I think my kitty may have asthma. He coughs alot like he has a hairball but nothing ever comes up.. Then he swallows whatever he coughed up into his mouth(mucus?). When he coughs he stretches his neck out far and low to the ground. I have called the vet and they gave me tips on hairballs...but I don't think this is a hairball situation! He is not getting any better. Can anyone help?
2007-03-26 14:23:11 · 2 answers · asked by Amers 3 in Pets ➔ Cats
Sounds like your cat has feline asthma. My female cat (now 5 years old) has asthma and it sounds exactly what you described. It started when she was about 1 year old and she would hack like she had a hairball, but nothing would ever come out. She would squat down low to the ground, too. Usually it would start every once in awhile (about once a week), then more frequently. I, too, tried hairball medicines and hairball treats and they didn't work at all.
We finally had my cat x-rayed and tested for some stuff and they said it was feline asthma. So, they would give her a steroid shot about every 3 months (I think it's Depomedrol). I always knew it was time for her shot because she started coughing again. But recently the vet told me that too many steroid shots and she could develop diabetes. So they switched her to a Prednisone pill (which is also a steroid), but it's weaker than the shot.
Now, we give her a pill about every 4 days until she quits coughing, then we stop. If she starts to cough again, we start up the pills again.
It's easily manageable, but it is a pain in the butt. The shots work quick, but only last about 3 months. So I recommend the shot to get him over the coughing in the short-term, and then switch to the pills once your cat starts to cough again a few months later.
I would also tell your vet that you think it's asthma and ask for some suggestions on it.
Hope this helps. Good luck with kitty!
2007-03-26 14:53:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well I have a cat who gets hairballs (Persian). I have to give her hairball treatment every few days. Its an ongoing thing.
My boyfriends dog has asthma and has a chronic dry cough if he doesn't give a steroid pill to the dog every day. Its a pain but after a few months he can go a few days without giving her the pill. Also her asthma gets worse during different seasons. Maybe this is the case with your cat,but the dog doesn't cough anything up.
Sounds to me like your cat has hair balls. I buy a tube of the hairball treatment paste at the grocery store.
2007-03-26 15:04:27 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It does sound like it could be asthma. Does he keep coughing and coughing and not stop, that's what my cat did, it was awful.
Best to get the cat to the vet you can get some cotizone which will help control the asthma.
2007-03-26 21:47:33 · answer #3 · answered by lochmessy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Did you FOLLOW the vet's tips on hairballs? Did you give him any hairball remedy? Because it sounds exactly like he has a hairball.
2007-03-26 14:36:38 · answer #4 · answered by Lisa A 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋