Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My kitten has a dry cough. Is it allergies or should I see a vet?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Oriental | Male | neutered | 5 months and 6 days old | 5 lbs

My 5mo old kitten, neutered, finished all shots, has had a cough for the past two weeks or so, no other symptoms. No runny nose, no boogers in eyes, very active, same sunny disposition as always, eating/drinking well. Should he go see the vet or is it likely just the change in weather or allergies? We observe the cough about once every couple of days and it is dry and honky and he will cough for a good minute or so. He did have mycoplasma felis around 2mos old but it was promptly treated.

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on December 10th, 2016

There are several things it could be, first of all hairballs, especially of it is only occasional, in this case a hairball paste supplement should solve the problem.

The other options are feline asthma or a respiratory infection. If the hairball paste does not resolve it, I would recommend taking him to the vet in order to get it checked.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on November 2nd, 2016
If this coughing happens rarely and just for 30-60 seconds, it's more likely to be hairballs, asthma tends to happen more often and for a longer time. Try providing him a supplement for hairballs on a regular basis and see if it make it disappear.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on January 8th, 2019
He may indeed have hairballs. Treatment and prevention is as follows:
As for preventing hair balls there are several things you can and should do:
1) brush/comb your cat regularly, removing any loose hair from its fur as well as mattes, before they get too big.
2) buy some hair ball remedy paste from either your vet or a pet shop and feed it to your cat according to the instructions on the tube. This helps prevent formation of hairballs.
3) Next time you buy dry food pick the type that specifies "Hair ball Prevention" on the bag.
This should make you and your kitty happy!

Should he be wheezing or keep coughing and not bring up a hairball he may be suffering from an upper respiratory infection or possibly have a foreign body such as a blade of grass or similar lodged somewhere in the upper respiratory tract which is irritating. You should then take your kitty to a veterinarian for an exam.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Joy Fuhrman, DVM, MBA, CPA
Veterinarian
Published on May 5th, 2018
I recommend you have Kitty examined by your veterinarian. If this is feline asthma it is important to get it treated as soon as possible. Your veterinarian will also be able to make recommendations for foods and supplements to help reduce hair balls if that is the problem.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

My kitten has a dry cough. Is it serious, or can I treat it at home?

In cats, this is usually related to asthma, hairballs or a heart problem. Because of his young age, I would not rule out a respiratory infection. If it persists for more than a day, I would recommend taking him to the vet in order to get it checked.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My kitten is coughing a lot. What's causing it and when to see a vet?

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!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

How to ease my cat's allergies and stop her coughing fits at home?

Hello, sorry to hear about your kittens. Allergies in your cat can be managed with medications and environmental modifications. Do not use any aerosolized sprays, candles, or fragrances because this can exacerbate the coughing. Clean often to limit the amount of dust around the house. Sometimes you may have to use litter that clumps and has less sand in it. Dry food may need to be moistened with water so that the food dust does not cause irritation. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My cat has a dry cough for a week. Is it serious? Should I see a vet?

Poor kitty. Coughing in cats can be caused by many things unfortunately, including: underlying heart disease, asthma (if wheezing also present), fungal infection, lung worms, etc. We need more information in order to narrow things down. I would suggest taking Mac in to your vet, especially since this cough has been persistent for more than a day or two. The vet will likely want to start off with a radiograph and bloodwork to hopefully diagnose the problem so that we know what Mac needs for treatment. I do hope that your furry friend Mac gets better soon! Best wishes and take care.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My cat has dry cough, vomiting, diarrhea, and can't eat. What's wrong?

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.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My new kitten is sneezing and coughing. Should I take them to the vet?

what the staff at the shelter told you is true about the possibility of forming respiratory issues due to stress. the symptoms that you are describing are indeed symptoms of a respiratory infection and antibiotics are needed. The coughing you are hearing likely has no connection to a hairball issue and is likely the infection progressing. My best recommendation to you would be to have them seen by your veterinarian at your earliest convenience to have them treated before their illness progresses into something worse than the "simple kitty cold"

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Why is my cat coughing non-stop after moving to a new apartment?

I suspect she may be allergic to something in your new apartment. It could be allergy to plants or pollen but some allergies in cats are triggered by floor cleaners, dust, new carpets etc. Also, coughing in cats is often a sign of asthma, so maybe Mia has mild asthma ? Sometimes this kind of allergies or mild asthmatic attacks are very difficult to diagnose. The common way to go to in such cases is prescribing anti-allergic / anti-asthmatic treatment for 1-2 weeks. I would suggest you to discuss that with your vets.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share