My cat is choking on food. What can I do to help him before the vet?

This definitely seems suspicious of an airway blockage. If this was the first time you've seen this, then it would be good to try and check inside his mouth to see if anything is visible. It's best to do this with two people - where one holds a flashlight and looks, while the other holds the mouth open. If you see something, then I recommend taking him to the vet to get it removed, because if you attempt to remove it at home, you have a chance of pushing it further into the throat. If he has had something like this happen before, then I would be suspicious of a nasopharyngeal polyp (a soft mass that can develop in the throat), which can cause them to choke every once in a while. This would have to be diagnosed and treated by a veterinarian. The other possibility is that he got his claw stuck in his collar. This happens sometimes when they are scratching and can cause them to panic like this. If he is getting better, then I would not worry too much right now. It wouldn't hurt to get him checked-out by a vet sometime in the next week, to make sure that this won't happen again. I hope that helps and all goes well.

If he really does have something stuck in his esophagus it can be very dangerous and can damage the esophagus. I would highly encourage you to have him evaluated by a veterinarian immediately. They will likely recommend an x-ray to see where/ what it is to be able to help make a plan. Often anesthesia is needed to try to either retrieve the object, or sometimes push it down into the stomach if that seems safer. Best of luck and I hope Mousey improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This sign could be compatible with an upper respiratory tract inflammation/infection or possibly he may try to bring up some hairballs. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

This may be due to hair balls or something more serious could be going on like an upper airway obstruction from nasal congestion or a nasopharyngeal polyp. If you don’t already have your cat on a hair ball remedy like Laxatone, I would try that and see if it helps. If you do this and your cat still has the issue then taking him to a vet to have his oral cavity and upper airway examined would be a good idea. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Poor Logan. I can give you a home remedy to see if that helps. I recommend withholding food for 12-24 hours, then feed a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in his normal diet. If the vomiting continues in the absence of food, he vomits the bland diet, develops diarrhea, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or becomes very lethargic, he will need to see a vet right away. Best of luck.

If you are concerned there may be something stuck, I would recommend that you have Cheeky evaluated by a vet immediately. Sometimes they can eat a piece of string or fabric that gets caught around the base of the tongue. Other times, these types of symptoms can be caused by coughing/respiratory disease or nausea. A thorough exam with a vet should be able to clue you in to what could be going on with Cheeky.

Yes she could have a polyp in her throat causing problems. I would feed wet food with added water which should be easy to swallow. I’m glad you are taking her in. They may need to sedate her to examine the throat for a mass or problem. Then they can discuss the best treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Mo Diddly.