The lining of the whole respiratory system contains cells that secrete mucus, or the thick gooey material you see when blowing your nose. There are two types of cat coughs: a dry cough or a productive (wet) cough. Cats will not pant or hold their mouth open wide when coughing, and coughing is not really fast-each cough will likely have at least a second or two in between. When coughing, a cat’s chest and belly movements are dramatic since a cough is a forceful push of air out. You may hear one cough, or several-and if your cat coughs several times in a row, he will stand or sit in one place during this. Coughing is stimulated by irritation anywhere from the pharynx down to the bronchioles, so knowing exactly why (or from where) the cough is coming from can be tricky.Ī cat that coughs usually stops what activity they are doing and sticks out their head, extending their neck. Inside the lungs are passageways for air called bronchi that get smaller and lead to bronchioles. Coughing on rare occasions (once every few months or even less frequently) could be normal, but most cats do not cough unless something is wrong.Ī cat’s respiratory system goes from the nose all the way to the lungs-including the nasal cavity (chamber of the nose), pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), trachea (windpipe), and lungs. Any irritation in the respiratory tract could lead to a cough. Do Cats Cough?Ĭats can cough just like people do. So how do we know if our cat is coughing or if he is doing something else? When should we be concerned? And what causes cats to cough? Read below to find the 11 most common causes of coughing in cats.

Most pet parents have never even heard a cat cough before! Even though it’s a normal response, cats should not cough often or cough regularly. Coughing is a normal response to any irritation in your kitty’s airways or throat.

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