Cat Coughing Regularly? It Could Spell Bad News.

Seeing a cat cough is something that not everyone has experienced. Cats often try to hide their symptoms and will accordingly hide under furniture or in empty rooms to do their coughing, but if you've caught yours in the act, you need to make arrangements for them to be taken care of. Regular, chronic coughing is a particularly bad sign, so read this guide to find out what might be causing it.

Potential Causes

Coughing can be caused by a lot of things in a cat. For example, they could have allergies, have caught a cold, or have swallowed something that's stuck in their throat, like a weed. But most of these conditions aren't chronic or are associated with other symptoms, too, like discharge from the eyes and nose, sneezing, and a lack of appetite. So if your cat doesn't seem to be exhibiting any other symptoms, then it's likely not one of these causes.

Heart Disease

Another potential cause of a chronic cough in cats is actually heart disease. Heart disease isn't extremely common in cats, but if there's a defect in the heart, it can cause fluid to back up into the lungs. When this happens, your cat will cough in an effort to clear the fluid.

At first, this won't be a big deal; your cat will cough, clear the fluid, and all will be well. But in time, if this condition isn't treated, it can become deadly. This is why chronic coughing should never be overlooked, even if you think it's one of the more minor conditions listed.

What to Do

Coughing is definitely something you need to see a veterinarian about. Your cat's health depends upon it.

When you go to the vet, the vet will start by listening to your cat's lungs and heart. This may give them an idea right away of whether or not there's fluid in the lungs or if the heart sounds like it's beating abnormally. Of course, it can also help them to determine if your cat has one of the other conditions listed.

Once a diagnosis has been made, your vet will offer medication and treatment information on what can be done to help your kitty. In the case of a cold, antibiotics are usually given. Allergies can be treated with antihistamines. However, a heart defect will usually require lifelong care from a veterinarian in order to manage the symptoms and to keep as much fluid out of the lungs as possible.

To learn more, contact a resource like Johnstown Veterinary Associates.