Not only a person can get a cold, cat representatives are also prone to such problems. If the cat coughs, as if choking, you should be more careful about its condition - perhaps your furry pet needs help. It is only the veterinarian who can understand that the animal has started having health problems and can find good reasons, so postponing a visit is highly discouraged.
How does a cough in cats manifest? What can this symptom talk about?
Confusing a cough with other diseases is very difficult: it resembles an ordinary human symptom, but as if the animal was choking, it wants to burp. The respiratory muscles contract, the glottis immediately opens when you inhale, which leads to consequences in the pussy. Coughing is caused by the need to rid the larynx of accumulated mucus, therefore, if the lungs and bronchi are clogged with foreign bodies, dead cells, a cough begins.
Unlike a person, a cat at the same time extends its neck forward, making specific movements: the back bends, you can also hear characteristic sounds. The symptom indicates a disease, regardless of the nature - whether it is wheezing or grunting, your cat needs to be examined and diagnosed. The body mobilizes protective reflexes, trying to prevent more serious illnesses.
Causes of Coughing in Cats and Cats
In search of an answer to the question of why the cat coughs, as if choking, one should study the causes of this behavior. There may be several:
- The formed ball of wool - especially often this happens with long-haired handsome men. The procedure does not threaten the health in any way, just burp the wool to feel great again.
- Injuries. If you allow the pet to play with small objects, feed it with fish and meat with bones, then one day the delicate surface of the organs inside will be injured. And well, if you manage to get rid of scratches - there are severe injuries when it is impossible to stop the bleeding.
- Worms. Some owners believe that homemade pussy is not in danger of such an attack, but eggs can be carried on shoes or clothes. After infection, they spread throughout the body and can lead to coughing.
- Pneumonia - a small fluffy lump is experiencing it very hard: pneumonia is accompanied by fever, sluggish state. It is enough to bathe the baby in cool water or hold it in a draft so that the next day to think about treatment.
- Asthma is another reason that is quite common. The animal suffers from constant attacks, begins to suffocate and panic - in this case, immediate assistance is required.
Types of cough, a symptom of what diseases it can be
When a cat coughs, as if choked, doctors distinguish some types of its manifestations:
- By duration - acute, chronic.
- By strength - light, anguished, debilitating, with or without vomiting.
- By nature - voiced and deaf.
- By type of discharge - dry and wet with sputum, mucus, blood.
- By time of occurrence - for example, only in the mornings or evenings, in spring or summer.
Note! Reduced immunity can cause a viral infection, so the animal should be excluded from the risk group in advance.
In search of an answer to the question of why a cat coughs, as if burping, doctors determine the type of cough: the owner can record actions on the camera to simplify the diagnosis. So, a respiratory attack indicates infection, viruses in the lungs or in the bronchi. Malicious bacteria may not come out immediately, but pus and mucus will soon form, which dramatically worsens the condition of the fluffy patient. In feline representatives, this type is rare.
Cardiological cough is caused by a violation of the heart muscle: defects can be congenital or acquired, cardiac pathologies or foreign bodies are often found. Treatment at home is impossible, because in addition to the diagnosis, it will require taking medications, and possibly surgical intervention. Do not hesitate to visit a doctor, especially if the frequency of seizures increases, and the condition worsens.
What to do if a cat coughs
If the cat often coughs, as if he wants to vomit, he should not prescribe cough medicine at home. Understand that this symptom is only a call to dangerous diseases that can be diagnosed by specialists. It is important to find the root cause and fight it already - otherwise you will eliminate the manifestations, but do not save the teddy pet from the problem.
Regardless of the type of symptom, associated symptoms, you should consult a medical institution. Even a simple cold can lead to serious complications, which will be difficult to cope with. If you want to help the kitten, take it away for testing, and until that point, assign a sparing mode. The main thing is not to give any medications, and if it was not without it, immediately inform the doctor, this will exclude erroneous diagnosis.
So that in the future the cough problem does not bother you, it is recommended that you follow the simple rules of prevention.
If your cat coughs as if choking on something, then most likely it is. Rather, a foreign body has entered the animal’s airways or stomach, which the cat is trying to release from itself by coughing.
Very often, the cause of cats cough is Trichobesoar - hairball. The cat, licking itself, absorbs a small amount of hair, which accumulates in the stomach and forms trichobesoar. Being inside the body, it begins to exert an inflammatory effect on the organ, thereby causing the cat discomfort.
If this happens to your cat, you should contact your veterinarian, he will prescribe a special tool to dissolve the coma and remove it through the intestines or by inducing vomiting.
The cat coughs and wheezes
The cat coughs and wheezes, mainly due to diseases of the respiratory tract and throat. Diseases accompanied by a cough are many, and they all have a different nature. However, if the cat’s cough is also accompanied by wheezing, this almost always indicates the presence of the following diseases in the animal:
Bronchial asthma;
Pneumonia;
Bronchitis;
Pleural inflammation.
Cardiovascular disease can also cause a cough with wheezing. In all cases, of course, you can not do without veterinary care.
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The cat snuggles to the floor and coughs.
When a cat is pressed to the floor and coughs, this usually indicates the presence of a foreign object in the airways of the animal. Often, a cat, trying, coughs, craning its neck. To determine exactly the cause of such a cough can, again, only a doctor.
The most common mistake of the owners is inaction, they hope that this kind of cough is an ordinary cold and will go away by itself, so they neglect a visit to the veterinarian. And this is very wrong, because sometimes a cat can not cope with the problem on its own, and she needs medical help. Moreover, such a cough in a cat can turn out to be a more serious disease, then the pet will need the help of a professional doctor.
If the cat coughs, as if choking and wants to vomit, this is not a reason for panic. Do not start treating the animal yourself. It is better to pay attention to what other symptoms are observed. You can make a video when a pet coughs, and as soon as possible visit a veterinary clinic.
Types of symptoms
Coughing means one thing - the cat's body is trying to get rid of something. The muscles of the respiratory organs contract and make a push, at this moment the cat coughs. Such attacks are accompanied by other symptoms. The cat sneezes or wheezes, breathes heavily, his eyes watery.
There is a violation of the natural microflora of the throat, esophagus and lungs, so the cat develops a cough reflex. The immune system enhances the secretion of secretions, directs white blood cells to fight symptoms. Coughing has various causes:
- microbes;
- foreign bodies;
- viruses;
- sores.
But the essence is the same - the discharge accumulates, and you need to get rid of them. The cat's body is designed so that with a strong cough from the side it looks like the animal is going to vomit now.
When a pet coughs, the symptoms vary in:
- 1. Durations: sometimes the condition develops with attacks, in other cases - the animal is constantly tormented.
- 2. Intensities: mild coughing or so strong manifestations that it is painful to look at the cat. The condition may be accompanied by vomiting and snot.
- 3. Sound: coughing is painful and dull or loud. In other situations, the cat is constantly breathing heavily.
- 4. Discharge from the mouth and nose: dry coughs are dangerous, but worse when purulent and bloody marks are noticeable.
- 5. Time of manifestation: respiratory disturbances worsen either at night or after sleep. What is important for diagnosis is what time of the year the cat gets sick. The behavior also varies - the animal coughs after hissing or stretching out and clinging to the floor. All these points are important for diagnosis.
Causes of cough and how it manifests
When a cat has such a cough as if she wants to vomit, this indicates the following conditions:
If a cat develops such symptoms and coughs as if choking, there is no need to try to determine the reasons on its own - you can harm your pet.
Treatment
If the matter is in a foreign body or woolen lumps, the cat usually coughs them up. Sometimes they pass through the digestive system and exit during bowel movements. But if the item is stuck in the throat or esophagus, surgical intervention is required.
- use phytomines for driving wool;
- try to pull out a foreign body yourself with tweezers (if it is really visible in the throat) - it is important not to rush, not to panic, and not to make sudden movements;
- try to help the cat pull out - you need to lightly press a finger on the root of the pet's tongue.
If seizures recur frequently, consult your healthcare provider.
For the doctor to understand what the problem is, take a picture of the cat coughing in advance. Already by the sounds, a professional will determine in which direction to look for the source of the disease. So, with a cough and wheezing, the cat will be sent for cardiac examination.
The veterinarian will also pay attention to whether there are purulent, mucous and bloody discharge to exclude infectious inflammation of the respiratory tract. The necessary smears and tests will be prescribed to determine the type of pathogens.
Medications for treating a coughing cat may also be prescribed. Such preparations are needed so that the animal, which sneezes and coughs, gets rid of excess mucus in the throat. Appointed with dry coughing or with weak natural expectoration. They also suppress an allergic reaction, reduce swelling, and clear the airways. If asthma bothers, the main emphasis on treatment is done in the spring and autumn. Properly selected by the doctor medications effectively suppress the inflammatory process.
If the appointment was not received, do not purchase such medications yourself. They are selected only after careful analysis. For antibiotic treatment to be successful, you need to understand what kind of microorganisms caused the infection, so as not to harm the cat's health.
Cats, like many other domestic animals, often catch colds. When a cat coughs and wheezes, it becomes clear that the problem lies precisely in the respiratory system. Many owners, especially inexperienced, have no idea what to do when a coughing cat or cat appears in the house. Initially, it will be right to find out the cause of coughing and wheezing.
What is a cough?
A cough is called the body's natural defensive reaction. The reaction appears if a foreign body enters the respiratory tract. In this way, the body is trying to push unwanted elements away. When you hear that the cat is breathing and coughing, as if choked, the reason may not be in the stuck bone. Coughing and wheezing indicate colds.
The main causes of cough
If for some reason your cat or cat coughs heavily and heavily, or distinct rales are heard during her breathing, you should find out this very reason. The main ones include the following:
- a foreign body enters the respiratory tract;
- possibly the cause was a respiratory viral infection (laryngitis, bronchitis);
- the cause may be an allergic reaction;
- wheezing is one of the possible symptoms of cardiovascular disease;
- worms can get into the respiratory tract, which causes an appropriate reaction.
How does a cat cough? Stretching herself, clinging to the floor, retracting the abdominal wall and arching her back, she clearly makes it clear that something is wrong with her. Everything happens as if choked. In this case, we will not take into account the ingestion of foreign bodies into the respiratory tract, but we focus on the following types of cough and their symptoms:
- cardinal;
- respiratory.
Cardinal cough is also called heart cough. The main reason for the occurrence of this type of reaction is an increase in the heart muscle, which subsequently begins to put pressure on the trachea in size. Initially, such a cough is not strong and extremely rare, but the longer it does not go away, the stronger and stronger it becomes.
Respiratory cough is caused by a viral disease, most often a cold. Initially, it is dry and only then with sputum.
Is it possible to treat an animal on its own
If a person has enough experience, then in most cases, treatment can be carried out directly at home. It is often not difficult for an experienced pet owner to rid the airways of a foreign object, such as a stuck fish bone.
If a cough is a consequence of an allergic reaction, think about what new item appeared in the house, because it was he who could provoke a reaction. In this case, it is enough to simply get rid of the dangerous object.
In the case of worms from an animal, buy an effective remedy, adhere to the instructions and you can withdraw them without problems at home, without the help of a veterinarian. After killing the worms, the symptoms should soon stop.
What to do if home treatment does not help
If all of the above actions do not correct the situation, and your pet continues to wheeze, cough and sneeze, you should immediately visit the veterinary clinic with him. Only a professional can diagnose, take tests and examine the internal organs of the animal.
Treatment depends on the diagnosis. One of the worst options may be bronchial asthma, as sometimes it has to be treated throughout the life of the animal. Asthma manifests itself in a certain season - most often in summer and autumn. In such cases, medications should be given until possible symptoms occur so that the cat does not lie on the floor, does not stretch its neck and does not cough.
Treatment
Antibiotics are attributed if the doctor found a respiratory disease in the pet. All antibiotics, as well as drugs that help expectorate sputum, are prescribed only by a veterinarian. Do not forget that it is impossible to treat a dry cough with a means for wet - and vice versa. Also, there are cases when the use of such funds is generally not recommended. Sometimes it is better if all the sputum comes out on its own as quickly as possible with a cough.
It should be remembered that antibiotic treatment has its consequences. In addition to harmful bacteria, antibiotics also kill the beneficial bacteria of the intestinal microflora, which causes an upset gastrointestinal tract in animals.
You can treat an animal with antibiotics at home - the main thing is to use the remedy prescribed by the doctor. If we are talking about cardiovascular diseases - a heart cough, then in such cases, treatment should be carried out only by a doctor.
Prevention
If we are talking about such a reason for coughing as respiratory diseases, then the best means of prevention is timely vaccination. Having developed the necessary antibodies in advance, the animal’s immunity will effectively destroy the infection that enters the body and prevents it from developing. In addition, it would not be superfluous to regularly consult a veterinarian.
Coughing in cats is a fairly infrequent phenomenon, much more rare than, for example, in dogs. But in any case, this is an occasion to beware and urgently establish the cause of such an alarming symptom. So why can your cat cough?
Causes and types of coughing in cats
Cats cough like humans do. But our pets have somewhat different reasons for the cough, and its mechanism itself. In most cases, in this way the animal reflexively protects itself by squeezing out small foreign bodies or sputum from the respiratory tract.
Many ignorant owners so humanize their pets that they attribute to them the same diseases that a person suffers. This common misconception has nothing to do with reality - respiratory infections that exist in humans are not transmitted to cats, and they, in turn, are not able to infect the owner with their feline flu, for example.
How a cat coughs
During coughing attacks, pets can scare their owners, especially inexperienced ones. Coughing, many cats take a special, rather tense pose: they bend, almost clinging to the floor, and stretch their heads forward. At the same time, loud rattles often break out from their throats, and the whole body shudders in convulsions resembling strong vomiting.
Instinctively, the cat assumes the most comfortable posture in order to clear his throat.
Outwardly, the picture is such that the simplest conclusion suggests itself: the cat choked on something. Having made such a “diagnosis”, the caring owner immediately begins to try to extract from the throat of the darling what, in his opinion, got there. Such an ambulance in most cases is meaningless, and sometimes very harmful.
The fact is that a cough does not always indicate: a cat choked on a certain subject. But if this is indeed so, it is very dangerous to remove a foreign body from a cat's throat without experience and special devices.
Why and how do cats cough? The cat's medulla oblongata “leads” the cough - this is where the cough center is located, in which the animal’s nervous system transmits special signals. Special sensitive receptors located in reflexogenic (cough) zones receive these signals:
- around the vocal cords;
- on the walls of the larynx;
- on the border of the trachea and bronchi.
Attacks of excruciating cough may be accompanied by vomiting
Annoying under the influence of any factors, receptors signal an alarm. After receiving these messages, the cough center gives its command - and the cat coughs. In fact, it looks like sharp exhalations, in which the air is jerked spontaneously from the lungs, evacuating along the route all that is unnecessary and harmful from the respiratory tract:
- foreign objects;
- sputum;
- pus and mucus.
When preparing for a visit to the clinic, try to determine the characteristics of the cough of your animal - what is its strength, volume and duration; how is changing in dynamics. These are very important observations, they will contribute to a more accurate and quick diagnosis. Veterinarians differentiate cough in cats into the following varieties:
- by duration - acute (from a couple of days to several weeks) and chronic (lasts several months and even years);
- by force - mild cough, strong, superficial, deep, tearing and debilitating, sometimes accompanied by vomiting;
- timbre - voiced or muffled;
- by the presence or absence of secretions and their nature: dry cough or wet with mucus, as well as purulent or bloody sputum;
- by manifestation - rare, frequent and constant, it also matters at what time of day it appears;
- by season - this is mainly how the allergic nature of a cough is determined.
How to diagnose the cause of cough
Coughing is much less common than humans, and this external symptom is a warning sign. It is possible that a serious illness makes itself felt so that your pet needs to be urgently shown to a doctor. At the first stage, the main task of the veterinarian is to exclude or confirm situations that threaten the patient's life and require emergency intervention.
After all, if, for example, if you do not timely remove an object that has clogged the airways or the digestive tract, the animal will soon die; ignored severe asthma attack, and throat edema caused by allergies can lead to the same sad outcome.
The diagnosis of dangerous infections, in which coughing can also occur, is very important - we are talking primarily about panleukopenia, the so-called cat distemper, epidemics of which often occur among street animals. If the pet does not get vaccinated on time, it can easily become infected.
Only a doctor, using various diagnostic methods, can name the cause of cough
Without an accurate diagnosis, treatment will not produce results. Therefore, after a clinical examination, the doctor usually immediately prescribes a chest x-ray and a complete blood count. Based on the results of these basic studies, additional ones may be assigned:
- blood biochemistry;
- blood test for immunoglobulin E;
- urinalysis and feces;
- cardiography;
Video: why the cat coughs - we determine the reasons
Cat choked
Inquisitive cats and playful kittens often suffer from the fact that they swallow small inedible pieces from toys or even from the most unexpected objects and choke on them. The insidiousness of this trouble also lies in the fact that not in any case the reason lies on the surface.
I know a situation in which a teenage kitten managed to “vacuum” the ustyuk - a sharp seed from a ripened spikelet. The cough began literally right away, but a foreign body could not be detected on X-ray. The prescribed treatment did not bring relief, while the Ustyuk, meanwhile, dug somewhere into the wall of the airways, inflammation, suppuration formed there ...
The kitten’s condition worsened: in addition to a painful cough, there was already a high fever and a refusal of food — a little more, and the baby would simply be lost due to such nonsense. We must pay tribute to the owners - they fought for their favorite, changed doctors, searched for diagnostic methods. Bronchoscopy helped - with its help, finally, it turned out to find this very ustyuk, already completely soaked and semi-decomposed. When it was removed, it was no longer possible to decide on further treatment - the sufferer quickly recovered.
Seeds from such spikelets easily fall into the nasopharynx and can be very dangerous for a cat or kitten
Small objects that a cat can choke on can not only injure the larynx or trachea, but also cause very dangerous problems: asphyxiation or obstruction of the esophagus. When an animal tries to clear the airways of foreign objects, a characteristic “choking” cough occurs.
Unfortunately, in many cases, the pet cannot solve the problem on its own, and our inept efforts to help him do more harm than good. Items that have got into the respiratory tract often have to be removed surgically, and after surgery, resuscitation measures will be needed.
Video: cat clears throat, clearing the airways
Respiratory cough
Respiratory cough in a cat can cause infectious diseases:
- bacterial;
- viral;
- fungal.
In such cases, it is especially important to identify the cause of ill health at the earliest stages of infection, so that the development of the infection does not lead to serious consequences. The following infectious and inflammatory diseases of cats are accompanied by a cough:
- calcivirosis;
- rhinotracheitis;
- mycoplasmosis;
- laryngitis;
- tracheitis;
- bronchitis.
Avoid contacting your pet cat with sick animals
In the diagnosis of these ailments, one cannot rely only on coughing, since it is already a rather late symptom and occurs in a complicated course, when the upper respiratory tract or lungs become inflamed (pneumonia). At first, a respiratory cough is frequent and quite sonorous - it is dry, torn and can cause suffering to the animal.
By the second or third day of the disease, the cough becomes more productive, deaf and wet - sputum begins to separate. The process is usually accompanied by additional symptoms:
- suppuration of the eyes;
- discharge from the nose;
- general weakness;
- elevated temperature.
Almost all respiratory infections are transmitted by airborne droplets. It is also possible to introduce infection into the house on the soles of the shoes of the owner or guests.
Cardiac (coughing) cough
In heart failure, attacks of cardiac cough are a concomitant symptom of the disease; should pay attention to the main signs of the disease:
- shortness of breath
- lethargy;
- hard breath.
Animals predisposed to heart disease should always be in the center of your attention.
In this case, it is advisable to contact not just a veterinarian, but specifically a veterinarian cardiologist who will prescribe a number of additional tests to the patient, including a cardiogram, and possibly an ultrasound of the heart. The fact is that cardiac cough, especially in the early stages, is very difficult to distinguish from other types of cough.
At first, a false impression is made that the cat choked on food or some other trifle; over time, the intensity of the cough increases. Why is this happening? For various reasons, the myocardium (cardiac muscle) begins to thicken, which complicates the pumping of blood in the required volumes. The heart grows in size and presses on the respiratory organs located next to it, irritating the corresponding receptors - and they already signal to the cough center.
Video: cat heart coughing fit
Infestations
In the case of severe invasion, it is better to give drugs under the supervision of a doctor to quickly monitor the response of the body.
Allergy and bronchial asthma
The most common cause of coughing in cats is bronchial asthma, when an allergic reaction manifests itself, including through a cough. The sense of smell in these domestic animals is very sensitive and susceptible to various allergens, among which are:
- mold;
- dust;
- pollen;
- cigarette smoke;
- detergents and powders;
- air fresheners, perfumes and deodorants.
Bulk substances, even ordinary flour, can provoke an allergic cough in a cat
As a rule, the disease first makes itself felt at the age of three to five years. Many cats suffer from the disease - veterinarians claim that asthmatics make up one percent of the total population of the species Felis silvestris catus. It should be understood that asthma in cats is a chronic pathology that begins due to an excessive immune response to a certain antigen, which as a result leads to inflammation of the lower respiratory tract.
Video: asthma is a common cause of coughing in cats
Oncological pathologies
Tumors and metastasis to the lung tissue can also cause coughing. Similar pathologies are more often found in age-related animals older than eight years.
X-ray of the lungs of a cat shows metastases in the lungs, which provokes a cough
Specific diagnostics are able at an early stage to detect the presence of cancerous tumors - in this case, they respond to both surgical and drug treatment. If the disease is started, and a cough indicates the presence of lung metastases, then the animal can be maintained using chemotherapy and radiation therapy to prevent the disease from spreading even more.
Traumatic and complex causes of cough
The cause of coughing is also the accumulation of air, fluid, or even pus in the chest. If we are talking about liquids, then this phenomenon is called hydrothorax, and various factors can provoke it:
- inflammation
- allergic reactions;
- heart failure;
- tumors.
For an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to make and examine a puncture of the contents of the chest.
Pneumothorax (accumulation of air in the chest cavity) and pyothorax (accumulation of pus) are most often traumatic in nature - they occur after bumps, falls, fights and possible infection.
Cats often fight and injure each other with claws, thus causing an infection
All these pleuritic phenomena are by no means harmless. The development of pneumothorax occurs very quickly - the air bursts into the chest and compresses the lungs, the animal loses the ability to breathe and dies from suffocation.
If any of the described pathologies is suspected, an X-ray examination should be done as soon as possible and, based on its results, measures of operative action followed by drug therapy should be applied.
What to do if a cat coughs
Independently determine the nature of the cough in a cat, and even its type will be able to any attentive owner. But here to understand the reason for what is happening, and even more so to take the complex of measures necessary for healing a pet, alas, it will not work at home. This will require a personal examination of a specialist, additional diagnostic tests and equipment that is available only in the clinic.
It’s important to understand that a cat’s cough is by no means an independent disease, but only a symptom, “a manifestation of one of a hundred diseases,” as old veterinarians used to say. You need to look for the cause and eliminate it - and not try to cure the cough itself.
Is it possible to help the animal on its own
At home, you can only alleviate the condition of the cat before visiting a veterinarian. The air in the room where the animal is located should be fresh and humid - ventilate the room, but in no case leave the sick pet in a draft, this will only exacerbate the problem. Inhalation over steam, which should not be too hot, can bring relief to a cat - such a procedure is available at home even without any special devices.
Try to calm your pet as much as possible. Cats are very sensitive and emotional, sharp attacks can scare them, which makes the cough worse, and the situation as a whole will get worse. Caress the bewildered animal - it trusts you and should feel that a loving owner will take care of it.
It is necessary to deliver the coughing pet to the doctor as soon as possible, because he can get real help only after a qualified diagnosis. It is also important not to give the cat any medicine before visiting the clinic.. Firstly, the effect of the drugs will “lubricate” the symptoms of the disease and complicate the diagnosis. Secondly, coughing is not a harmless problem at all, only an experienced specialist has the right to prescribe medications for its treatment, and only if he has clearly defined the causes of this symptom.
Medical assistance
Provided that the diagnosis is clearly made and the reason for the cough is clearly defined, the doctor can use many modern tools for its treatment. But the exact and timely diagnosis was and remains the starting point of any successful healing.
Table: treatment prescribed for different types of cough
Video: treatment of coughing in cats
Antitussive drugs
It is strictly forbidden to use antitussive or expectorant drugs on your own, without a doctor’s prescription. Wrong choice or inaccurate dosage of the drug may not cure the cat, but rather worsen its condition - lead to complications of the disease and dangerous side effects.
But the information about what are antitussive drugs, we hope, will be useful for each owner. These medicines, by the nature of their action, are divided into two large subgroups: blocking and expectorant. There are also medications that combine both of these qualities and have a complex effect - mainly human preparations, and not every one of them will benefit the cat.
“Harmless” children's cough syrups (as well as adults) do not categorically fit cats. These pharmacy sweets are not always useful for people, given the high content of sugar, flavorings, dyes and other improvers. And cats definitely do not need to give such medicines. They also do not suit means that contain alcohol or codeine.
Blocking drugs are good because they quickly relieve the animal of painful and painful coughing attacks. But such medicines do not cure its cause, but simply “turn off” the cough center, blocking its functions. The cough is thus masked as a symptom, but the disease is not treated, and the situation worsens. Such drugs can only be prescribed as part of complex therapy, but by no means independently.
Expectorant antitussive drugs have proven themselves well in the treatment of coughs of an infectious nature. By diluting dense sputum and promoting its elimination, such drugs not only help ease the breathing of the animal, but also clear its airways of pathogenic microflora - bacteria and viruses that have become the causative agents of the disease.
Table: Veterinary Coughing Drugs for Cats
| Drug name | Release form | Act | Estimated price |
| Divopride |
| 120 rubles per pack of 50 tablets | |
| VetExpert VeTussin | Cough Syrup for Dogs and Cats |
| 100 rubles per bottle 100 milliliters |
| Zoohels | Cough tablets for dogs and cats |
| 60 rubles per pack of 20 tablets |
| Helvet Lobelon | Homeopathic antitussive drug for the treatment of respiratory diseases, injection |
| 350 rubles per bottle 10 milliliters |
Medicinal herbs and cough collection
Treating a cat’s cough with folk methods and herbs at its own discretion, and not according to the doctor’s recommendations, can do no less harm than medical self-medication - it is easy to translate the disease into a critical course, but it is simply impossible to reverse it at times.
It is impossible to indiscriminately recommend means from a natural pharmacy for treating a cat’s cough - even using the safest of them, you should rely heavily on the experience and advice of a veterinarian whom you trust. If the doctor does not mind, then the natural preparations listed below can be used for kittens and pregnant cats, using them both inside and in the form of inhalations.
Licorice root broth
An ancient herbal remedy to alleviate cough and sputum. Effectively, hypoallergenic.
Ingredients:
- crushed licorice roots - 1 tablespoon with a slide;
- purified water - 1 cup.
Dried licorice root must be well ground before use.
Application:
- Medicinal raw materials are poured with cold water in the evening and left to infuse until the morning.
- On a small fire, the mixture is brought to a boil under a lid.
- Reduce the heat to a minimum and boil the broth for 12-15 minutes.
- Cool, filter.
- Adult animals are given an incomplete teaspoon of the broth three to four times a day, not combining with meals.
One of the most famous medicinal plants with a strong expectorant effect.
Ingredients:
- dry or fresh grass of coltsfoot - 1.5–2 teaspoons;
- boiling water - 1 cup.
For infusions use the entire aerial part of coltsfoot, but most often - leaves
Application:
- Rub the medicinal raw material in your palms a little and pour it into a thick-walled (preferably ceramic) dish.
- Pour the prepared coltsfoot with freshly boiled water, cover tightly and leave in a warm place for 30-40 minutes.
- Filter the infusion ready and pour into a clean container.
- To give a sick cat to improve expectoration three times a day, warming up the infusion before each use.
Great healing and anti-inflammatory natural remedy; well removes sputum and promotes tissue regeneration.
Ingredients:
- freshly plantain leaves - 1–2 pieces;
- hot water - 0.5 liters.
Whenever possible, use plantain leaves in a fresh rather than dried form.
Application:
- Wash the leaves of the plantain thoroughly with running water and allow them to dry.
- Tear the leaves into small pieces - it is better not to use scissors and metal knives for grinding.
- The crushed raw materials can be slightly ground with a pestle in a non-metallic mortar.
- Pour well-planted leaves of plantain with boiled water not hotter than 70 degrees, tightly cork and wrap.
- After complete cooling, strain the infusion.
- Water the cat a teaspoon four to five times a day until fully recovered.
Medicinal plants can bring many benefits if applied correctly.
Also among the effective natural remedies for cough are the following medicinal plants:
- rosemary;
- eucalyptus;
- oregano;
- anise fruits;
- buds of birch and pine;
- linden flowers;
- elecampane;
- three-colored violet;
- lungwort;
- thyme and others
In the treatment of coughing in cats, herbal medicinal raw materials are no less effective and safer than many medications, even those made on a natural basis. But the main problem of the use of such drugs in veterinary medicine remains the unpredictability of the animal’s response to a particular plant, especially as a part of fees.
Veterinarians claim a large number of allergic reactions that occur in cats on the background of such treatment. Is it necessary to say how dangerous this is - for example, in the case when a cough is a symptom of bronchial asthma? Obviously, choosing useful plants in nature for self-medication, animals are fully guided by instincts and do not make fatal mistakes. And our inept care too often can harm them.
Cough Prevention
- Nobivak Triquet - its action is aimed at creating immunity to panleukopenia, viral rhinotracheitis and calicivirosis, long-term immunity is formed after 10 days;
- Felovax-4 - forms an immunity to calicivirus, chlamydia, rhinotracheitis and panleukopenia, the vaccine is safe for pregnant cats;
- Multifel-4 - is aimed at combating calcivirosis, rhinotracheitis, chlamydia, panleukopenia, immunity is formed 2 weeks after vaccination;
- Vitafelvak - provides immunity to calicivirus, chlamydia, rhinotracheitis and panleukopenia, the full effect of the vaccine begins after 21 days;
- Eurifel - to combat calcivirus, plague, viral leukemia and viral rhinotracheitis.
It is important to properly store and purchase preparations for vaccination only in those pharmacies and clinics where the authenticity of the vaccine is guaranteed and the storage conditions regulated by the instructions are observed. It is better for the veterinarian to vaccinate, he will also have to monitor the condition of the animal during the quarantine period.
Regular check-ups with a veterinarian are the best preventative measure to prevent many diseases.
Every healthy animal should undergo preventive examinations at the veterinarian at least twice a year - this will help in time to pay attention to subtle symptoms of a starting illness or even prevent it. If you do not want to see an unpleasant picture of how your pet coughs, do everything possible to protect it from ailments:
The causes of coughing in a cat are varied and often quite serious. It is far from always possible to recognize them and cure a cough at home. Therefore, it is better not to risk the health and life of the pet, but to show it to the doctor as soon as possible.
