Why is my cat frequently coughing and sneezing like a hairball?

I'm sorry to hear of your concerns with Jack. Coughing, sneezing and nasal discharge can be seen with upper respiratory infections, foreign material such as grass stuck in the nose or even cancer. Given his weight loss and upper respiratory signs, I would recommend that you have him seen by your veterinarian. They will perform a thorough physical examination and may recommend blood work to get a better idea of what is going on.

This could indeed be hairballs but unfortunately, since your cat is an older kitty, she could also be suffering from a congestive heart condition which causes pulmonary edema and would make her try coughing out fluid. Regularly use hair ball remedy (available at your vet or a pet shop). And I suggest you have her examined by your vet soon, as coughing at night is very suspicious for heart problems.

Cats can commonly have lingering upper respiratory infections. I would recommend that you have your kitty checked out by a vet. They can help diagnose an infection, allergies, or even asthma. Cats have VERY sensitive noses and a strong sense of smell, so I would definitely avoid Vick’s as it can be very irritating to them. Depending on the diagnosis, your vet may recommend steroids, antihistamines, or another treatment that will help him out.

This sounds like she has an upper respiratory infection that is making her sneeze and vomit from the sneezing, coughing and nasal discharge. Generally cats get over colds in a week or so without treatment. Since Mieko is seventeen I’m more concerned about her since she could become dehydrated if she’s not eating and drinking normally due to having a head cold. I do recommend a veterinary exam and treatment. She may need fluids under the skin to keep her hydrated and perhaps medication to stimulate her appetite. Often dogs and cats vomit when they have a cough so I don’t think the vomiting is the main concern but certainly does need to be addressed if it continues. In the meantime you can use a warm damp cloth to keep her nose and eyes clean of discharge and heat up small meals of wet food with added water to keep her eating. I put it in the microwave for eight seconds which brings out the aroma since cats often stop eating when they can’t smell the food. If she’s not had senior blood work recently they may recommend that also to check her kidney and liver function, and check for anemia and infection. Antibiotics are given only when a viral cold turns into a secondary bacterial infection. You are right to be concerned with an elderly cat so please take her in for treatment so she can get over this quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Mieko.

Hello there, thanks for choosing Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Goodness! That certainly does sound like a scary experience for Persyk. Hairballs shouldn't cause this much trouble coming up, though I can't be certain why it was such an issue this time. However, based on your description of Persyk after the event, it sounds like she has some vomitus in her nasal passages. A small amount of liquid should resolve on it's own within a day or two, but if there was any solid material, it could have become trapped and would continue to cause the nasal pain, sneezing, running nose, etc. I would say that if she isn't back to normal in a day or so, she needs to be checked out by a vet. After physical examination, the vet may recommend sedation to flush the nasal passage and do a more thorough exam.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This sign could be compatible with an upper respiratory tract inflammation/infection or possibly to a chronic rhinitis (inflammatory, allergic, infective). 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!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Rapunzel. Poor girl! It sounds like she is sick, and she could have a respiratory infection causing the sneezing. The vomiting could be due to a GI illness. I definitely think she should be seen by a vet, and I would take her into the vet first thing in the morning. Best of luck.