my cat keeps coughing( not hairballs): she had blood tests and all is ok there.?

Question

no parasites etc. she was given a cortizone jab about a month ago. that stopped it . but the last few days she has started again.

Answer 1

Then further investigation needs to be conducted. Tell the vet the coughing has begun again. Cortisone is a steroid that works as an anti-inflammatory and is good for such symptoms as you've seen - but if the problem has reoccured, the vet needs to know or how can they help?

You're really looking in the wrong place for further help, you should be directing these qs at a vet. We're not professionals, we haven't seen either your cat or his blood results. And by the way there are many different blood tests that might be conducted, just because one set was clear doesn't mean another will be, depends what they're testing for.

Chalice

Answer 2

There are two types of coughing. One is where the head and neck are outstretched so they're parrallel to the floor, the cat is crouched (not sitting) and does individual coughs in a regular candance, and sometimes the head will swing side to side slowly, but the chin is as far forward as possible. This allows the lungs to 'huff' something out of the throat.

Then there's the hairball, puke, "I ate grass" cough with the head tipped down and the nose pointing to the floor, usually with the back arched, and done from a sitting position. The sides heave, the cough is deep and the eyes are usually closed. This is when something has to come up out of the stomach, or has to clear from way down in the lungs.

The first isn't a concern, I call it dry hacking (I've only seen one hairball in 18 years that came up with a dry hack, usually nothing comes up, the cat coughs till it suddenly swallows and then gets up and walks away).

The second is when the cat has to get something out of it's body.

Answer 3

Another reason not mentioned yet, for a cat's coughing, is asthma. I have two asthmatic cats and they cough, it's similar to the "hairball hack" but doesn't produce anything.

Sometimes, if you have a stethoscope, you can listen to the cat's lungs during or after a coughing spell; if the cat is asthmatic you will hear a "crackling" sound when she breathes. With one of my cats, I can actually hear the crackling without a stethoscope, it is that bad.

If your vet does an x-ray of your cat's chest he should be able to see signs of asthma, if this is what it is. Oral prednisone is a good first step to take towards alleviating asthma symptoms; if the cat has a severe case, you may need to get a nebulizer for her. I'd talk to your vet about the possibility of this being asthma; good luck!

Answer 4

My cat starts coughing when the weather gets colder like catching a cold.No other symptoms just coughing.The vet said she was fine too.She is a siamese cross short fur and gets a cough in winter and gets heat stroke very easily in the summer i really have to keep an eye on her.

Answer 5

Allergies? Cats can be allergic to substances just as people are. Do you have plants that she sniffs? Is there something in her food that disagrees with her? (check the labels on anything you give her - some proprietary pet foods contain all kinds of additives and chemical colors, etc. )

Answer 6

well make sure your house doesn't have a lot of dust because that can cause the coughing, also i think cats can have allergies, but i don't know if there are tests for them. i don't think it's much to worry about, but if it gets worse, take her back to the vet again, because they're the experts.

Answer 7

upper respiratory infection or asthma she could have an allergy. she needs to see a different vet asap. my lil bagheera is just getting over a respiratory infection brought on by an allergy to paper based cat litter

Answer 8

She may have an upper respiratory infection. If so, she will need antibiotics.