Why is my cat dry heaving after playing? Should I see a vet?

I would wonder if the dry heaving is actually a cough - the two can sound very similar in a cat. Feline asthma, some infections or parasites like lungworms can cause a cough. I would recommend making an appointment to see your vet - they may recommend a chest x-ray to look for evidence of asthma. If you can take a video to show your vet it could help!

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!

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, I would recommend taking Maise in to see her veterinarian soon. It is possible Maise may actually be coughing. This can be due to an upper respiratory infection, throat polyp, feline asthma, or a heart condition. Your veterinarian will do an examine and carefully listen to her lungs and heart. An x-ray may be recommended as well to get a better view of the heart and lungs. Treatment will then depend on the diagnosis. In the mean time, you can try a humidifier in areas where Maise spends the most time as this may help a bit. I hope this helps!

Oh my. The best way to help your kitty is to take her in to the vet. She needs at the very least, an injection of anti-vomit medication to settle her gagging and vomiting right away. If she continues this she will become severely dehydrated and can even cause irritation to her esophagus. Then she needs to be examined to determine what is causing this. Common causes of excessive vomiting in cats is a foreign body obstruction, kidney disease and pancreatitis. I hope your kitty gets better soon!

Hi, thanks for your question. It's unusual to see vomiting and coughing at the same time, although it's possible. Typically, though, the cat is just retching and nothing is coming up. It's likely, especially if your cat is bringing up stomach contents from time to time, that this is solely a GI problem. Vomiting can have a number of causes. Depending on how old your cat is, whether it goes outside, etc, one possibility might be more likely than another. Here are some possibilities: parasites, food intolerance/dietary indiscretion (eating something that made her sick), exposure to a toxin, a blockage either in the stomach or intestines, kidney disease, liver disease, diseases of the pancreas, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer. As you can see these are all very different diseases. Your vet can help you figure you what's going on with a good physical exam and some tests, probably blood work and x-rays to start with. Get your cat seen as soon as you can.

Poor girl. It sounds like she may have either a hairball issue here or potentially a sensitive stomach that is getting better now that she is only dry heaving and not vomiting up the wet food. I would consider getting her on a hairball formula first along with continuing to transition her to the new food. Here is one to consider --> petsmart.com/cat/dental-care-and-wellness/hairball-remedy/gnc-pets-petrolatum-free-hairball-formula-cat-gel-12330.html I would also recommend brushing her more frequently to reduce the amount of hair she ingests when she grooms. This often can help the most with hairball problems in cats. If she continues to gag despite all of this, then it is bst to get her examined by your vet for further diagnostics and care. I hope that Neema's gagging episodes resolve soon! Best of luck and take care.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This sign could be compatible with an upper respiratory tract inflammation/infection or possibly to a 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!