Why Is My Cat Coughing? Causes and When to See a Vet

What it usually means

Coughing is the airway's way of clearing irritation from the windpipe and lungs. In cats the most common long-term cause is feline asthma or chronic bronchitis, in which the small airways become inflamed and narrow. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that young cats are most often affected, as are Siamese and Himalayan cats, and that triggers include cigarette smoke, perfumes, aerosol sprays, pollen, mold and dusty litter.

Other causes include viral and bacterial respiratory infections, often with sneezing and runny eyes, heartworm and lung parasites, inhaled foreign material such as a blade of grass, pneumonia, and chest tumors. VCA points out that, unlike in dogs, coughing in cats is not commonly caused by heart disease. Merck also notes that sudden asthma is uncommon in older cats, so a new cough in a senior cat deserves a closer look.

Coughing or a hairball?

The two are easy to confuse. A coughing cat usually crouches with its body low to the ground, head and neck stretched forward, and makes a dry, hacking or wheezing sound, often several times in a row. It may gag or retch at the end and sometimes brings up a little foam or bile, but no hairball appears. VCA notes this is one of the most common mix-ups owners make.

A cat bringing up a hairball usually makes heaving movements from the belly and produces a tube of hair or food. If your cat repeatedly hacks and nothing comes up, assume it may be coughing and mention it to your vet. A short video on your phone is the single most useful thing you can bring, because many cats will not cough in the exam room.

When to call your vet today

Book an appointment if your cat has coughed more than a few times over a couple of days, if coughing spells keep coming back, if it brings up mucus, or if it is also sneezing with eye or nose discharge, eating less, losing weight or seems tired. Call sooner for a kitten, an older cat, or a cat that goes outdoors in an area where heartworm is present.

Also call promptly if the cough started suddenly after your cat was chewing grass or plants, since inhaled plant material can lodge in the airway and needs removal.

When it's an emergency

Go to your vet or the nearest emergency vet immediately if your cat is breathing with its mouth open, panting, breathing fast or with visible effort from the belly, wheezing loudly, or has gums or a tongue that look blue, gray or pale. VCA describes an asthma attack in cats as a medical emergency.

Keep your cat as calm and still as possible, avoid holding it tightly, and transport it in a carrier with good airflow. Call ahead so the team can have oxygen ready. Do not try to give any medicine or inhaler that was not prescribed for this cat.

What you can safely do at home

Reduce airborne irritants. Do not smoke around your cat, avoid scented candles, plug-in air fresheners, aerosol sprays and strong cleaning products, and consider a low-dust, unscented litter. Running an air purifier and vacuuming often may help a cat with suspected asthma.

Keep a simple diary of when coughing happens, how long it lasts and what came before, such as play, a nap or cleaning, and record a video. Do not give human cough medicines or decongestants; many are toxic to cats. Hairball remedies will not help a cough and can delay the right treatment.

A quiet, draft-free resting spot such as a familiar cat bed helps you watch your cat's breathing while you wait for the appointment.

What the vet will likely check

Your vet will listen carefully to the chest, check temperature and weight, and ask about the pattern and your cat's environment. Chest X-rays are the usual first test and can show the typical patterns of asthma, pneumonia, fluid or masses. Blood tests, including heartworm testing, and fecal tests for lung parasites are often added.

If the cause is still unclear, your vet may suggest a procedure under anesthesia to wash cells from the airways for testing, or a camera exam of the airways. Treatment depends on the cause: infections may need medicine to fight bacteria, parasites are treated directly, and asthma is usually managed long term with anti-inflammatory medicine, often given through a special inhaler and mask designed for cats.

Prevention

You cannot prevent every cough, but you can lower the risk. Ask your vet how to reduce your cat's risk of respiratory infections, use heartworm prevention if your vet recommends it for your area, and keep your cat away from smoke, dust and chemical fumes.

For cats with asthma, the aim is fewer and milder flares. Give prescribed medicine consistently, keep follow-up visits, and know the signs of an attack so you can act quickly. Many cats with well-managed asthma live full, comfortable lives.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.