coughing, hacking sound

irishemt17 · 02-14-2005, 06:30 PM

My (almost) 3 year old tabby has been making a horrible hacking sound for the past 24 hours. is this a hairball??? he's never made this noise before! it really scares me to hear him like that? what should I do for him, is there anything I can do? how long will it take (if it is a hairball) to come up????????? thank you!!!!!!

coaster · 02-14-2005, 07:08 PM

FREQUENT coughing probably isn't a hairball. Other things that cause coughing: upper respiratory infection, heartworms, asthma, lungworms, intestinal worms, allergies, something stuck in the throat....honestly, there are more, but I can't think of them right now. This is a problem best evaluated by a vet.

irishemt17 · 02-14-2005, 08:45 PM

thanks!!!!! he's on Revolution....so it shouldn't be worms! when he does it his body moves like it does right before he pukes.....if that helps! I think I'll take him in tomorrow!

coaster · 02-14-2005, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishemt17

his body moves like it does right before he pukes

that's a cat coughing, all right!!

momto4 · 02-14-2005, 09:26 PM

My 2yr old has been hacking something fierce since last Thursday, took him in today for his annual and asked the vet to do an x-ray. Feline asthma is the diagnosis, not definite though, he is on medicine for a few days, the vet promises he should clear in three days and then keep an eye on it and if it reoccurs or does'nt improve he has to go back, four days was too long for a hairball, I feel better having the x-ray, he has fluid that the meds will clear up, perhaps you should do the same.

irishemt17 · 02-15-2005, 06:41 PM

I took him in today. Poor baby! He had a high fever and he has tracheitis! (inflammation of the trachea) they gave him pain meds/fever reducer and some anti-biotics. he's done a 180 since this morning! Thank you all for your advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Connor thanks you too! He's rubbing against my legs as I type this!!!!!!!!!!

coaster · 02-15-2005, 07:08 PM

Good to hear that your kitty's been properly diagnosed and treated, irishemt!! Be sure to follow the doctor's intructions on the treatment!!

NewRagdoll · 02-15-2005, 07:25 PM

I like this thread.....why?

Because, we have people who didn't wait, but took their cats to the vet and got a diagnosis and treatment underway. Please, everyone, coughing, hacking, and other symptoms merit immediate treatment. You wouldn't believe the number of times people come on here, describe symptoms, want an internet diagnosis, then say....well they act ok otherwise.....and I'm just so happy to see to cats in this thread now on their way to feeling better.

Particularly, congrats to irishemt.....see, he's already doing better. And, without your vet trip, he would be deteriorating by the minute. I love responsible pet owners.

irishemt17 · 02-15-2005, 07:40 PM

thank you! Connor is like a kid to me! now the trick is how to give him his pill.........he does NOT want to take it!!! a couple band-aids on the hands later....I need help!!!!!!!!!

coaster · 02-15-2005, 07:58 PM

This is from a book I just finished reading "Think Like a Cat ... " by Pam Johnson-Bennett:

To me, the best approach is subtlety and speed…. Don’t make a big production out of it because the more fuss you create, the more worried your cat will be. Just be organized and choose your timing carefully.

The procedure: …. Put the palm of your hand over the top of the cat’s head. Tilt the head up slightly. Open his mouth by applying gentle pressure with your thumb on one side and middle finger on the other against the area behind the canine teeth…. Hold the pill between the thumb and index finger of your free hand, and with the middle finger, press the lower jaw open. Drop the pill on the back of the tongue. Coating the pill with butter will make it easier to swallow (but sometimes harder to release from your fingers). Let go of the cat’s mouth so he can swallow but keep hold of him so he doesn’t escape and spit the pill out. Don’t clamp his mouth shut or he won’t be able to swallow. You can gently massage the throat in a downward motion to help ease the pill down.

After you have administered the pill, observe your cat to make sure it went down….If his tongue comes out to lick his nose or mouth, that’s a sure sign that the pill has been swallowed. If the cat begins coughing, it means the pill is lodged in the windpipe Release your hold on him so he can cough it up.

….

If you cat squirms and scratches, try wrapping him in a towel.

02-14-2005, 06:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
irishemt17 Cat Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 234	coughing, hacking sound My (almost) 3 year old tabby has been making a horrible hacking sound for the past 24 hours. is this a hairball??? he's never made this noise before! it really scares me to hear him like that? what should I do for him, is there anything I can do? how long will it take (if it is a hairball) to come up????????? thank you!!!!!!

02-14-2005, 09:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
momto4 Jr. Cat Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 92	hacking,coughing My 2yr old has been hacking something fierce since last Thursday, took him in today for his annual and asked the vet to do an x-ray. Feline asthma is the diagnosis, not definite though, he is on medicine for a few days, the vet promises he should clear in three days and then keep an eye on it and if it reoccurs or does'nt improve he has to go back, four days was too long for a hairball, I feel better having the x-ray, he has fluid that the meds will clear up, perhaps you should do the same.

02-14-2005, 07:08 PM	#2 (permalink)
coaster Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 17,798	FREQUENT coughing probably isn't a hairball. Other things that cause coughing: upper respiratory infection, heartworms, asthma, lungworms, intestinal worms, allergies, something stuck in the throat....honestly, there are more, but I can't think of them right now. This is a problem best evaluated by a vet.

02-14-2005, 08:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
irishemt17 Cat Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 234	thanks!!!!! he's on Revolution....so it shouldn't be worms! when he does it his body moves like it does right before he pukes.....if that helps! I think I'll take him in tomorrow!

02-15-2005, 06:41 PM	#6 (permalink)
irishemt17 Cat Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 234	I took him in today. Poor baby! He had a high fever and he has tracheitis! (inflammation of the trachea) they gave him pain meds/fever reducer and some anti-biotics. he's done a 180 since this morning! Thank you all for your advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Connor thanks you too! He's rubbing against my legs as I type this!!!!!!!!!!

02-15-2005, 07:08 PM	#7 (permalink)
coaster Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 17,798	Good to hear that your kitty's been properly diagnosed and treated, irishemt!! Be sure to follow the doctor's intructions on the treatment!!

02-15-2005, 07:25 PM	#8 (permalink)
NewRagdoll Senior Cat Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 600	I like this thread.....why? Because, we have people who didn't wait, but took their cats to the vet and got a diagnosis and treatment underway. Please, everyone, coughing, hacking, and other symptoms merit immediate treatment. You wouldn't believe the number of times people come on here, describe symptoms, want an internet diagnosis, then say....well they act ok otherwise.....and I'm just so happy to see to cats in this thread now on their way to feeling better. Particularly, congrats to irishemt.....see, he's already doing better. And, without your vet trip, he would be deteriorating by the minute. I love responsible pet owners.

02-15-2005, 07:40 PM	#9 (permalink)
irishemt17 Cat Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 234	thank you! Connor is like a kid to me! now the trick is how to give him his pill.........he does NOT want to take it!!! a couple band-aids on the hands later....I need help!!!!!!!!!

02-15-2005, 07:58 PM	#10 (permalink)
coaster Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 17,798	This is from a book I just finished reading "Think Like a Cat ... " by Pam Johnson-Bennett: To me, the best approach is subtlety and speed…. Don’t make a big production out of it because the more fuss you create, the more worried your cat will be. Just be organized and choose your timing carefully. The procedure: …. Put the palm of your hand over the top of the cat’s head. Tilt the head up slightly. Open his mouth by applying gentle pressure with your thumb on one side and middle finger on the other against the area behind the canine teeth…. Hold the pill between the thumb and index finger of your free hand, and with the middle finger, press the lower jaw open. Drop the pill on the back of the tongue. Coating the pill with butter will make it easier to swallow (but sometimes harder to release from your fingers). Let go of the cat’s mouth so he can swallow but keep hold of him so he doesn’t escape and spit the pill out. Don’t clamp his mouth shut or he won’t be able to swallow. You can gently massage the throat in a downward motion to help ease the pill down. After you have administered the pill, observe your cat to make sure it went down….If his tongue comes out to lick his nose or mouth, that’s a sure sign that the pill has been swallowed. If the cat begins coughing, it means the pill is lodged in the windpipe Release your hold on him so he can cough it up. …. If you cat squirms and scratches, try wrapping him in a towel.

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