My cat has severe hairballs and is panting. What should I do now?

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.

Asthma is the # 1 cause for these symptoms. However, it could also be pain from the lower GI tract, underlying heart disease, pleural effusion, or any other lung disorder. If this continues for more than 3-6 hrs, or if Harley seems to have labored breathing and isn't oxygenating well (blue tongue, open mouth breathing, etc), then its best to take him in to your vet for bloodwork +/- chest x-rays to help diagnose the underlying problem and get him on the proper treatment. I hope that Harley feels better soon! Best wishes and take care.

I am so sorry your cats are having this issue. I would recommend Science Diet Hairball formula, daily doses of cat lax (for hairballs) or laxatone and also grooming with the furminator (https://www.chewy.com/b/grooming-432?rh=c:432,furminator&gclid=Cj0KCQiAwp_UBRD7ARIsAMie3XZdkVx70Hb8gu2MvY0srwTUNZ10qOh6_HD4sbUFYgvyY37qXt1rcVwaApngEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds). Unfortunately, this is all you can do at home. If Mila is coughing, not vomiting and non of that is working then I would be concerned about asthma. This would require a veterinarian to listen to her and see if her lungs sound asthmatic. If so then giving her an appropriate treatment. Thank you for using PetCoach.

While a hairball could cause vomiting I wouldn't expect diarrhea or coughing. A true cough can be a sign of asthma or a respiratory infection. If he can't rest at night and his appetite is affected I'd recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian. They may recommend an x-ray of his chest and abdomen.

Sometimes when he has a big hairball it can take a few days of coughing and gagging to bring it up. I suggest you get some hairball remedy paste from a pet shop and give that to your cat as directed on the tube. Some cats actually like eating it and will lick it off your finger. For those cats who do not like the remedy, the easiest way is to put it on the top of the paws and they will lick it off, trying to clean up. Hopefully this will resolve the issue. If the coughing gets worse and if your cat gets lethargic or appears ill, you will need to take him to a vet for a thorough exam.

I strongly recommend getting your cat seen by your vet right away. Lethargy is a worrying sign after such an incident and she must continue to eat or she can develop liver disease in a matter of days. There may be more hair that cannot get back out or that may be causing an intestinal blockage. If this is the case, without treatment it can be life-threatening. Your vet will do an exam, x-rays, possibly lab work, and base don these results will be better able to tell you what is wrong and how best to treat it.

I'm sorry Sacha isn't feeling well. There are several possibilities for respiratory disease in cats. Cats can develop asthma, get heartworms or have allergic bronchitis. Any of these conditions require a trip to the vet for diagnosis. Especially if you feel she is having trouble breathing please take her soon before this turns into an emergency. Your vet may recommend X-rays or bloodwork after doing an exam on Sacha