My cat coughs after purring. What causes this and what should I do?

Hello and thank you for reaching out about your cat. The most common causes for coughing in a cat of his age are: heart disease and bronchitis/asthma. Other, but less likely causes: infection or parasite. When a cat is coughing it is very important to get him to the vet so a doctor can listen to his heart and lungs and take an xray. This will help to determine which medication(s) would be best to treat his cough. Thank you.

This could simply be a reverse sneezing episode that you are seeing with Jin. Check out this video to see if this is similar to what you are seeing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOKp3bbWpZ8 If this is not what you are seeing, then coughing in cats typically is caused by an upper respiratory infection or asthma. Especially if you are hearing wheezing sounds as well. Its best to have her seen by your vet if that is the case. Best wishes with your pet Jin moving forward. Take care.

The changes in your cat's purring could be a result of an upper respiratory infection, asthma, masses on the vocal cords, etc. Your vet should examine him to determine if there are signs of infection, and may need to take chest x-rays to evaluate the lungs for signs of asthma or masses. You first need to determine the cause of these changes before determining what will help manage them.

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.

That may be due to a pharyngeal/laryngeal inflammation, potentially due to a viral or bacterial infection. A check up would be needed to have a look inside his mouth and throat and spot any sign of it. Antibiotics may be needed.

Hello, and thank you for your question. The most common cause of coughing in kittens is an upper respiratory infection, due to an underlying viral infection such as herpesvirus. Along with this, you may notice sneezing, runny eyes or runny nose. Other possibilities would include pneumonia (lung infection), hairball cough, or feline asthma (which would be rare in a young kitten). If Ash's coughing is continuing overnight, I would recommend taking him in to the vet tomorrow morning. They can perform a full physical exam, check for fever or dehydration, and prescribe the appropriate antibiotic medication if an infection is suspected. If Ash seems to be getting worse tonight, is having trouble breathing, or is lethargic, I would suggest getting him to the emergency vet tonight. Kittens can decompensate quickly, so it is important to get him stabilized soon if he is worsening. Hopefully this is not the case with Ash. I hope this helps, and that Ash feels better soon!

I would recommend having Oliver examined by your vet and have them take some x-rays of his chest. There are some infectious causes of coughing in cats that may improve with medications, but we can also see asthma in cats which would require different medications. I am attaching a link to a handout about asthma in cats below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=665 Good luck. I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.