Does anybody have any idea what this is?

[lauraroze]

This started a few years ago and no vet has been able to tell me what's wrong with Treble! I'm so desperate.

He does this 10-15 times per day. It's like a cough and then it sounds like he's sucking in air at the end. He "coughs" about 12 times in a row and then goes completely back to normal old Treble - sweet, cuddly, mischievous, Treble. 

One vet thought it was Asthma, so we got an inhaler and an AeroKat but that didn't seem to make any difference and it scared him a lot too. Another vet had us come in monthly for a steroid shot and that didn't do much besides make him agitated and hungry. 

Has anybody seen this before? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[ziggy'smom]

Could it be chronic bronchitis?
 

 

[catsallaround]

Were xrays ever taken?
 

 

[tulosai]

I would say I don't think it's asthma (though you seem to have already ruled that out, so basically I am just agreeing with something you've already said) but unfortunately I can't offer any other insight

 

[AbbysMom]

Based on what I've seen with my mother's cat, I would suggest you mention chronic respiratory issues and possibly feline herpes to your vet. He seems like he could be quite congested and is trying to cough that up and then swallows it. Does he get Lysine?

Also, has there ever been a mention of a heart murmur or anything like that?

 

[heyitsfae]

Based on what I've seen with my mother's cat, I would suggest you mention chronic respiratory issues and possibly feline herpes to your vet. He seems like he could be quite congested and is trying to cough that up and then swallows it. Does he get Lysine?

Also, has there ever been a mention of a heart murmur or anything like that?

I am inclined to agree with AbbysMom. I recently adopted a cat from my local animal shelter not knowing that he had feline herpes virus when I adopted him. The shelter told me that they had treated him for two upper respiratory infections and one eye infection. The night that I brought him home he did that "coughing" thing three times throughout the night. So I freaked out and rushed him to the vet the following day. That was when he was diagnosed with FHV. Really, the only way that the vet made the connection was because my boy's herpes flair ups are not just in the form of coughing and sneezing but also through blood vessels that are essentially bursting in his eyes. He was treated for an upper respiratory infection, has seen an ophthalmologist for his eyes and now is on 1000mg a day of L-Lysine to manage future outbreaks and we haven't had any more coughing since.

It's just a guess, but it might be worth bringing up to Treble's vet. Most cats have been exposed to FHV, some just carry it while others will have outbreaks. It's not uncommon and very manageable.

I hope that you get some answers soon! Treble is beautiful!

 

[mewlittle]

he has a lung issue of some sort did they do xrays?