Hi everyone,
I'm posting (hopefully correctly) a link to a video of my cat doing something weird. It's like she's coughing up a hairball, but she's never actually coughed one up. These episodes can happen 5-8 times a night, and she is never alarmed or bothered by them, she just goes right back to sleep - or, in the case of this video, she cleans herself a little, gets into a new position and THEN goes back to sleep. When you watch the video, turn the volume up pretty loud so you can hear the sounds she makes, too.
I showed her vet this video, and Sabrina (my cat) got the full work up, X-rays, bloodwork, etc, and everything was normal. The vet suggested giving her 1/2 of a Zyrtec pill every night because maybe there is something she's allergic to. The Zyrtec doesn't seem to make a difference.
Has anyone seen this sort of cough/hacking before? I've watched videos of cats having asthma attacks, and it's definitely not that. The vet confirmed it, but also, Sabrina has no fear/alarm/distress about these attacks at all.
Any ideas would be appreciated! If the link doesn't work, just copy and paste it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI66zqSa ... el&list=UL
Darcy
Coughing Cat? Video link included
Re: Coughing Cat? Video link included
It looks like your kitty is overweight, and my guess (if the xrays were in fact, clear), is that her weight is an issue. Overweight and inactive cats tend to have coughing fits at some point due to weight and pressure on internal organs, mainly heart and lungs. Her cough also sounds slightly congested, which means she could have mucous buildup, due to being overweight, or inactivity, etc.
Did the vet suggest to get her on a proper diet?
Since she is overweight, her heart health should be checked diligently. This should include blood pressure checks and ECG and EKG - these tests look for inflammation, fluid or congestion, enlargement, blood flow or restriction problems, and I strongly urge you to get these done.
As long as the xrays were clear, I would definitely discuss a full heart workup and getting kitty on a proper prescription diet, with the goal of losing no more than say a pound every other month - we can't allow cats to lose a significant amount of weight in a short time period because it causes too much stress on the liver and may result in a condition called hepatic lipidosis, which is treatable as long as it is caught at the onset, but is not a condition you want kitty at risk for. Being overweight already predisposes her to diabetes, heart disease, joint problems, etc.
Lastly, I assume she's indoor only, but if she's allowed outdoors, a heartworm test may be warranted, since coughing in outdoor cats can be a result of heartworm. Also, make sure you're not using a lot of chemical cleaning agents in the home, no smoking, carpet powders, a lot of aerosols, etc, all of which can certainly aggravate coughing.
Did the vet suggest to get her on a proper diet?
Since she is overweight, her heart health should be checked diligently. This should include blood pressure checks and ECG and EKG - these tests look for inflammation, fluid or congestion, enlargement, blood flow or restriction problems, and I strongly urge you to get these done.
As long as the xrays were clear, I would definitely discuss a full heart workup and getting kitty on a proper prescription diet, with the goal of losing no more than say a pound every other month - we can't allow cats to lose a significant amount of weight in a short time period because it causes too much stress on the liver and may result in a condition called hepatic lipidosis, which is treatable as long as it is caught at the onset, but is not a condition you want kitty at risk for. Being overweight already predisposes her to diabetes, heart disease, joint problems, etc.
Lastly, I assume she's indoor only, but if she's allowed outdoors, a heartworm test may be warranted, since coughing in outdoor cats can be a result of heartworm. Also, make sure you're not using a lot of chemical cleaning agents in the home, no smoking, carpet powders, a lot of aerosols, etc, all of which can certainly aggravate coughing.
..........Traci
Re: Coughing Cat? Video link included
Thanks, Traci!
She is overweight, and has been on strictly measured diet cat food since she was 6 months old. She's been tested for all the things that could be keeping her overweight, and nothing comes up. She's been with the same vet her whole life, and they finally said that maybe Sabrina is just that way.
I got her new litter today, so hopefully that will help.
She is overweight, and has been on strictly measured diet cat food since she was 6 months old. She's been tested for all the things that could be keeping her overweight, and nothing comes up. She's been with the same vet her whole life, and they finally said that maybe Sabrina is just that way.
I got her new litter today, so hopefully that will help.