Cat illness

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Cat illness

by Mary
(Nokesville, VA)

QUESTION

My cat is having problems. She usually chokes up part of what she eats, everytime she eats. She's been like that since we got her, 6 weeks old. Lately she has been making rattling noises when she breathes. It doesn't seem to get better. What could be the cause of this?
Mary

Hi, Mary,

The first thing I would be worried about is possible aspiration pneumonia if some of the food that comes back up got into her lungs. That's one possibility.

There are other things like feline asthma, lung congestion from heart disease .....the list can become long. I need more information to point you in the right direction.

Does the noise appear to be coming from her chest or her throat or her nose?

How old is she now?

When did this begin?

Is she otherwise acting normally? Is she eating, playing, as energetic as usual, etc.

Do you hear this with every breath she takes?

Is there any discharge coming from her eyes, nose, or mouth?

Does she go outdoors? Do you have other cats?

Did she see a vet ever about the problem she has had since she was a kitten? Was there a diagnosis, a reason given, for that?

If you answer these questions and tell me anything else you think relevant, I can give you a more informed answer. Just write your reply in the comment area of your question and I will answer you back. There will not be an additional charge for this.

Thank you,

Dr. Neely

Comments for
Cat illness

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Jun 20, 2011

Never Give Answers
by: Anonymous

My comment is that no vet is willing to give any answer or even a suggestion except to take the cat to the vet. We all know to do that, but we are trying to assess the problem to see if going to the vet is necessary or if it will get better on its own.

Unfortunately, most cat illnesses cannot be diagnosed without a physical exam by a veterinarian. I am happy to answer questions and provide my opinions and differential diagnoses and provide information on possible causes for cat illnesses, but nothing can serve as a substitute for a physical exam.

There are many ways to help determine if your cat needs immediate veterinary attention. To learn more, please see this page or read my article about How to Determine When Your Cat Needs Veterinary Attention.

All the best,
Dr. Neely

Mar 25, 2011

Feline Asthma or Something Else ?
by: Anonymous

My 5 year old cat had problems with hairballs for a long time and once we switched him to hairball control food , he stopped puking them up. In the last few days however, I noticed he acts like he is choking on something or bringing up a hairball but nothing comes up ? It's almost a hacking cough and he also weezes when he breathes. I looked it up online and watched some videos on youtube and from what I can see I'm almost positive that he has feline asthma. I'm really not sure what I should do about it because I'm not really sure I want to give him steroids or any kind of drug for the rest of his life. I'm hoping to find a home remedy or some kind of natural way to ease his breathing.

Your kitty should really be examined by a veterinarian. If you would like to provide some more information about your cat's symptoms and submit a new thread, you can do so in our Cat Forum. The comments section in this thread is reserved for communicating with the original poster or other comments regarding the question asked initially.

Should you decide to submit your question again as its own thread, with a bit more information about your cat's condition and symptoms, I may be able to provide more suggestions, but in the meantime, would recommend that you consult with a veterinarian.

Best,
Dr. Neely

May 28, 2010

Scared
by: Sasha

My Male De sexed Cat(Petey) who is 3 and a half years old has been vomiting lately(by lately I mean 2 weeks ago it started and has occurred a total of 5 times now - most recent being this morning) I'm terrified that he has something wrong with him. We live in a large apartment high on the 6th floor and some months ago he for no reason jumped off the otherwise safe balcony. Luckily he was fine scraping through with a bit of facial bruising which the vet gave him some pain relief for and I guess he turned into a bit of a scaredy cat. We have a 9 month female kitten who is fine, no vomiting etc. Petey's vomiting starts of with hoarse choking noises, I tried to aid him at first by lightly tapping on his back but nothing n then he threw up clearish liquid with one piece of cat biscuit or one piece of wet food. I've since tried to limit his diet (he ate a lot) but even still he manages to vomit, I'm terrified he will do it when I'm not there and it will get lodged and he will die. This morning, my sister was with him when he vomited and she thought it was more yellowy liquid and that it smelt like urine, still followed by the biscuit though. Should I be bringing him to the vet? I want to safe rather than sorry but if it's just something simple I'd rather not have to spend a fortune finding that out. ANY HELP you can give would be so much appreciated!!

xx

It is not unusual for a cat to vomit from time to time. They take in so much of their own hair from grooming and they can also eat too fast. However, this sounds like it is very unusual for him to be doing this so, of course, the safest thing would be to have him checked out by your vet. If he is eating well and acting fine otherwise and having normal litter habits, you would probably be safe giving him a hairball remedy such as Laxatone and waiting a few days to see if that happens.

Best,
Dr. Neely

May 08, 2010

Same thing going on....
by: Kenny Sluder

I just got a kitten born March 10, 2010 and they said it has been choking after it eats and he is fine after he vomits. He doesn't have anything in the throat and no matter what he eats, it is the same. He does extend his neck, and it only happens when he eats. He does not go outside, he is the only cat, acts normal when she is playing and eating well, it only happens right after he eats, there is no discharge from anywhere except foam from his mouth when this happens, and the noise is only coming from the mouth/throat. My vet said just add more water to the mix and that should take care of it, but it hasn't. I have taken him to 2 other vets and the same thing is said. No problems with pneumonia, respiratory, or anything cold wise. I don't know what to do and think I need an answer fast. There are no polyps in his throat, and no lumps of any kind. Could the people before me possibly crushed his windpipe? Could there be something else I don't know about and the vets can't figure out?

Sounds like he has been well evaluated and you have nothing to worry about.

Jul 22, 2009

Same problems
by: Martin

My cat has pretty much the same problems.
he is sneezing a lot and then kind of heaving afterward.
There is a discharge coming out of his nose once in a while like he is having a cold.
eating normally but acts kind of groggy.
any help is appreciated

The signs you describe, especially if they began recently, sound exactly like a "cold". If he continues to eat well and the sneezing decreases and goes away soon, all is probably well. However, if it continues, if he loses his appetite, if the discharge is yellow, whitish, or green, he should be seen by a vet for possible antibiotics.

Best,
Dr. Neely

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