Cough in Cats

The cat suddenly makes a long neck and begins to cough miserably. A terrible sight! But what are the causes of a cough in cats and how can it be treated? Read everything you need to know about coughing in cats in the following article.

Causes: How Does a Cat Develop a Cough?

Due to the versatility of the development of coughs in cats, a division into non-infectious and infectious causes makes sense for a better understanding:

Non-Infectious Causes

Inhaled (aspirated) foreign bodies (e.g. blades of grass or threads) in the respiratory tract are particularly often the cause of acute coughs in cats. For example, blades of grass tend to stick to the roof of the cat’s palate and lead to strained coughing. In addition, allergic reactions such as feline asthma, injuries to the respiratory tract, and the inhalation of gases (e.g. in the case of smoke inhalation) lead to coughs in cats.

Feline asthma causes severe inflammation of the bronchi in cats (chronic bronchitis). This typically shows up as a fit of breathlessness and choking at the end of the coughing fit. A tumorous process is another possible cause of chronic cat cough. However, unlike dogs, cats almost never cough due to heart disease.

Infectious causes

This category includes various bacterial and viral pathogens, but also fungi and parasites.

Young cats in particular when they are puppies often show signs of infection with the cat flu complex. It is an infectious disease that occurs around the world and, in addition to coughing, also leads to conjunctivitis and damage to the mucous membranes in cats.

The following pathogens play an important role in the development of the disease:

• Viruses: caliciviruses, feline herpesvirus (FHV 1)
• Bacteria: Chlamydophila felis, mycoplasma, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Pasteurella, and Klebsiella

Parasites can also cause cat coughs. Lungworms such as Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Troglostrongylus brevior, or Capillaria aerophila occur in cats. Infectious stages of the worms are ingested orally by the cat and enter the respiratory tract in the course of their development cycle. There they lead to inflammation that damages the cat’s lung tissue. Later, the worm larvae are coughed up via the windpipe and then swallowed. The infectious stages enter the environment again via the cat’s feces and can in turn be ingested by other animals.

Symptoms: Side Effects of Coughing in Cats

First of all, a cough is a body reflex triggered by a stimulus. The aim of the cough reflex is either to cough up foreign bodies or to remove mucus from the respiratory tract. Depending on the cause of the cough, there are also different accompanying symptoms. The character of the cough (dry / fencing, acute/chronic) is also different, depending on the trigger.

Other possible symptoms associated with a cough in cats include:

• General symptoms: tiredness, fever (e.g. with infectious diseases), loss of appetite, and weight loss
• Cough: pain, fluids (e.g. blood, pus, mucus)
• other respiratory symptoms: sneezing, shortness of breath, noises in breathing, nasal discharge, difficulty swallowing, choking

Diagnosis: When Should I See the Vet for a Cough?

An occasional cough is not uncommon in humans and dogs. With the cat, on the other hand, it does. If your cat is coughing, a veterinarian must definitely see what causes this symptom.

In order to make a diagnosis, it is important for the veterinarian to determine the nature of your cat’s cough. As part of the owner survey (anamnesis), the veterinarian asks about the frequency and strength of the cough, productivity (dry or wet), and whether the cough mostly occurs in certain situations (e.g. while eating). Furthermore, possible causes can be better narrowed down by differentiating between acute and chronic cough. While tumorous causes are usually chronic, a stuck blade of grass is more likely to cause acute coughs.

The general examination then follows the anamnesis. It determines the current health status of the cat with the help of various vital parameters (heart and breathing rate, temperature, etc.). The vet takes a close look at the cat’s mouth and throat and listens to the lungs with a stethoscope.

Depending on the cause the vet suspects, further diagnostic measures are then used. For example, an X-ray may provide information about tumors in the lungs. By examining blood and feces, infections or parasites can be identified. If a foreign body is suspected, an endoscopic examination is advisable.

Therapy: What to Do If My Cat Coughs

The therapy for cat cough is highly dependent on the respective cause and is divided into special and symptomatic treatment:

Special treatment:

• Infectious diseases: for example deworming agents, antibiotics
• Tumorous events: chemotherapeutic agents, radiation or surgical measures
• allergic reactions: antihistamines, desensitization
• Foreign body: surgical removal

Symptomatic treatment:

• Cough reliever drugs: expectorant, bronchodilator drugs
• Anti-inflammatory drugs
• Suppression of the immune system: cortisone (e.g. in feline asthma)
• Support of the immune system: vitamin preparations or par immunity inducers
• Hygienic measures to avoid the spread of infectious agents

Prognosis: What are the Chances of Recovery from a Cough in Cats?

Like the therapy, the prognosis of cat cough depends on the underlying disease. In this way, lungworm infestation in cats that is detected at an early stage can be treated well. This also applies to an infection with the cat flu complex and other infections.

The prognosis of feline asthma depends on the triggering allergens. If it is possible to avoid contact with the allergens entirely, the prognosis for cat health is good. If this is not possible, at least alleviation of the symptoms and thus an improvement in the quality of life of the animal can be achieved.

Prophylaxis: Can I Prevent a Cat from Coughing?

Not all underlying diseases can be avoided through prophylactic measures. However, the following measures are helpful in avoiding infectious diseases:

• regular cleaning (e.g. the litter box)
• Avoid contact with sick animals
• Vaccination against caliciviruses, the feline herpes virus, and Chlamydophila felis
• effective and regular parasite prophylaxis