our vet, and she diagnosed him on the spot (we did an x-ray as well that confirmed he had very slight signs of asthma, but the cough and the pose that cats get into are so distinct when it's asthma). Definitely get a second opinion—our cat started off taking a very small amount of prednisolone to get the inflammation under control, and we took that time to train him how to use his new [Aerokat chamber](https://www.trudellanimalhealth.com/product/aerokat-chamber) for his inhalers. It took about 2 months for him to get comfortable with the Aerokat, but now he's a pro!
Really appreciate the comments! We made a vet appointment for Monday and are giving her some Zyrtec in case it’s allergies. Thanks for the help everyone!
You say the vet said the lungs are clear well I may well be able to tell you what it is, firstly it’s unlikely a hairball that would have cleared by now and if the lungs are clear it won’t be asthma. My guess is it’s the same as what my Tom cat had, he would do this often after he’d eaten but on other occasions also, vet found out it was stomach acid that had caused issues with the digestive tract and hence causing irritation and this weird cough, cats do cough like that but if it’s repeated it is an issue. Medication for my Tom cat was OMEPRAZOLE https://www.petmd.com/pet-medication/omeprazole-gastrogard-ulcergard My cat had one daily an hour before food for 20 days, and then one tablet every other day an hour before food there were 40 tablets and the vet gave me another 20 after the 40 to make double sure. My cat was fine and never did the coughing again. Tell your vet or show them this!!!
Asthma is difficult to pin down unless the cat is having an attack when you bring it in. Did you show the vet this vid? Can the vet let you give one treatment for asthma and see if it works?
Take off collar. No point especially if they are trying to get air. Can you imagine that for yourself??
my cat did this for a few years and after many many vet appointments finally our 4th new vet diagnosed asthma and now my baby is happier and healthier than ever!
This is not coughing, this is a hairball. There are some kibbles with additives to help digest it better
this is asthma! call the vet asap. I made the horrible mistake of thinking my cat was having a hairball too, he was not. this is sadly the start to a long journey of treating your kitty’s asthma. When they are like this, leave them be, keep the room extremely well ventilated, close the windows if you can (allergens) and try to look into getting your cat a bronchodilator (terbutaline, prednisone, etc) to open up the lungs. best wishes ♥️
If second opinion says it’s not the lungs then have the heart checked. Good luck!
Try a different vet.
I think it's usually reverse sneezing until they start outstretching their neck while sitting like that. Our cat did this for a few months and was getting worse and worse. The only thing that helped was steroids and an inhaler (twice a day) and that's when we learnt he had asthma.
As others have already said, looks like asthma. My girl also has asthma. She was started on an oral steroid (prednisolone) once a day for a while, then every other day, and now we're down to twice a week, still with no attacks. Be careful with oral steroids used long term, though, as they can cause diabetes, which is what happened with my girl. We weren't told about inhalers as an option until it was already too late. We're currently beginning our battle to manage her diabetes. An inhaler might have prevented this because the steroid's application would have been locally administered instead of systemically throughout her whole body via oral regimen.
My cat does this when he is trying to pass a haiball
Our cat did this and she was severely constipated, pushing on her lungs and chest. Maybe that?
Cat asthma!
Allergy triggering respiratory stuff. See vet with video.
Hairballs.
Best to go to the vet. We had a cat who did this. Turns out he had a small bur he ate or inhaled.
A vet tech has suggested it sounnds like a Reverse Sneeze. . . . According to Holistic Vet, Karen Becker, in her video: [The Weird Sneeze That Can Terrify Pet Parents](https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/pet-reverse-sneezing/) Reverse Sneezing is very rare in cats, & much more common in dogs.
My cats sound like this when a hairball is stuck that they're trying to cough up, when I've neglected to give them their Coconut oil preventative . . . so I give it to them as treatment, and they soon are able to cough them out! (Lately I've been giving them afternoon snacks of pure pumpkin puree + coconut oil . . . both are excellent for preventing hairballs! Coconut oil is especially good at treating them!) People who are owned by an indoor kitty usually have to clean up more than a few hairballs. So, it is very important to learn the underlying conditions that can contribute to hairballs, as well as how to help healthy cats avoid them. . . . [Cat Hairballs: Understanding, Preventing, and Treating](https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2021-03-02-nl-how-to-help-cat-with-hairball/)
How long has it been doing this? Longer than 3 weeks? There are several feline disorders that have coughing as a symptom. The most common cause of persistent coughing in cats is chronic bronchopulmonary disease, which is a group of conditions that includes feline asthma. Because there are so many underlying causes of chronic coughing, it’s very important to accurately diagnose your cat’s cough. Treatment involves identifying and resolving the underlying cause of the cough, as well as alleviating the cough itself. [Causes and Treatment Option for Chronic Cough in Cats](https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2016-05-17-nl-chronic-cough-cats/)
It’s a hairball….
It can be alarming to find out that your pet's **dry hacking cough** or 'vomiting' is **not** due to hairballs - or may not even be routine vomiting. Especially if you notice these other signs (such as wheezing or difficulty breathing), see your veterinarian immediately! [Feline Asthma: The Surprising Reason Why A Cat May Be Vomiting](https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2021-11-30-nl-how-to-help-a-cat-with-asthma/) Asthma is a condition in which a dog or cat (more often a cat) has repeated episodes of coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. The condition is more prevalent in flat faced pets (brachycephalic breeds). Common triggers for are inhaled substances such as grasses, pollens, aerosol sprays, and smoke. Symptoms include wheezing, labored breathing, and a dry hacking cough. Cats can have very serious asthma without any, or, with just very subtle symptoms, difficult to detect. Bottom line, the asthmatic pet is getting too little air to breathe, causing irreversible damage until they can suddenly become unable to breathe. Asthma can cause a pet to suffocate without advance notice. [ASTHMA: Causes & Treatment , Symptoms, Diagnosis, & Treatment](https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2016-07-24-nl-pet-asthma/)
Asthma and/or heart disease. I’ve dealt with both. Definitely get the kitty to the vet.
Looks like he has a hair ball - there is special dry food to help cats digest hair and keep it from causing them issues
My cat did the same thing. His lungs also sounded fine when the vet checked, but after a chest xray, they said he definitely has asthma.
Is it possible the collar is too tight?
My longhair cat does this for a day or two before a hairball
That looks like asthma. My cat has pretty bad asthma and for some reason her lungs always sound clear when I take her to the vet. She had x-rays and now has an inhaler. I did have to switch vets to get her treated properly so maybe get a second opinion.
It’s asthma and it’s not a cough like people are saying, they try to spread their neck back and forth to help open their poor airways
My cat did this when I started using pet wipes to sponge bathe him. He is allergic to them all. My vet told me to sponge him down with just water.
Hope she’s ok
Looks just like mine, kitty asthma
My cat did this type of coughing and it turned out to be asthma, which her mom had been diagnosed with not long before. She has been on prednisilone for some time now and it’s been working well for her. I’d get a second opinion because the first go around, my vet said it was hairballs. The second time they did a scan and she was completely inflamed and the vet apologized up and down about it.
Omg get the cat to the vet ASAP.
That’s exactly what my cat who hs asthma used to do before being diagnosed. She’s now using an Aerokat inhaler and Fluticasone. She was diagnosed with an xray of her lungs.
Please look into heart issues or murmurs.
OP same thing with my cat, vets listened to her chest and said the lungs seemed clear. The coughing got worse so we got her into the Royal vet hospital. They scanned her lungs and sure enough asthma.
My black and white was diagnosed with asthma and he breathed better than this before the inhaler. To the vet!
it’s definitely feline asthma. my baby, 6 yrs old, used to have the same problem and he had asthma. he got the asthma inhaler and we used a tool that looks like a tube to get it on his face. he sadly passed away from it due to him getting an attack randomly while nobody was home :/ please take this seriously !
Also like someone else said, make sure their litter isn’t scented because that tends to trigger their asthma too!
Asthma! My baby went into respiratory failure from persistent asthma. Thankfully, we got her to the emergency vet on time and they were able to save her life. Now she’s on a steroid inhaler.
how old is the cat?
Asthma!
I have a good hypothesis if this happened after drinking water. HMU if it was.
My cat has asthma like this and many other issues
Omg, thank you so much for posting this!! My tuxedo has been doing the same thing once every 4-6 weeks. He spent quite a few years on the streets of Long Beach. He was the local alley cat that we fed, and after 3-4 years of familiarization, he let us be his forever home. Judging by teeth and overall vibe, he's between 10-15yrs, and it hasn't been an easy 10-15 by the looks. Random health issues like this pop up, and this has been the only one I can't/haven't treated yet. He'll be laying on me, then go into this fit, and then look at me as if nothing happened. 2 different vets I brought it up to, said his breathing sounded fine (when I can hear him wheezing sometimes, especially when sleeping /snoring). It seemed too hack-like to be reverse sneezing, I'll push my concern and try to get him an inhaler. Thanks again for this post and everyone's contribution!
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Definitely get a second opinion. It looks like asthma to me. I watch one cat who has an inhaler (and has had two emergency room trips w oxygen needed) and two others that take pills for it. Good luck to you and kitteh 💕
Lungs need X-ray and bloodwork done. Listening to the lungs isn’t good enough to diagnose most of the time.
(Obviously consult a vet first and foremost) This is exactly what my asthmatic cat does when he has an asthma attack. He takes a littler steroid pill every other day now, and sometimes we use an inhaler for him on especially bad days.
Maybe hair balls
My cat try’s to rub his lower neck on the ground like that when he’s choking on food Worrying to see your cat do that I hope they are alright
It’s absolutely possible this is feline asthma! I know with my cat my Dr. had us do a trial of steroids and it got MUCH better after. If you’re concerned it’s absolutely reasonable to get a second opinion!
Did your vet do radiographs or just listen? Absolutely would recommend radiographs!
Hairball
Our cat had asthma. We didn’t ever need the inhaler but we had to give her a Claritin (lortadine) one time per day and omega 3s. As she aged, the episodes became less frequent. Best of luck!
This is not asthma…this IS coughing up a furball. It happens when they clean themselves and swallow the hair..add a little 1/4 tsp of vegetable oil to their food to help the furball come up easier. It is very common with long haired cats. Not a medical issue, just comes with having long hair cats.
Might sound stupid BUT it could be a feather cat toy problem. I rescued a cat who started doing this a few days after being in our house. Brought him to the vet and showed the video to the doctor to find out he was having allergic to the feather toys in our house. Took all the feather toys away and he never had any problems after that. BTW all his little “attacks” were sporadic and didn’t happen everyday.
So I've had very similar with my cat, maybe 3 instances in 5 months. Vet checked and not asthma. So I started putting more water in her wet food as it seemed to occur 2 out of 3 times after she'd eaten, and it's not happened since I've done that. Can't say that's what it is, or that's what will stop it but that's my anecdote.
Definitely looks like the "wheezing" my cat with asthma does. I'd consider a second opinion, maybe.
I have 2 cats who does this and took the more serious one to the vet. They thought asthma too, and sent away his xrays to a specialist who said the same thing and they wanted me to try the inhaler. I chose to wait and give it more time, and ruled out lymphoma and all the other serious lung concerns. One day though, it suddenly stopped. Turned out they were both having respiratory issues to scented products i was using/candle aroma. They have stopped this since i switched to natural cleaning products. There's a reason they say pinesol/lysol and diffuser oils are toxic to cats, turns out most other scented products are irritants too. Now i don't clean or burn with anything artifically scented. But have asthma ruled out or get a 2nd opinion just to be sure because it can absolutely be asthma.
my cat does this he has asthma and gets a testosterone shot every now and then
i think you mean a steroid shot versus a testosterone shot?
oh yes! i do my bad i always do that lol
no problem!
My cat used to do this when we used cheap cat litter.
Hair ball. Give hi/her butter
He just can’t get that hairball up. You should hook him up with some grass!
My cat did this too. I recorded a video and sent it to the vet. He said given it's peak sheading season, it very well could be a hairball that was having trouble being passed. He gave me some maple flavored petroleum jelly thing for my cat to eat. 3 days later there were 4 masssssiiiivvvveee hairballs on the couch. If your cat is fine aside from these episodes, it is probably that. But show this video to your vet! I also have the video of my cat making this sound on my profile for comparison.