Why Is My Cat Coughing? Causes and When to See a Vet
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By Dr Duncan Houston
A cat crouching low and repeatedly hacking can look as though they are trying to bring up a hairball. If nothing appears, it is easy to assume the hairball is simply being stubborn.
That posture can also mean irritated or narrowed airways. The most useful first check is whether your cat is breathing comfortably between episodes.
Quick Answer
Cats cough because of airway inflammation, including asthma or bronchitis, infections, parasites and other chest conditions. Hairballs usually cause retching or vomiting rather than a true cough. Contact your vet about a new or repeated cough, and seek emergency care immediately for open-mouth breathing, obvious breathing effort, collapse or blue-grey gums.
Is it a cough or a hairball?
A coughing cat often squats with their neck stretched forward and gives several sharp outward hacks. They may swallow at the end without producing anything. Retching tends to involve stronger abdominal heaving and may bring up food, fluid or a tube of hair, but appearance alone is not a reliable diagnosis.
Record a short video from a distance if your cat is comfortable. Do not press their throat, chase them or deliberately trigger another episode. A video can help your vet distinguish coughing, retching, sneezing and noisy breathing.
What could be causing the cough?
- Asthma or chronic bronchitis: inflammation affects the lower airways. Wheezing can occur, but a cat may have a cough without an audible wheeze.
- Infection or pneumonia: especially concerning when coughing accompanies poor appetite, lethargy or difficult breathing.
- Parasites: lungworms and, where present, heartworm-associated respiratory disease can resemble asthma. Hunting history, travel and prevention matter.
- Other chest disease: foreign material, tumours or other lung disorders need consideration, particularly with progressive signs.
Cornell's feline asthma guidance explains why asthma requires assessment for conditions that can look similar. Heart disease is an important cause of breathing difficulty in cats, although coughing itself is not a typical sign of feline heart failure.
How urgent is it?
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| One brief episode, then completely normal breathing and behaviour | Note the time and contact your usual vet for advice if this is new. Watch for another episode. |
| Repeated coughing, wheezing, reduced appetite or lower activity | Contact a vet today to arrange assessment; do not wait several days for a presumed hairball. |
| Open-mouth breathing, belly heaving with each breath, inability to settle, collapse or abnormal gum colour | Go to an emergency veterinary clinic immediately. |
When is coughing an emergency?
Difficulty breathing takes priority over identifying the cough. A cat using their abdomen to breathe, stretching their neck to draw air, or breathing with their mouth open needs urgent help. Do not wait for their gums to turn blue.
Call the emergency clinic while preparing transport. Keep handling gentle, allow your cat to choose a comfortable position in a well-ventilated carrier and avoid covering the carrier so tightly that airflow is restricted. Do not force food, water or tablets. As Cornell's guidance on respiratory distress emphasises, several serious disorders can cause the same outward signs.
What will the vet check?
Your vet will ask when episodes began, whether they relate to smoke or dust, and about appetite, outdoor access and parasite prevention. An unstable cat may need oxygen and minimal handling before tests.
Once safe, chest imaging and selected blood, parasite or airway tests help narrow the cause. There is no single test that proves every case of asthma. Treatment may involve anti-inflammatory airway medication, sometimes with a bronchodilator; infections and parasites need different treatment. Antibiotics are not a routine answer to every cough.
What can you do at home?
- Remove smoke, vaping aerosols, sprays and strongly scented products from your cat's space.
- Record episode frequency, appetite, activity and breathing changes. Bring videos and the names of existing medicines to the appointment.
- Follow any established asthma rescue plan exactly. A first episode needs assessment rather than someone else's inhaler.
- Use prescribed parasite prevention appropriate to your region and lifestyle. Cornell's heartworm information explains why feline respiratory disease can occur with this parasite.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Repeatedly treating a dry cough as a hairball.
- Giving human cough mixtures, essential oils or leftover medicines.
- Assuming normal behaviour between attacks rules out airway disease.
- Waiting to see whether breathing distress settles by itself.
Can further episodes be prevented?
Reduce avoidable airborne irritants and maintain regular follow-up for diagnosed disease. Choose low-dust litter if dust provokes symptoms. Environmental changes can support care, but they do not replace prescribed treatment or guarantee that asthma attacks will stop.
Frequently asked questions
Can an indoor cat have asthma?
Yes. Indoor cats can develop inflammatory airway disease and can encounter indoor irritants.
Does a cough mean my cat needs antibiotics?
No. Asthma, parasites and other causes require different treatment. Your vet will assess whether infection is likely.
Can feline asthma be cured?
It is generally managed long term. Many cats do well with appropriate treatment and monitoring, although serious flare-ups remain possible.
Should I give hairball paste first?
Do not use a hairball remedy as a trial treatment for repeated coughing. Show your vet a video and seek advice on the actual cause.
A cough deserves attention even when your cat seems fine afterwards. Breathing effort changes the situation immediately: seek urgent care whenever comfortable breathing is in doubt.
For help understanding your cat's signs and preparing questions for their veterinarian, visit ASK A VET™. Breathing distress needs an emergency clinic immediately.
