Why is my senior cat coughing and gagging after coming inside?

That is odd. Could she be eating something or sniffing up particles while she is outside? If she is eating grass or another plant, that could cause it. If she is sniffing a dusty area or other area where things could be snuffed up her nostrils, that could cause it as well. Observe her very closely when she goes outside to see if you can figure it out.

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.

I would recommend taking him in tomorrow just for a checkup since it sounds like that is a possibility. They may take an x-ray to make sure nothing looks abnormal. he could just be nauseous from eating something weird (the bird), but anytime there's gagging I think a checkup is warranted

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.

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.

It would be honestly hard to say without an exam. Some possible causes could be a food-based one (IE an allergy to an ingredient in the wet food that is causing a reaction after eating it) or a functional one such as a problem with the esophagus or digestive tract's ability to move the food through the body (something very common in cats). An exam would be a good idea to help rule out these causes through either some testing such as X-rays, or through a food trial to see if an ingredient can be ruled out. Until you can get to your vet, offering smaller meals more frequently may help with keeping food down and minimizing discomfort after eating.

If you are concerned there may be something stuck, I would recommend that you have Cheeky evaluated by a vet immediately. Sometimes they can eat a piece of string or fabric that gets caught around the base of the tongue. Other times, these types of symptoms can be caused by coughing/respiratory disease or nausea. A thorough exam with a vet should be able to clue you in to what could be going on with Cheeky.