Coughing attack?

[u/notthestoneAmber]

My 6 year old male cat started doing this the last few days. We first thought he was sneezing, but it seems to be progressing to more of a cough. It sounds like he has to throw up a hairball or something, but nothing has come up. He has no other symptoms that we can see as of now; his appetite is fine, he will still play, his gums are pink, he doesn’t seem to have labored breaths at baseline. He has no discharge or mucus that we see.

For context, we adopted a 4 month old female kitten a few weeks ago, she is fully vaccinated but did appear to have a little upper respiratory infection with a little crusty nose that cleared up fairly quick.

We’re wondering if this is something that seems to need to go to the emergency vet, or can it wait until we can get an appointment tomorrow? We just moved to the area and they haven’t had their new patient visits yet.

Thank you in advance :,)

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[u/SanFranLuvr]

Very unlikely it’s pneumonia. Not sure why OP would assume this. My asthma kitty does this but typically it’s more of a dry cough with asthma. He also has allergies and allergy meds help but your cat could have easily picked up the virus from the kitten and it would cause the same as an allergy. It’s due to phlegm production just like in people. If it is more often dry and hacking I would take him in to get checked for asthma.

[u/EagleCatchingFish]

This looks like it might be a reverse sneeze. Compare with this video of a reverse sneeze and see what you think. If they are reverse sneezes, they're usually harmless. But if he keeps doing it, or if it's not a reverse sneeze, it might be worth going to the vet.

[u/ditzy-dumb]

Unless theyre lethargic and clearly unwell emergency vet is rarely necessary. Its so so expensive so unless he changes for the worse quickly I think youre good

[u/DebtDapper6057]

Looks like they're about to puke. My cat does that when she has a hairball.

[u/Laur_Ashh → u/DebtDapper6057]

Same

[u/Positive-Common-6094]

Could have bought the upper respiratory infection. A vet visit might be in order - for x-rays and a definitive diagnosis. Hope both feel better soon?

[u/peanutbutterontoes]

My cat did this once a few times and a few days later she had a hair ball right on my face while I was sleeping, it could be that and its just tickling the throat, you could try hairball gel and put it on his paw and let him lick it off and it lubes up the track, it will come out one way or the other.

[u/Fit_Technology_9411]

Probably throwing up

[u/tiivitvvvi]

porbaply has herpes, kaliki or some other type of virus. if his eyes/nose whatever were getting crusties. its just a cough, no matter what causes it is not an emergency. its need to be checked, if its cat flu/viral or astmha, or heart related etc. but definitely not an emergency unless they start to have trouble breathing or other acute symtoms. so book a vet visit. also vaccination dont give cats immuniry, they just lessen the symtoms. my cat also got a virus from another cat even after 10years of getting her vaccinations. if its viral then stress can make it come back. need to treat symtoms when it does to make them more comfortable and manage stress and keep up with the vaccination to buildnup their immunity for lesser symtoms but you cant get rid of those viruses, they stay in the body like human herpes virus/cold sores.

[u/MathematicianSelect1]

My cat has asthma attacks and I was told respiratory concerns are not an emergency as long as they recover well from the episodes and continue to eat. I would personally wait for a regular appointment, assuming those two things are still true.

[u/OkCanary5906]

Definitely worth getting checked out- could be asthma, could be a hairball, could be heart disease (can manifest as coughing, believe it or not!), could be that he’s just a kind of weird guy. Checkup is warranted to determine what’s causing this.

That being said, he looks like he is doing all right/not in respiratory distress and is recovering well from the episode! So I don’t think you need to rush to the ER. Bring him in the next time your regular vet can see him. And keep us posted on how he does!

[u/alriaps]

looks like he may have developed pneumonia. i'd go to ER to be on the safe side of things.

[u/Warm-Mango3764]

In my 40+ years of having cats- that is what they do sometimes- they need to clear their throats too- they are very resilient and with time- you want even notice it- oh! Clearing their nostrils too- they need to do that too.

[u/KittyChimera → u/Warm-Mango3764]

I didn't know they cleared their throats, but that makes my cat make a lot of sense. He will do something similar to this sometimes and it seems like he's coughing/sneezing at the same time somehow. He has sinus issues and I could see him wanting to clear his throat.