7-year-old cat with "smoker's cough" !

Does anyone recognise the following?

Puss will be sleeping happily and then he'll start "coughing". It seems
he's trying to move something. He keeps on coughing but whatever it is
doesn't move or stop aggravating him and so he gets anxious and gets
quickly down onto the floor and into the crouch position, stretching his
neck out parallel to the floor and almost touching the floor with his
chin. In this position he keeps "coughing", perhaps for a whole minute,
until the irritation stops. Then he returns to entirely normal
behaviour - until next time.

This has been going on for some weeks now. About a month ago he had
some kind of nasal or sinus infection, resulting in yellow discharge
from one nostril, and the vet prescribed five days of an antibiotic.
That cleared that problem, but this occasional "coughing" remains.

We have thought it must be a hairball because this is much the same kind
of "coughing" that he and his twin brother have done occasionally ever
since they were kittens. So each week they are always given a bit of
hairball oil. However, for this cat we have been giving him some
hairball oil every day now for the past week, to hopefully clear any
hair, if hair is indeed the problem. But he's still having a
"coughing" session daily - perhaps two or three times per day.

When you get down the floor with him when this happens you get the
impression that it's like "smoker's cough", that there's something
there, if not hair, then perhaps some buildup of mucous or other fluid.

It's a very long journey from our house to the nearest vet, so I thought
I would first see if anyone here recognises this condition and knows
about it.

Thanks for any advice.

Eddy.

Eddy wrote:
Does anyone recognise the following?

Puss will be sleeping happily and then he'll start "coughing". It
seems he's trying to move something. He keeps on coughing but
whatever it is doesn't move or stop aggravating him and so he gets
anxious and gets quickly down onto the floor and into the crouch
position, stretching his neck out parallel to the floor and almost
touching the floor with his chin. In this position he keeps
"coughing", perhaps for a whole minute, until the irritation stops.
Then he returns to entirely normal behaviour - until next time.

This has been going on for some weeks now. About a month ago he had
some kind of nasal or sinus infection, resulting in yellow discharge
from one nostril, and the vet prescribed five days of an antibiotic.
That cleared that problem, but this occasional "coughing" remains.

We have thought it must be a hairball because this is much the same
kind of "coughing" that he and his twin brother have done
occasionally ever since they were kittens. So each week they are
always given a bit of hairball oil. However, for this cat we have
been giving him some hairball oil every day now for the past week, to
hopefully clear any hair, if hair is indeed the problem. But he's
still having a "coughing" session daily - perhaps two or three times
per day.

When you get down the floor with him when this happens you get the
impression that it's like "smoker's cough", that there's something
there, if not hair, then perhaps some buildup of mucous or other
fluid.

It's a very long journey from our house to the nearest vet, so I
thought I would first see if anyone here recognises this condition
and knows about it.

Thanks for any advice.

Eddy.

Well, if he was a Human, you would get him a "CAT" scan. (No pun intended)
But, since he's just a cat, there wouldn't be much you could do about it if
he has some kind of tumour anyway, so there isn't much you can do, but wait
to see if it gets worse, and then put him down near the end. He might be
allergic to something, or it may be just hair or dander. This is the season
for excess hair. Be sure you brush him frequently.

Eddy wrote:

He keeps on coughing but whatever it is
doesn't move or stop aggravating him and so he gets anxious and gets
quickly down onto the floor and into the crouch position, stretching his
neck out parallel to the floor and almost touching the floor with his
chin. In this position he keeps "coughing", perhaps for a whole minute,
until the irritation stops. Then he returns to entirely normal
behaviour - until next time.

This sounds like a classic asthma attack. My Will would do this a dozen
times a day before we got his asthma under control.

Take him to a vet and get a thoracic radiograph. Chances are it will
show the diagnostic "donuts and tramlines" which are caused by thickened
bronchial walls and trapped air.

If it is asthma, he needs be put on a regimen of glucocorticoid
steroids. Typically that will be either oral prednisolone or injected
depo medrol (methylprednisolone). Eventually, you will want to move him
over to the inhaled steroid fluticasone propionate (Flovent/Flixotide),
because it is non-systemic and doesn't have the potential for adverse
effects that pred does.
--

Wayne M.

When I had Ike (RB) he had the same symptoms. It was asthma and the vet
would give him a prednisone shot. This would stop the attacks right
away. The relief would last about four months when it would start
again. This occurred until Ike disappeared.

You could try Googling for extra info and then phone call to your vet.

Barb

Wayne Mitchell wrote:

This sounds like a classic asthma attack. My Will would do this a dozen
times a day before we got his asthma under control.

Take him to a vet and get a thoracic radiograph. Chances are it will
show the diagnostic "donuts and tramlines" which are caused by thickened
bronchial walls and trapped air.

If it is asthma, he needs be put on a regimen of glucocorticoid
steroids. Typically that will be either oral prednisolone or injected
depo medrol (methylprednisolone). Eventually, you will want to move him
over to the inhaled steroid fluticasone propionate (Flovent/Flixotide),
because it is non-systemic and doesn't have the potential for adverse
effects that pred does.

Wayne, many thanks for this very helpful and precise advice. It is
greatly appreciated.

Eddy.

---MIKE--- wrote:

When I had Ike (RB) he had the same symptoms. It was asthma and the vet
would give him a prednisone shot. This would stop the attacks right
away. The relief would last about four months when it would start
again. This occurred until Ike disappeared.

Thanks, Mike.

Seven years of extraordinary delight this cat has given. Of course we
hoped he would have similarly excellent health for a further 10 years,
if not more. So sad.

Eddy.

Bill Graham wrote:

Well, if he was a Human, you would get him a "CAT" scan. (No pun intended)
But, since he's just a cat, there wouldn't be much you could do about it if
he has some kind of tumour anyway, so there isn't much you can do, but wait
to see if it gets worse, and then put him down near the end. He might be
allergic to something, or it may be just hair or dander. This is the season
for excess hair. Be sure you brush him frequently.

Thanks, Bill.

I've been brushing him every day since he was a kitten. From April this
year until about now I have been quite alarmed how every day I have got
so much fur out of his coat, using a flee comb. So I've been doing my
bit. But as I always feel there is still probably some loose fur even
after I have given him a good brushing, it's possible I suppose that he
is still managing to lick down some fur. On the other hand, I wonder
why his current coughing has not occurred to such a degree in each of
his previous six summers.

Eddy.

On Sep 9, 10:58*am, Eddy
wrote:
Bill Graham wrote:
Well, if he was a Human, you would get him a "CAT" scan. (No pun intended)
But, since he's just a cat, there wouldn't be much you could do about it if
he has some kind of tumour anyway, so there isn't much you can do, but wait
to see if it gets worse, and then put him down near the end. He might be
allergic to something, or it may be just hair or dander. This is the season
for excess hair. Be sure you brush him frequently.

Thanks, Bill. *

I've been brushing him every day since he was a kitten. *From April this
year until about now I have been quite alarmed how every day I have got
so much fur out of his coat, using a flee comb. *So I've been doing my
bit. *But as I always feel there is still probably some loose fur even
after I have given him a good brushing, it's possible I suppose that he
is still managing to lick down some fur. *On the other hand, I wonder
why his current coughing has not occurred to such a degree in each of
his previous six summers.

Eddy.

Have you considered allergies? Is he an outdoor cat? Have you made
any changes in household?

On Fri, 9 Sep 2011 09:49:42 -0400, "Barb"
wrote:

You could try Googling for extra info and then phone call to your vet.

Barb

Sounds like a classic cat asthma attack.

Your cat needs to be seen by a vet NOW.

Asthma is fairly easily managed, fortunately.