Cough

[epistoliere]

I've read the thread about spitting, but I would like to ask if someone has a cat who coughs two or three times a day, and yes, it can look as if my cat, Poupette, will loose her breath. The vet I saw two times in the last months said it was not asthma, and that my cat's heart seemed in good condition too. I got my cat from the SPCA and since last October, the vet gave her antibiotics for her cough and it ceased for a few weeks. I'll see another vet, but I've never had a cat who coughed that much because of hairballs. Any similar experience?Poupette and Grisouille pictures (http://membres.lycos.fr/epistoliere) :confused:

[Tigeress]

Coughing can mean a lot of things.

Sometimes kitties from the shelters get what is called 'kennel cough' (more common in dogs) and it is very hard to get rid of! There is usually a nasal discharge involved.

I'm glad the vet checked the heart because that offten leads to feline coughing. Did the vet check for Heartworm or just listen? Heartworms in cats offten leads to coughing and leathargy.

And it may just be hair balls. My cat makes horriable noises sometimes and then usualy leaves a mess somewhere. ICK! They make great tasting (to the cat) lubricants for hairballs.

Cheers,
T

[epistoliere]

Thanks Tigeress! I have an appointment with the vet tomorrow and I'll ask him to check for heartworms. You have a nice webpage and the story of Deedee was sad... Opussums are very cute animals, we do not have them up here in Québec.

[Tigeress]

Thanks for the kind words on my web page! I'm a little surprized to hear that Canada doesn't have oposums. I guess the winters are too hard. That means that there are no marsupials in Candada because the Virgina Oposum is North America's only pouched mammal.

I hope your kitty passes the heartworm check. Although cats are a lot easier to treat than dogs. Often times just putting them on heartgaurd can solve the problem.
They tend to only get the microfilaria stage of the heartworm, although it can at times progress.

Good Luck!!

Cheers,
T

[Nomilynn]

There are opossums in Canada :D We see them in BC all the time.. it's probably too cold in the winter in Quebec for them :D

[krazyaboutkatz]

I can't really help you here but I'd like to wish you good luck and please keep us posted. I'd also like to welcome you to Pet Talk.

[lovemymaltese]

Beautiful pets you have there.

[lovemymaltese]

Welcome to Pet Talk.

[epistoliere]

Thank you all for your kind words! I saw a new vet this afternoon and he said that Poupette has mild asthma and unless she rejects some kind of a mucus or has problems to breathe after a cough, which she doesn't, it is better to let nature play its role. So coughing two or three times a day is not alarming. If she had problems to breathe, he would give her anti-inflammatory pills. Ah... he said also that it would be better... for me, to quit smoking ;). Smoke is not good for a cat too! It was my first experience in a forum, and I must say that it was very positive! Again, thank you all!:D

[epistoliere]

P.S. About heartworms... it seems that in northern climates, cat heartworms are rather rare and if a cat has the bad luck of having one, it seldom does damages. The vet told me that Florida cats do not have this good luck!

[kittykay]

Yes, my girlcat Dinah coughs. She stretches out on the floor with her head stuck way out and wheezes for a half minute or so, then finishes up with a mighty wheeze and she's fine. Rushes off and bites her brother on the butt more likely than not. It was helpful for me to read your messages.