This noise doesn’t sound the same as that painful cat wheezing, but more of an annoyed snort. Gabby makes another strange noise that my other cat, Merritt, does not. What about cats who make snorting noises or huffs? “Coughing is more specific to the lungs and more commonly associated with asthma (allergic bronchitis) and less commonly with heartworm, lungworm, tumors in the lungs and, rarely, heart disease.”Ī cat who is coughing, or a cat who is wheezing and coughing, should also see a vet. “Wheezing can be any noise from the respiratory tract (nose, throat, lungs),” Dr. Is your cat wheezing - or coughing?Ĭat wheezing and cat coughing are similar. “Switching to a dust-free litter can also reduce episodes of coughing and wheezing for some cats,” Dr. Gibbons says you can take steps to reduce allergens and irritants in your living space by introducing HEPA filters and frequently dusting and cleaning. If your cat’s wheezing is caused by asthma, Dr. You should always follow your trusted veterinarian’s instructions on monitoring and treating your cat’s wheezing, as any breathing changes can be very serious.” Can you prevent cat wheezing before it happens? Some of these disease processes require long-term treatment and some will resolve with a single course of therapy, or simply the tincture of time. “This may be a steroid or inhaler for asthma, antibiotics for a bacterial infection or anti-viral supplements for a respiratory virus. “Depending on the underlying cause of your cat’s wheezing, your veterinarian will determine the appropriate treatment, if necessary,” Dr. And, just like human asthmatics, kitties who are wheezing because of asthma may get inhalers, too. Kitties may be sent home with either short- or long-term treatments. Treatments for cat wheezing depend on the cause. If the coughing is not stopping within one minute or it looks like your cat cannot breathe, he or she should be brought to a veterinarian immediately.” How do you treat cat wheezing? “Most cats return to normal respiratory function after a few coughs. “Wheezing is an emergency when a cat is gasping for air and unable to breathe,” Dr. Sometimes, cat wheezing means getting your kitty to a vet ASAP. “Radiographs (X-rays) and lab work may be necessary for a diagnosis in many cases.” Is your cat wheezing, coughing up a hairball or in need of an emergency vet visit? Photography by Suzanne Tucker / Shutterstock. Anna Larson, DVM, at Spot On Veterinary Hospital & Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut. “It can be helpful to record an episode of wheezing to help your vet determine the underlying cause,” says Dr. Since your cat is probably not continually wheezing (if he is, it’s an emergency - please see below and get him to a vet ASAP), try to capture your cat wheezing on video. “It is very important to have your cat examined by a veterinarian to determine the cause of the wheezing,” Dr. (And even some hairball situations mean a trip to the vet!). If you’ve ruled out hairballs, cat wheezing does warrant a trip to the vet. Heart failure uncommonly causes coughing or wheezing in cats (it’s more common in dogs), but it can happen.” Does cat wheezing always mean a trip to the vet? Depending on the location of the growth, cancer can also cause wheezing. “ Heartworms and parasites, such as lungworms, can cause wheezing,” Dr. Sometimes, cat wheezing is a symptom of serious cat diseases. Occasionally, wheezing can happen with foreign bodies trapped within the respiratory tract.” “Wheezing can also happen with benign growths called polyps that occur in the sinuses or throat. “Coughing and wheezing in cats is most commonly associated with respiratory allergies or asthma,” Dr. “In fact, they can often look very similar but most of the time with coughing, nothing comes up.” Why causes cat wheezing?Ī few different factors can be at play when it comes to cat wheezing. Sasha Gibbons of Just Cats Veterinary Hospital in Stamford, Connecticut. “A cat cough or wheeze sounds very similar to a cat trying to hack up a hairball,” says Dr. Unfortunately, the difference between a cat wheezing and a cat coughing up a hairball can be hard to tell, but if you don’t notice anything coming up, it’s probably wheezing. What is the difference between cat wheezing and coughing up a hairball? Sometimes, he hunches his shoulders and strains his neck out as if to elongate his air pipes in an attempt to breathe better. These attacks usually last a few seconds to a minute and he makes distinct snorting / wheezing noises. But sometimes, when Gabby wheezes, it just sounds like he’s having the same coughing or sneezing fit that I get when I breathe in something I’m allergic to. I can hear that something is about to come up. Hacking up a hairball is a similar sound.
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