Any Ideas?

Im hoping someone can shed some light on a situation I have with my cat. I have taken her to 2 different vets and neither can tell my why she is doing this. Im hoping that perhaps someone here might have a cat which does the same thing.

For several months now, and seems it is more lately. At first it started by her coughing? Ok now to get gross but this is how I can describe it best, remember when your dad or grandfather would clear thier throat, with that ewwwwe "hoick" noise, this is the noise she makes, then it seems its hard for her to swallow, she will outstretch her neck, licking her lips, and making the "hoick" noise.

Now both vets have told me its hairballs...now I have had this cat for 4 years and she has NEVER had a hairball, so thats hard for me to swallow (pardon the pun).

I have also noticed that if shes purring just before this happens, her purr will get louder and a deep rumble, almost sounding congested till its over. Sometimes this happens several times a day, other times once a week.

Can anyone help me?

I hate to say this, but those are symptoms of hairballs! Perhaps the vets are right. Have you tried the malt flavored medication for hairballs? Why not give it a try? If she has a hairball and is trying that hard to bring it up, I'm sure it would make breathing difficult, and would be very uncomfortable.

Brie is does sound like typical hairball behavior. But did the vets look down the kitty's throat as well? I had one kitty that did this awhile ago and when I took her in (after the hairball medicine did not work) she had a piece of mouse tail stuck in the back of her throat! So it could be she has an obstruction, it is something to check out anyway. Cats are notorious for swallowing thread, rubber bands, etc..

No neither of the vets looked into her mouth...they both just said "thats a hairball" Grrr

Could it be worms causing this? Someone (not a vet) said maybe so...But her coat is so glossy and beautiful.

Also does the old wives tale of give a cat a little vasaline on the paw work the same as this hairball med?

When a cat has a heavy infestation of worms they can choke and eventually (after a vet check and worming) will sick up the worms. Extremely gross. But the vet will be the one to determine if it is worms- take in a fecal for them to test and get the medication from the vet to treat it. But if the vets say it is hairballs (and it sounds like it is) you can start adding a little bit of corn oil to her food- not very much, or cod liver oil, something to help her coat simmer down.

I read somewhere that described kitty asthma like this: kitty will do little bitty coughs, building up to bigger and bigger coughs stretching out their neck, then they have a big wet cough followed by a big hard swallow and then coughing stops. I don't know if this describes your kitty.

"now I have had this cat for 4 years and she has NEVER had a hairball"

I don't think that would necessarily rule out a hairball. I have a kitty that never had one for 4-5 years either, but as she got older, she got a few. The stomach and intestines seem less able to rid the hair downward as she ages, so it goes upwards.

I assume they checked her lungs for congestion? If not, why not? Vasaline works reasonably for hairballs, but it is a petroleum gel, and I cannot but wonder if it is particularly good for cats. There are some very nice and tasty gel-type pastes that come in tubes (the one I use is herbal). You put a little blob on the top of the paw, and the cat immediately feels the need to groom herself. It works pretty well with mine.

I have also had cats with asthma (or perhaps they are only allergies) and the neck-extended cough. Cats can be allergic to dust mites and all sorts of the usual kinds of things that bother people. A round of steroid meds usually knocks the allergic reaction on the head. More typically, cats have allergic skin reactions. Don't use any medicines that are not specified for cats. They are peculiar beasts about medicines (aspirin, as you know, is a poison, etc.).

If your cat is still coughing, I personally would go back to the vets, who could very well have prescribed a suitable hair-ball gel so you would have been ahead in the diagnosis dance. If they prove unhelpful, another vet is in order. Ask lots of questions of your vet. Note if the coughing occurs after feeding. Is it accompanied by vomit, and what kind? Wholly digested? Partially digested? Almost not digested at all? I assume that the vets asked you these things?

Just remember that vets and human doctors all have the same problem. There are good ones and bad ones, and you have to read and learn enough on your own to figure out when to push them into performing properly. I have finally found some excellent vets, but even they get fixated on the simplest or commonist answer. It took two months to get them to send away for the diabetis insipidus test liquid for one of my cats. But they are good, patient, and willing to explore. The vets had never seen a case of cat diabetis before, but they got on the local roster of vets and discovered one who had imported the test material. Blessings on the CatSite for that one, because she did turn out to be diabetic. I had to shove to get an x-ray of one of my dog's hips, which I thought might be displastic. Lo, and behold, I was right, and saved her a lot of agony. The vet wanted to try (without an x-ray) several anti-inflammatories for her "arthritis" before doing the x-ray. I learn the damndest things on the CatSite, and find it gives me a much greater range of suggestions to chase after my vets with.

So keep at it until your cat has some relief from her problem.

Let us know what happens.

Originally Posted by catspride

Vasaline works reasonably for hairballs, but it is a petroleum gel, and I cannot but wonder if it is particularly good for cats.

Click to expand...

My cat LOVES Vasaline!! (But maybe shes just a weirdo!)