Coughing

It's been 6 weeks or so since we got Calvin our now nearly 6 month old tabby and I am still a nervous 1st time meowmy.

Today he was napping beside me and then he woke up and coughed about 6-7 time and it almost felt like he was choking and I completely panicked. But with the episode done, he was fine and then groomed himself some and then went and had some kibbles. Was this his first hairball cough? Should I worry about something? SHould I keep an eye out for anything? And am I just worrying unnecessarily?

EDIT: So Calvin just threw up some kibbles he ate now along with some wet food from 10 hours ago. So now I am second guessing myself, if the cough was actually retching.

His medical history so far: He started with some diarrhea, which was treated with first probiotics, then flagyl. About a week ago Calvin vomitted some white foam and I took him to the vet, who found nothing but some loose bowel in tummy and thought he'll have diarrhea. But he did not. The doc gave me panacur for 3 days and he's been doing fine otherwise. Today, he had his normal breakfast time poop and then another in the afternoon which was way softer and really smelly. It was more like what he had when he first came 6 weeks back.

I may be keeping too close an eye on what's going on but I just want to be careful. WOuld appreciate any suggestions.

Call vet and explain what happened, when I first read it I thought hairball it still could be I know flash has done it that way before

I've had my two for two years now and I still phone the vet at the slightest thing I don't understand any good vet will answer any question You have

Let us know how he gets on

I did call the vet's office and the vet was gone for the day. The nice receptionist told me that she'll pass on the message and the vet will call me back tomorrow. She asked me to keep a watch through the night and if things go bad to take him to the emergency vet and gave me their number and direction. Asked me to feed him his normal food tonight. He seems to be in decent spirit and it's nearly dinner time, so Calvin is asking for food. I think I'll give him wellness kitten pate today and not any of the gravies that he so likes. I thought the last couple of days he was licking his lips a little too much and I looked on the net and found that thay may indicate nausea. Will have to keep a close eye on him and see.
Thanks, aj. Am glad that you brought up calling the vet - I am glad that I did. At times I feel I am too nervous because I have this little furball who is dependent on me to take care of him.

I always turn into a mess if I think there could be something wrong because they can not tell us how they feel, I'm glad the vet assistant said she would get someone to call you tomorrow she seems nice and helpful
for through the night

Tumbles has done this a couple of times. It's so very scary! I freak out and immediately think asthma attack!! It's not but that's what it reminds me of.

What are you feeding him?

You could let him have some hairball remedy or unsalted butter in case it is from fur. But honesty, get him in to see the vet as it may not be, or it could be and is a bad case of it.


I have three cats with chronic bronchitis, so far one is on a daily inhaler for it. The coughing started subtly at first and is very different from both the asthma cough and a hairball cough.

Make sure you get in touch with your vet tomorrow, just incase. I hope it's nothing serious!

Thanks everyone for the pointers - really appreciate it.

In case the vet does not call me by noon, I'll call them back. I feel really self conscious and ignorant since I tend to get scared and call the vet so much but I'd rather be too proactive than complacant when it comes to my pet.
He has not coughed since or thrown up since and he ate his dinner well. (touchwood) No poop since the afternoon when he had softer really stinky poop. So I am wondering if it was cough or retching this afternoon but I do not trust myself to be convinced it was one and not the other. He's playing and being naughty. I thought he was not feeling too good after eating but then he took a nap and seemed fine after. (DH makes fun of me at times and calls me the poop police because since Calvin's tummy troubles I keep an eye out but he's glad on days like these that I am attentive)

@ stephanietx: Calvin's a really fussy eater and wants a lot of variety as far as his wet food goes. So I circulate between wellness kitten, avoderm chicken and salmon, adoverm chicken gravy, avoderm chicken formula, natural balance chicken formula (rarely) and fancy feast (only flaked fish and shrimp - which he LOVES - the ingredient did not seem too bad and that was the only one I kept from his foster days). He was also on Hill's Science Diet dry in foster care and after his last bout of diarrhea got better we are transitioning him very slowly to wellness dry - now he's having about 80% wellness and 20% science. I give him about 1 can in the morning and 1 in the evening of wet food and 1/4 cup of dry is left out.

So the vet called a few minutes ago and said that if Calvin's symptoms continue, he would like to see Calvin. I will just pray and hope that they don't and it was a one time indigestion thing. He understood what I meant when I described the cough/ retching thing. I will just keep a close eye on Calvin.

Originally Posted by Calvin&I

So the vet called a few minutes ago and said that if Calvin's symptoms continue, he would like to see Calvin. I will just pray and hope that they don't and it was a one time indigestion thing. He understood what I meant when I described the cough/ retching thing. I will just keep a close eye on Calvin.

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Hopefully it was just a one time thing, and he won't have to go to the vets!