Senior cat dry coughs at night, shakes head. Is it hairballs or more?

At this age an upper respiratory infection is less likely, unless she has not been vaccinated in the past few years. i would recommend a vet visit ASAP, it could be something else such as nasal polyps for example.

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Coughing can be a sign of many conditions such as pneumonia, bronchitis, heart disease, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Mylo evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Likely diagnostics to be performed include thoracic radiographs and bloodwork. Treatment would be dependent on findings. Good luck and have a good day!

Brushing her may be the missing step in reducing her hairball production. If she will tolerate a shedding tool, use one to get the majority of the loose hair off her and then use a soft brush daily. My cats tolerate a natural bristle brush very well, it's a brush meant for people and they're pretty inexpensive. The more hair you can get off her, the less she'll ingets while grooming. Also, get her a tube of hairball medicine, the most common brand is Petromalt. Most cats like the flavor so it's easy to give, but if she doesn't take it easily wipe a bit on her face or paws so she has to groom it off. This helps move the hair through and out the other end rather than her vomit them up.

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.

Poor Coco! Yes, I would be concerned about this cough, as in a senior cat it could be caused by cardiac disease or cancer. It's important she is seen by a vet for it, and I would take her in tomorrow if possible for a physical exam, blood tests, urinalysis, and x-rays. These tests will aid the vet in diagnosing her symptoms so that a treatment plan can be developed.

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.