Why is my cat coughing rhythmically and trying to clear phlegm?

I am sorry to hear about Orchid! Coughing in cats is a concern and he should be examined by a veterinarian. We worry about a variety of issues ranging from a respiratory infection, feline asthma, heart disease, and more. The vet an examine Orchid, listen to his heart and lungs to check for abnormalities, and may recommend an x-ray to look at the lungs and heart. Based on their exam findings they can prescribe medication to help treat what is causing Orchid's cough.

Poor Oliver! He could be vomiting due to eating something rotten, a foreign body, a GI illness, a respiratory disease that's causing him to cough so hard he vomits, or heart disease. I'm not sure how many time he's been vomiting, but if it's not multiple times in a short period of time, I can give you a home remedy to see if that helps. Should Oliver be vomiting multiple times, then he needs to see a vet as soon as possible. I hope this helps! Home remedy: I recommend withholding food for 12-24 hours, then feeding 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.

If Jolly has mucous built up in her lungs while she is sleeping, she may be coughing to clear that mucous. This is common in older animal and people, but is abnormal in a young cat. Ventolin will not normally make a difference with this because the cough is not caused by the airways closing, but instead because of the mucous in them. I am attaching a link to a handout on asthma below. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=665 I would recommend discussing this with your veterinarian. They may want to consider an antibiotics like Doxycycline or Zithromax since those often work better for upper respiratory problems in young cats or a steroid inhaler before bed in case there is abnormal mucous production. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi and thank you for using Petcoach. Unfortunately, there can be many possible reasons for a cat having a chronic cough, just as there are in people. Parasites can cause coughing in some cases, so it may be worth getting a broad spectrum dewormer and treating Jarbou. Other causes for coughing can be viral infection (feline upper respiratory complex), bacterial infection, foreign body or asthama/allergies/bronchitis. There really is no good way to know the difference without a vet exam and probably x-rays. Keep watch on his overall health and make sure that he continues to thrive, is on a good quality diet and deworming is a good start. Make sure there is no smoke, oils or other fumes present in his area. Here are some articles for more info. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1596 http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=665

He could have a respiratory infection, allergies, or heart disease. If it continues, have him examined by a vet to diagnose. Your vet can take an x-ray to evaluate his heart and lungs. He might need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, corticosteroid, bronchodilator, or other medications.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Coughing can be a sign of many conditions such as pneumonia, bronchitis, heart disease, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Wolfgang evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Likely diagnostics to be performed include thoracic radiographs and bloodwork. Treatment would be dependent on findings. Good luck and have a good night!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Mittens has been vomiting and is now coughing. Cats can vomit for a number of reasons, including trying to vomit a hairball, eating something they shouldn't have, gastrointestinal obstruction, infection, inflammation, or even cancer. From the information you provided, my concern is that Mittens may have aspirated (taken fluid into the lungs) during one of these vomiting episodes, and is now coughing as a result. Aspiration pneumonia can be a scary thing in cats, and especially if Mittens is not acting himself or wanting to eat, I would recommend bringing him to your veterinarian to be examined. If your veterinarian determines that he has abnormal lung sounds, he/she may recommend blood work and chest x-rays to look for evidence of pneumonia. If present, they will likely start Mittens on some antibiotics. There are other possibilities for Mitten's cough including bronchitis or an upper airway infection, which should also be managed by a veterinarian. I hope this is helpful!