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

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 3 months and 18 days old

My kitten has a dry cough. It sounds like when my dog got kennel cough. Can i give him something or do i need to take him to the vet.

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on November 29th, 2016

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.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on April 8th, 2018
Cough can be caused by an infection, heart problem or lung condition, it is important to first know the cause before treating it as treatment is different from condition to another.

In cats cough is often caused by asthma, which also needs to be treated medically, i strongly recommend that you take him to the vet ASAP in order to get it treated.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH
Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner
Published on February 14th, 2018
The most common cause of a non-productive cough in a cat is asthma. I am attaching a link to a handout on asthma below.
https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=665
There are certainly other potential causes, but I would recommend starting with an exam with your veterinarian along with blood work, chest x-rays and a fecal sample. Based on those results, you can discuss any potential treatment options.
Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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