My cat is gagging for no apparent reason

fletch3163

Hi again

Could lily have a cold? She sounds like she has a sore throat. Her nose is wet. She is very tired looking.

I can't quite believe how sad/worried I am about her.

Does anyone know how I can help her?

moggymutt

Try not to worry so much, is she still eating? If so, that's a good sign. Ring your vets first thing tomorrow to say about her nose being wet etc and that you are still worried. Her throat will sound lousy if she has a hairball, but it is just her trying to cough it up.

What do you mean by very tired looking?

The wet nose may just be caused by her coughing and spluttering. Unlike humans she cant give her nose a good blow afterwards.

If she starts to go unresponsive or unable to stand you must call the emergency vet, but that is extremely unlikely to happen as it would mean a blockage, which is not common, and your vet has already felt her stomach.

Try not to worry, this is probably the first of many times to come that she has to deal with a hairball.

Bailey101

Hi Fletch

Just wanting to check how Lily is today?

xx

MissGolightly

My little princess coughs up hairballs along with food, about 3 times a year she'll have one, but she has no problem bringing them up. They look like big poos! She will huff and puff for about half a day, and when she stops the hunt begins for OH and I, worst place so far is in one of my shoes

splishsplash

fletch3163 wrote: »

Hi again

Could lily have a cold? She sounds like she has a sore throat. Her nose is wet. She is very tired looking.

I can't quite believe how sad/worried I am about her.

Does anyone know how I can help her?

A couple of weeks ago one of our cats had similar symptoms, i.e. gagging, retching, the odd sneeze or cough in the middle of gagging and retching and looked a bit distressed while doing it, but no fever, eating readily and in perfectly good form otherwise.
I assumed and treated for hairballs but found nothing after treatment.
After about four or five days, she stopped doing it and is now back to normal.
I figured it was a cold in the end.

fletch3163

Hi everyone

Thanks so much for caring about my girl (sob). I can't believe how upset I am that she's sick. I further can't believe I texted my son this morning to ask about her and not him

She coughed quite a lot last night I think. I was up probably every hour since about 2.30am. Not coughing fits (or gagging fits) but more a couple of coughs and then quiet for an hour.

I've been giving her the paraffin tincture form the vet (just been skooshing it in her mouth because she won't eat the food I put it in - clever cat).

She seems fine otherwise. Is eating OK. She kissed me last night and her nose was definitely wet (no mucous)

She's an outdoor cat so if she's passing anything I probably won't see it.

If it is a cough/sore throat, can I do anything or should I go back to the vet? She's now had it for a day and a half. is that too long, not long enough?

gettingready

I would take her back to the vet.. does not sound right..

Hope she is well soon

moggymutt

Any decent vet will not mind you ringing for advice.

fletch3163

Hi

Lily is more settled tonight.

She has had one or two wee coughs but that is all. When I was holding her earlier and she coughed it felt a bit heavey in her tummy so maybe it is a fur ball after all.

I have been on YouTube and listened to cats with asthma. She is nowhere near like that. Just the odd single or double rasp like cough.

I think if it goes on much longer I shal need to take her back to vet.

Is it at all possible she could just have a cough or a cold? Can I give her anything to soothe her?

juliebunny

I have a cat with suspected asthma. Unfortunately she is almost totally feral so it's been tricky and I can't get near her. The wonderful vet gave her antibiotics and treated her for lungworm, just to make sure there was nothing underlying. She could not examine her so I had to take a video to her so she could prescribe!

She still gets episodes, but I worked out that they were coming on after I had vacummed or had a candle or similar burning, or when the weather changes from hot to cold or vice versa, all of which trigger my own asthma. I also looked at some videos on YouTube of other cats having asthma attacks and it was like 'ooooh yeah that is just like her!' Now I keep her well away if i am doing any of those things and fingers crossed the episodes are much less frequent now.

I previously had a cat with heart problems AND asthma and she used to share my inhaler with me, which the vet thought was very odd, but she could not have injections or tablets due to her poorly heart and the vet confirmed it was the same medication for hoomans and cats.

You can buy a paste to encourage fur balls to come out too I think it's called something like defurrum or similar??