Our cat has been coughing frequently. What is the cause and do we have to proceed with extensive testing?
Original Question: Flutie our cat started coughing (hacking) about 5 days ago. We took him to the local vet yesterday. Coughing had stopped and he appeared to be okay. Wanted to do extensive tests (very costly) or we would watch and see how he does. No coughing for rest of the day. However, it started again about 6:00 this morning. Has had a couple of coughing "incidents" since then but he otherwise seems fine. - Stu
Aug 8, 2018
Hi Stu,
Coughing can be a sign of temporary or more permanent issues that could be severe. Allergies, asthma, heart disease, and pneumonia are just a few of the possibilities. The physical exam could help rule out some of these and maybe narrow things down but without some tests, it may not be possible to provide an accurate diagnosis and get the best treatment for Flutie. You can try eliminating scented products from the home to see if that helps but I also think a second opinion wouldn’t be a bad idea before too long in case the problem gets worse and treatment options could become more difficult. Get well soon Flutie.
Best of luck,
Dr. Ryan Llera
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