My Cat Is Coughing But There Is No Hairball

We will explain other reasons for a hacking cough in cats which are not hairballs. Before we do so, it is important to remember that just because you don't see a hairball, doesn't mean one isn't there. Known scientifically as trichobezoars, hairballs are masses of hair trapped in the gastrointestinal system. If they are far down the GI tract, they may be expelled anally. If they are in the upper GI tract, the cat may be able to cough them up.

If the hairball is sufficiently large, it is possible it will become stuck. This means the cat cannot bring it up on their own by retching or coughing. It also means there is a serious issue because a hairball that is stuck can obstruct the flow of the digestive tract. This is in addition to the discomfort and eventual pain it may cause. This discomfort is exacerbated by the cat trying to cough up the hairball to no avail.

Longhaired cat breeds are more likely to develop hairballs since more hair tends to accumulate, especially during shedding season. The cat will groom themselves and ingest the hair while doing so. Other issues may be influencing the development of hairballs. These may include poor diet, as well as gastrointestinal problems which may constrict the GI tract.

What to do if a cat's hairball is stuck

The best method of treatment is prevention. The following strategies should be incorporated into the care routine for your feline to help prevent hairball formation:

• Brushing your cat every day to remove as much hair as possible and prevent them from ingesting it.
• Offering malt paste helps prevent hairballs, as well as aid their digestive transit.
• Providing a diet rich in fiber promotes intestinal motility and also helps eliminate ingested hair.
• Keeping your cat well hydrated is especially important to prevent hairballs from forming.

If your cat keeps coughing, but no hairball appears, it may mean it is stuck. Large accumulations of hair can be very dangerous for cats. They can cause choking hazards if they are stuck in the upper respiratory tract. They can cause intestinal blockages if they pass further along. In these cases, you will need to take your cat to the veterinarian. They may be able to remove the hairball endoscopically, but some cases may require surgical intervention.

Learn more about providing malt paste for cats with our related article.

An allergy is a reaction of the immune system to a particular allergen. This allergen can cause no response in cats without an allergy, but those with a sensitivity can have very negative reactions. Common allergens for cats include dust, pollen, smoke, certain foods and chemicals, among others. The allergic reaction various in severity, but it can cause a dry, persistent cough. This makes it appear as if the cat has something stuck in their throat. Other symptoms can include sneezing, eye inflammation or mucopurulent nasal discharge.

Check out our related guide to learn more about the signs of allergies in cats.

What to do if a cat has allergies

When a cat has an allergy, it is important to determine to the best of our ability what allergen affects them. This may require help from a veterinarian who can run certain tests. They may also recommend an elimination diet to determine whether the cat has a food allergy. Once the allergen has been determined, we need to remove it from their diet. If the allergen is very common in the environment, they may prescribe antihistamines to minimize the cat's reaction.

Asthma is another common cause of a cat coughing, but there is no hairball. This can give the sensation of having something stuck in their throat or producing phlegm from a hacking cough. When the airways become inflamed, it makes it difficult for the cat to breathe normally, resulting in a persistent cough. This is accompanied by gagging sounds, as if trying to expel something. Other breathing difficulties may also be noted.

What to do if a cat has asthma

This condition is a chronic condition that requires veterinary treatment. This may include the administration of corticosteroids and bronchodilators to reduce inflammation and improve breathing. We also need to be careful of environmental allergens since they can exacerbate feline asthma. This means keeping their bedding clean and performing general hygiene on the cat.

Respiratory infections in the cat can be viral, bacterial or fungal. They include the common cold, but can also be due to feline herpes virus or calicivirus. In severe cases, they can develop into bronchitis or pneumonia. These can cause your cat to cough as if they were choking, with the cough often being accompanied by mucus. These conditions can irritate the airways, causing a cough like they have a hairball, but no hairball appears. In these cases, your cat may show other symptoms such as sneezing, nasal discharge, watery eyes, fever and listlessness.

Learn about a respiratory infection cause by the herpesvirus with our article explaining feline rhinotracheitis.

What to do if a cat has a respiratory infection

If the symptoms are mild and do not persist, you can help the cat recover by ensuring they have plenty of water, a warm place to rest and other important amenities. If the symptoms are severe and persist for more than 24-48 hours, you will need to speak to a veterinarian. They can diagnose the problem and administer the according treatment. This can include antibiotics in the case of bacterial respiratory infections.

While a hairball occurs when hair accumulates, it is possible a single foreign body might result in a cat coughing without hairballs. Our cat may have swallowed a small object, such as a blade of grass or a piece of plastic. These objects can easily become stuck in respiratory or digestive tissues, causing agitation and a subsequent cough. If the object is sharp, it can cause internal bleeding in addition to a potential blockage.

Learn about the reasons why a cat has a bloody nose in our related article.

What to do if a cat has a foreign body stuck

If you suspect your cat may have swallowed something they shouldn't, it is vital to see a professional who can examine your cat. They can remove the foreign object with the proper equipment to clear the obstruction. Depending on the object, doing it yourself at home could have serious negative consequences.

Especially those that live in the lungs and airways, parasites such as coccidia and giardia can cause persistent coughing in cats. Some cats with worm infestations also cough due to migrating larvae.

What to do if a cat has parasites

To detect this condition, your veterinarian will need to perform a stool analysis and/or x-rays to confirm the presence of certain parasites. They will administer the corresponding antiparasitic agent which will resolve the problem. Parasites can be life threatening to cats, so it is very important they are treated as soon as possible. Moreover, a suitable deworming schedule needs to be established to prevent infestations in the first place.

We share the different types of intestinal parasites in cats with our related article.

Although less common, heart conditions such as heart failure can cause a cat to cough as if they had a hairball. This is usually due to fluid buildup in the lungs. Symptoms often include rapid or labored breathing, frequent hacking coughing as if something is stuck in the throat, a swollen abdomen due to fluid buildup and listlessness.

What to do if a cat has heart disease

It is important to see your vet if you notice your cat is having trouble breathing. Only they will be able to carry out the correct differential diagnosis which can confirm heart failure. They can then administer the appropriate treatment to improve heart function. This may include drugs, as well as the draining of fluid which has built up in the cat's lungs.

Discover more about the symptoms and treatment if heart failure in cats.

Lung cancer or the presence of tumors in the thoracic area can also be the reason a cat is coughing, but no hairball appears. Fortunately, it is less common, but it is still important to consider the possibility. In these cases, the tumor can agitate the airways, resulting in a hacking cough. It can also have secondary conditions such as edema or fluid in the lungs which result in coughing.

If a tumor is malignant, it will be a form of cancer. This can metastasize to other parts of the body and can be fatal in many cases. Only a veterinarian will be able to determine the diagnosis through x-rays, blood tests or biopsies.

In another article we share, we can learn about tumors in elderly cats.

What to do if my cat has a tumor

Treatment may include surgery, chemotherapy or palliative care, depending on each individual case. It is always very important to go to the veterinarian if a cat has a persistent cough. The possibility of a tumor or cancer requires a prompt diagnosis to make the difference between a good prognosis and a reserved one.

When we observe a cat is coughing, but there is no hairball, it is important we observe various characteristics of the cough. These include whether it is a dry cough, how often it occurs, if there is mucus present and whether they vomit, among others. In any case, if the cough persists for more than 24-48 hours, do not hesitate to go to the vet. The sooner the cause is determined, the better the prognosis.

This article is purely informative. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain.

If you want to read similar articles to My Cat Is Coughing But There Is No Hairball, we recommend you visit our Breathing diseases category.