Cat coughing isn’t something to brush off, and unlike dogs, healthy cats simply don’t cough very often. When your cat does cough, it’s usually their respiratory system’s way of flagging that something needs attention, whether that’s a common condition like feline asthma or something that requires more involved diagnostics. The tricky part is that cat coughing can look a lot like hairball behavior, making it easy to dismiss. This guide breaks down the most common causes, explains what different types of coughing can signal, and helps you understand exactly when a trip to Boulder Veterinary Hospital in Boulder, CO should move to the top of your to-do list.
Is It Normal for Cats to Cough?
An occasional cough in cats isn’t completely unheard of, but unlike dogs, cats are not frequent coughers by nature. If your cat is coughing more than once or twice and the behavior is recurring, it’s worth taking seriously. Cats are notoriously skilled at hiding discomfort, so a cough that keeps coming back is often their body’s way of signaling that something needs attention.
It’s also important to distinguish a cough from other similar-looking behaviors. Retching, gagging, and hairball expulsion can look a lot like coughing, but they involve different mechanisms. A true cough in cats is a forceful expulsion of air from the lungs, often accompanied by a hunched posture, extended neck, and an open mouth.
Common Causes of Cat Coughing
There are several reasons why your cat might be coughing. Some are mild and manageable, while others require prompt veterinary evaluation. Our team at Boulder Veterinary Hospital sees cats with coughing concerns regularly and works to identify the root cause so your cat receives the most effective care possible.
Feline Asthma
Feline asthma is one of the most common causes of coughing in cats. It’s a chronic inflammatory condition of the airways that causes them to narrow and become hypersensitive to certain triggers. Cats with asthma often cough in a very characteristic way: crouching low to the ground with their neck extended, appearing to be trying to bring something up. Triggers can include cigarette smoke, dust, certain types of cat litter, air fresheners, and pollen. Feline asthma coughing is often episodic and can range from mild to life-threatening.
Upper Respiratory Infections
Upper respiratory infections (URIs) are extremely common in cats, particularly those who have spent time in shelters or multi-cat households. Viruses like feline herpesvirus and feline calicivirus, as well as bacterial infections like Bordetella and Chlamydophila, can all cause respiratory symptoms including a cat coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, and conjunctivitis. URI-related coughing in cats is often paired with other signs of illness, making it easier to identify.
Heartworm Disease
Many cat owners are surprised to learn that heartworm disease can affect cats, not just dogs. Heartworm-associated respiratory disease (HARD) in cats can cause coughing, difficulty breathing, and lethargy. Because cats are atypical hosts for heartworm, the infection often goes undetected until symptoms appear. Cats that spend any time outdoors are at increased risk, and even indoor cats in areas with high mosquito activity can be exposed. Coughing cats in Boulder, CO should be evaluated for heartworm, especially if they spend time outside.
Pneumonia
Bacterial, viral, or fungal pneumonia can cause a coughing cat to deteriorate quickly without treatment. Cats with pneumonia typically show signs beyond just coughing, including fever, lethargy, labored breathing, and loss of appetite. Fungal pneumonia, caused by organisms like Histoplasma or Blastomyces, is more common in areas with certain soil types and can be a concern for outdoor cats in Colorado.
Pleural Effusion
Pleural effusion refers to the abnormal accumulation of fluid in the space around the lungs. When fluid compresses the lung tissue, it can cause cats to cough, breathe rapidly or shallowly, and show signs of respiratory distress. Underlying causes include congestive heart failure, cancer, infection, and chylothorax (accumulation of lymphatic fluid). This is a serious condition that requires urgent veterinary care.
Foreign Body in the Airway
Cats can occasionally inhale small particles, grass blades, or other foreign material that becomes lodged in the airway. This typically causes sudden, severe coughing that may not resolve on its own. If your cat begins coughing suddenly and intensely, particularly after being outdoors, a foreign body should be considered. This is a veterinary emergency.
Lungworms
Feline lungworm (Aelurostrongylus abstrusus) is a parasitic infection that can cause chronic coughing in cats, particularly those that hunt or spend time outdoors. Larvae are transmitted through intermediate hosts like snails, slugs, and the animals that eat them. Lungworm infections in cats can be difficult to diagnose without specific testing but are treatable once identified.
Cancer
Respiratory tumors, whether primary lung cancer or metastatic disease from another site, can cause a coughing cat to show progressive symptoms over time. Lymphoma, which is the most common cancer in cats, can also affect the chest cavity and lead to coughing and breathing difficulties. While cancer isn’t the first explanation most vets reach for, it’s an important consideration in older cats with unexplained chronic coughing.
What Does a Cat Cough Sound Like?
The sound of a cat coughing can vary depending on the underlying cause. Asthma-related coughing in cats tends to produce a dry, wheezing sound. Coughing related to an upper respiratory infection may sound wet or productive. Cats coughing due to fluid in the chest often produce a muffled sound and may breathe with visible effort. Understanding the character of the cough, meaning its sound, frequency, and duration, helps our veterinarians narrow down potential causes. If possible, recording a video of your cat coughing at home to share with your vet at Boulder Veterinary Hospital can be incredibly helpful during diagnosis.
Cat Coughing vs. Hairballs: How to Tell the Difference
One of the most common misconceptions is that a coughing cat is just trying to pass a hairball. While hairball expulsion does involve a hacking, gagging motion, it typically ends with the cat producing a cylindrical mass of fur. A true respiratory cough in cats doesn’t produce anything and is driven by airway irritation rather than gastrointestinal activity.
If your cat appears to be coughing frequently but never actually produces a hairball, don’t assume the two are related. True coughing in cats warrants veterinary evaluation regardless of how similar it looks to hairball behavior.
When Should You Take a Coughing Cat to the Vet?
Not every cough requires an emergency visit, but knowing when to seek care promptly is important. Our veterinarians at Boulder Veterinary Hospital recommend scheduling an appointment if your cat is coughing frequently or the cough has lasted more than a week, if the cough is accompanied by labored, rapid, or open-mouth breathing, or if your cat seems lethargic, has lost their appetite, or is losing weight.
- Seek emergency care immediately if your cat is struggling to breathe, breathing with their mouth open, has blue or gray-tinged gums, or has collapsed.
- Schedule a prompt appointment if your cat has been coughing daily for more than a few days, even without other obvious symptoms.
- Monitor at home briefly only if your cat coughed once or twice with no other symptoms and is otherwise acting completely normal.
How Is Cat Coughing Diagnosed?
Diagnosing the cause of a cat coughing requires a thorough approach. When you bring your cat to Boulder Veterinary Hospital, your veterinarian will start with a complete physical examination, including careful auscultation of the heart and lungs. Based on findings, additional diagnostics may include chest X-rays to evaluate lung tissue and the chest cavity, bloodwork to assess overall health and identify infection or inflammation, fecal testing or bronchoscopy for parasite detection, and heartworm testing.
In some cases, more advanced diagnostics such as a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), which is a procedure that collects fluid from the airways for analysis, or imaging may be recommended for cats with complex or unresolved coughing.
How Is Coughing in Cats Treated?
Treatment depends entirely on what’s causing the cough. Feline asthma is typically managed with corticosteroids and bronchodilators, often administered via an inhaler designed for cats. Upper respiratory infections may be treated with antibiotics, antivirals, or supportive care depending on the specific pathogen involved. Heartworm disease in cats is managed supportively, as there is no approved treatment to kill adult heartworms in cats. Parasitic infections like lungworm respond well to appropriate antiparasitic medications.
Your Cat’s Cough Deserves a Closer Look
A coughing cat is telling you something. Whether it turns out to be something straightforward or a more complex condition, getting an accurate diagnosis is the only way to know for sure. Our experienced veterinary team at Boulder Veterinary Hospital in Boulder, CO is here to help you get to the bottom of your cat’s cough and create a care plan that gives them the best quality of life possible. Call us at (303) 442-6262 or book an appointment online today.
