Heavy breathing and wheezing in cats. The cat wheezes, wheezing is heard What to give a cat from wheezing

If the cat is breathing heavily and wheezing, then this indicates a serious illness. It is necessary to pay attention to the features of the symptoms. For example, when a cat breathes normally, the animal's chest rises and falls. In this case, the process occurs calmly, without jerks and convulsive movements.

However, if the cat begins to breathe with his stomach and sides, this means a violation in the work of the respiratory tract. It is painful for the animal to exhale and inhale, as it does in a normal state. An even more alarming syndrome is when, against the background of the above, wheezing is added to the symptoms.

Causes of wheezing with heavy breathing

It is noisy gurgling breath. It can occasionally be caused by a cold, and also accompanies most diseases of the respiratory system. The cat often wheezes for reasons:

foaming of accumulated fluid (blood, trans- or exudate);
gaps narrow in the airways.

When the voice is lost, the animal wheezes for a long time. This indicates a violation of the vocal cords, their incomplete closure. The animal will wheeze until they fully recover. This phenomenon occurs with the accumulation of mucous fluid in the cracks or with laryngitis.

Changes in the cat's breathing may be due to obesity. In this case, even after a little physical activity, the animal breathes heavily. The sudden onset of wheezing may indicate that the cat has swallowed a foreign body that is stuck in the throat. You can't try to pull it out on your own. Why shouldn't pet owners do this? Without qualified help, the object can be pushed even further and the animal will die.

Types of wheezing

Wheezing is a whole combination of sounds and noises. Each disease has its own variants. Wheezing may be:

whistling;
wet;
crepitant;
dry.

If wet rales are heard, the cat suffers from mucus accumulated in the bronchi. Sputum is formed in large quantities against the background of inflammation, colds that have affected the broncho tree. The inhaled air seeps through the mucus in the form of bubbles, which then burst. As a result, the cat wheezes when he breathes. This combination of sounds refers to the wet version. In this case, wheezing has several varieties:

Small bubbles, when the small balloons that form with sputum collapse. They appear with bronchitis, pneumonia and pulmonary infarction.
Medium bubbling - like the sound of air being blown through a straw. Such wheezing appears during bronchitis, accompanied by excessive production of mucus, pneumosclerosis, or pulmonary fibrotic changes.
Large bubbling is heard without a medical device. Wheezing appears against the background of accumulation of exudate in the lungs. This is due to swelling of the organ or with a weak cough.

Dry heavy breathing with wheezing may be the result of obstruction due to bronchial constriction. Also, the reason may be an allergic reaction or compression of the respiratory tract by a neoplasm. Air hardly penetrates through narrow gaps, this creates a certain noise. Then it develops into a wheezing wheeze when it moves along the unevenly narrowed bronchi.

If they also have viscous mucus, then membranes are created that block the path of air. As a result, breathing acquires a buzzing sound. Air is very difficult to penetrate through the narrowed and partially covered lumen.

The appearance of wheezing on the background of diseases

The causes of wheezing are divided into 2 groups. Each of them has its own characteristics. Symptoms can appear both in a kitten and in an adult.

Pulmonary

The pulmonary group of causes is due to diseases of the respiratory system. The appearance of wheezing can be the result of inflammation, including an allergic one. Sometimes the airways are injured by foreign bodies accidentally caught in them.

In this case, they get stuck in the larynx, pharynx, bronchi or trachea. This interferes with normal breathing, it becomes heavier, difficult. The cat begins to wheeze, sniffle and cough. Foamy liquid comes out of the nostrils, sometimes with blood clots. The cat does not drink, does not eat and can easily suffocate.

ARVI or flu is not terrible for these animals, they do not get sick with them. However, viral infections may well pick up. For example, a cat wheezes and sneezes when it gets sick.:

Light wheezing and severe wheezing may appear due to congenital pathologies - with elongation of the palate, polyps, narrowing of the passages in the nose. Symptoms are aggravated after any physical activity.

Extrapulmonary

The extrapulmonary group of causes is caused by a disorder in the functioning of internal organs and systems that are not related to the respiratory system. Diseases:

Various diseases of the internal organs, their inflammation lead to pulmonary edema. At the same time, the cat breathes with great difficulty, with wheezing, the sides swell strongly, a pinkish foam appears from the nose.
Diaphragmatic hernia is very similar in symptoms to asthma. The animal also breathes heavily and hoarsely.
The same symptoms are characteristic of heart failure, but in this case, the animal does not cough. Myocardosis and carditis, arrhythmia lead to disruption of the respiratory system.

Often the cause of wheezing and heavy breathing is kidney failure. It leads to pulmonary edema. At the same time, the sides of the animal swell, a strong cough appears.

Oncology

Among the causes, tumors should be noted separately. They may be benign or cancerous, with or without metastases. Often, oncology affects adult animals and is much less common than in dogs. The tumor can develop against the background of any diseases, including respiratory ones.

Neoplasms of any form grow, exerting strong pressure. Wheezing occurs when the tumor has captured any part of the respiratory tract. The neoplasm significantly complicates breathing. If the tumor has appeared in or near the throat, then the cat swallows hard and wheezes when he breathes. At the same time, hoarseness of voice, squeakiness, shortness of breath and coughing up blood appear.

In any case, when the cat is breathing heavily and this is accompanied by wheezing, the animal must be shown to the veterinarian. Basically, these are symptoms of a disease. Lack of air is also indicated when a cat sleeps with its mouth open. In the presence of respiratory diseases in animals, a bowl of clean water should always be available.

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Cats are "vociferous" creatures. These animals often express their "opinion" on any occasion, some felines are even able to make sounds similar to the simplest words (and for this they do not have to be trained). If the cat is hoarse, any owner will notice it. Why can this happen, and does this pathology pose a danger to the life and health of your pet?

In most cases, various infectious diseases of the respiratory system are responsible for the loss of "singing abilities". For example, it may well lead to such a result. Most often, it appears as a result of a strong feline organism, which leads to the rapid activation of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microflora. There are also infectious varieties that are instantly transmitted from animal to animal, especially if the latter are in a crowded state. This often happens in animal shelters. Since their "guests", as a rule, are already very weakened, infections quickly cover the entire livestock. Keep this in mind if you decide to adopt a kitten from a shelter! What other reasons exist?

Besides, the cat may become completely hoarse due to "landing" of the voice. This happens if the animal screamed loudly and for a long time (for example, in the month of March, during “disputes” with its competitors). After mating, pets can also hoarse, as they express their feelings too loudly during the process itself. It happens that hoarseness is one of the indirect signs of the presence foreign bodies in the throat. The cat wheezes loudly, eventually losing its "original" voice.

Important! A very dangerous cause of sudden hoarseness is tracheal obstruction. It can be caused by various factors - from hereditary predisposition to oncological diseases, when the tumor simply squeezes the organ. Sometimes obstruction is a consequence of serious mechanical injuries of the neck.

Read also: Concussion in cats: symptoms and treatment

Concomitant clinical signs (except, in fact, hoarseness itself) directly depend on the causes that caused it. So, with bronchitis and pneumonia, in most cases, an increase in overall body temperature can be observed. Even without auscultation (listening) of the lungs, moist and blistering rales can be heard. The general condition of the animal in inflammatory diseases of the respiratory organs is depressed, apathetic. The pet refuses to feed, his thirst is increased, he seeks to spend as much time as possible in the most remote and dark corners of the apartment or house. When he coughs, phlegm may come out of his mouth. The very process of coughing is painful, causing the animal a lot of suffering.

Read also: The cat is choking, wheezing and coughing: causes, methods of treatment

Tracheal obstruction is accompanied not only by the loss of the voice, but also by the strongest (up to vomiting) cough. In addition, the cat may begin to choke, wheeze, and foam comes out of its mouth. In severe cases, the animal may die from severe asphyxia, it must be immediately provided with medical assistance. What to do? Do not panic and immediately call the veterinarian at the first sign of choking! The sooner a specialist arrives, the less likely it is to die.

Thus, the diagnosis in many cases can be made on the basis of clinical signs alone, blood, urine, feces are additionally taken; in doubtful and difficult situations, a biopsy can be performed for subsequent microscopic examination of tissue samples obtained. The latter method is used, for example, in the diagnosis of cancer. Also, if a disease of the respiratory organs is suspected, an x-ray and examination of the chest is performed.

Therapeutic methods

Treatment, accordingly, also depends on the underlying cause of hoarseness. Since the most common cause is respiratory diseases, for therapy are used antibiotics broad-spectrum and other antimicrobials. In case of airway obstruction caused by foreign bodies or a tumor, they are removed surgically. The same is true in case of deformation of the tracheal rings, which are replaced with synthetic implants.

Cats with respiratory problems should have free access to water. And water should be given more than usual unless the veterinarian instructs otherwise. If it is possible to humidify the air, it is worth doing it. This procedure will help the discharge of the secret.

With respiratory failure, foreign bodies, asthma, it is impossible to forcibly water the animal. If you have respiratory failure, your veterinarian may remove excess fluid from your lungs. In some cases, surgery may be required.

Antitussive treatment should be prescribed by a doctor.

In the case of an infectious disease, the cat needs specific treatment. Animals should not be given vodka.

If a bloody nasal discharge appears, the cat should be taken to the hospital as soon as possible. Without timely assistance, the animal may die.

It is pleasant to communicate and play with cats: they are affectionate, fluffy, they like to bask in the hands of a person, purring ... But sometimes our pets disturb us, making sounds that are not entirely “understandable”. Sometimes animals cough, sneeze, sniffle. But all this is clear. The cat could have caught a cold, or debris had gotten into its nose. But what if the cat grunts when breathing? Agree, it is much more common to hear such sounds from a piglet, but not at all from your favorite fluffy “beast”.

Why this can happen: natural predisposition

If you are the owner of an "Englishman" or a cat of Persian nature, then you will most likely have to put up with his "oddities". The fact is that animals of these breeds belong to the so-called brachycephalic varieties. So "in a scientific way" are called mammals with a shortened head with a characteristic "flat" muzzle.

In the process of breeding such animals, breeders faced a lot of difficulties. So, the same Persians have a lot of genetic anomalies, many of which are tied to the genome that provides these animals with a shortened full face of the skull. Like it or not, but from a natural point of view, such a structure is nonsense. In particular, all cats of these varieties are extremely unstable to the effects of very high and low temperatures: the air simply does not have time to warm up or, on the contrary, to cool down in their nasal cavity.

In winter, Persians, Britons and cats like them constantly catch a cold (they should not be allowed outside at all when the ambient temperature drops below 10 ° Celsius). In summer, it is hard and difficult for them to breathe in the heat - hence the "grunting". Because of this, your pet regularly sneezes when he gets into a dusty room: his respiratory organs simply do not have time to filter everything. But this may not be the only issue.

The problem also lies in the structure of the soft tissues of their palate. Over time, especially in older pets, it can simply “sag”, thereby blocking the normal air flow. Because of this, the animal becomes even more like a pig. In principle, there is no particular problem here, but ... if the grunting becomes incessant, and your cat cannot sleep normally due to “heroic” snoring, we strongly advise you to take him to the veterinarian. It is possible that he will need surgery to correct the structure of the soft palate. During the intervention, the surgeon will cut off the "extra" parts that interfere with the normal passage of air. Another sign that "clearly hints" at the need for such a procedure is vomiting, which occurs with a particularly strong "grunt". But there are other causes of grunting breath, many of which are not so "harmless".

paroxysmal breathing

This is the name of an interesting pathology, when a cat makes very strange sounds during attacks, which can be described as “something in between” between sneezing, grunting and trying to breathe in more air. How can you tell if your pet has this disorder? It's quite simple: the cat slightly bends its front legs, arches its back, its eyes are wide open. We have already written about the sounds that he makes at this time.

What should the owner do about this? After all, the cat, as it seems, is far from delighted with his condition! No matter how strange it may seem to you, but first of all you should calm down. Yes, paroxysmal breathing from the outside does not look very pleasant, but in many cases it does not pose a real threat to the life and health of the animal.

True, sometimes you should be wary:

If the attacks, which were relatively rare and short-lived, acquire an unpleasant tendency to increase.

During the "strangeness" the cat begins to vomit, and sometimes blood clots can be easily seen in the vomit.

Your pet began to sleep very poorly and restlessly: the cat grunts with its nose, which often wakes up. You need to look at it especially carefully if your pet belongs to any of the brachycephalic breeds we have already mentioned.

In the latter case, it is possible that your pet needs the operation we have already described to "shorten" the palatine tissues. If everything is not so serious, but you want to help your pet, gently massage his throat after attacks, and also give plenty of warm water. All this will soften the irritated tissues and stop the attack of "grunting".

Inflammation of the trachea

It's "tracheitis". It occurs under the influence of many reasons, and the leading one is the effect of too low temperatures. Your cat, as well as a person, can get very cold in frosty or dank weather. Hypothermia contributes to the deterioration of the protective forces of the animal's body, as a result of which the rapid growth and development of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microflora begins. The logical result is that the animal breathes poorly through the nose, while making grunting, sniffling and wheezing sounds. But the main symptom of tracheitis is cough.

It is so strong and painful that vomiting becomes a frequent occurrence. The cat literally “turns out” during seizures. By the way, they increase sharply if the temperature in the room drops sharply. This disease should be treated immediately, since the infection may well go down and cause bronchitis, or pneumonia. This is done by prescribing loading doses of antibiotics. Note that grunting and a slight cough may persist after treatment. This is due to the long-term restoration of the tissues of the diseased organ.

Foreign bodies

Just like humans, cats can choke while eating. Sometimes a couple of minutes is enough for him to cough properly, but sometimes an unsuccessfully swallowed piece of food can end up in the airway. This is fraught not only with the development of "grunting" breathing, but also with something more serious, including the possibility of death from suffocation.

If the cat immediately after eating suddenly began to grunt, wheeze and cough, urgently call the veterinarian! Even in mild cases, when the foreign body only partially blocks the lumen, all visible mucous membranes quickly turn blue in the pet and become filled with blood. As a result - death from suffocation or severe pulmonary edema. Of course, you can try to remove the foreign body yourself, but in cases where you do not have the appropriate veterinary or medical experience, this is not worth doing. You will only aggravate the pathological process and, possibly, injure the animal.

Unfortunately, pieces of badly swallowed food are not the worst thing. A similar clinical picture can be caused by tumors, not only benign, but also malignant. Grunting in such cases develops gradually. Neoplasms, as a rule, grow for a long time, and therefore the owners may not attach much importance to the strange behavior of the pet.

Thus, all the strange sounds that your cat began to make are a reason for an immediate visit to the clinic. Perhaps by doing so you will save his health and even life.

Types of wheezing

Wheezing is a whole combination of sounds and noises. Each disease has its own variants. Wheezing may be:

whistling;
wet;
crepitant;
dry.

Small bubbles, when the small balloons that form with sputum collapse. They appear with bronchitis, pneumonia and pulmonary infarction.
Medium bubbling - like the sound of air being blown through a straw. Such wheezing appears during bronchitis, accompanied by excessive production of mucus, pneumosclerosis, or pulmonary fibrotic changes.
Large bubbling is heard without a medical device. Wheezing appears against the background of accumulation of exudate in the lungs. This is due to swelling of the organ or with a weak cough.

If they also have viscous mucus, then membranes are created that block the path of air. As a result, breathing acquires a buzzing sound. Air is very difficult to penetrate through the narrowed and partially covered lumen.

The appearance of wheezing on the background of diseases

The causes of wheezing are divided into 2 groups. Each of them has its own characteristics. Symptoms can appear both in a kitten and in an adult.

Pulmonary

ARVI or flu is not terrible for these animals, they do not get sick with them. However, viral infections may well pick up. For example, a cat wheezes and sneezes when sick:

Extrapulmonary

The extrapulmonary group of causes is caused by a disorder in the functioning of internal organs and systems that are not related to the respiratory system. Diseases:

Various diseases of the internal organs, their inflammation lead to pulmonary edema. At the same time, the cat breathes with great difficulty, with wheezing, the sides swell strongly, a pinkish foam appears from the nose.
Diaphragmatic hernia is very similar in symptoms to asthma. The animal also breathes heavily and hoarsely.
The same symptoms are characteristic of heart failure, but in this case, the animal does not cough. Myocardosis and carditis, arrhythmia lead to disruption of the respiratory system.

Often the cause of wheezing and heavy breathing is kidney failure. It leads to pulmonary edema. At the same time, the sides of the animal swell, a strong cough appears.

Terrible signs - coughing and wheezing

However, a change in breathing is not always a harmless symptom. When a cat is in an unfavorable state of health, the frequency, depth of breathing is often disturbed, symptoms such as wheezing or coughing may appear. A young kitten is susceptible to this in the same way as adults.

Wheezing is a noisy wheezing that occurs when a narrowing of the airway blocks the passage of air through the bronchi or lungs. This pathological condition is called obstruction. Wheezing also appears due to pneumothorax, accumulation of large amounts of air, or hydrothorax - when fluid accumulates.

With obstruction, narrowing of the respiratory lumen, wheezing is dry, wheezing. They turn into wet, gurgling with the accumulation of fluid or mucus in the respiratory organs.

Cough is a protective reaction of the body. It promotes the release of the respiratory organs from mucus, pus. But not always its cause is a banal cold. It occurs because the cough zones, which are located in the bronchi, react to stimuli - mechanical or chemical. For example, when a cat coughs as if it is choking, it could be an object stuck in the windpipe.

Malignant formations near the respiratory tract, as they grow, begin to make breathing difficult, cause hoarseness, wheezing. It becomes difficult for the cat to swallow, coughing up blood may appear.

Wheezing or coughing is always only a symptom of a health problem, and not an independent disease. For their disappearance, it is necessary to examine and treat the pet for the specific disease that causes them.

Respiratory diseases as a cause of wheezing

Wheezing and coughing in cats appear under the influence of various factors. They do not have respiratory diseases or influenza. There are several other viral, allergic, or traumatic causes that cause a cat to wheeze or cough when it breathes.

Pathological conditions of the respiratory system:

Inflammatory process in pneumonia. Lobar disease is especially severe when the site of fibrous inflammation is localized in several lobes of the lung.
Viral rhinotracheitis, which is called feline herpes.
Viral calcivirosis - its manifestations are similar to those observed in humans with influenza.
Involuntary contraction of the muscles of the larynx (laryngospasm) due to an acute allergic reaction.
The presence of neoplasms in the bronchi.
Aspiration or trauma to the airways, if a foreign body that has lodged in the larynx or pharynx has damaged them.
Bronchial asthma in a cat.

The development of these ailments is accompanied by similar symptoms:

a strong cough, during which the animal stretches its neck, bends its paws and clings to the floor;
shortness of breath is observed;
the cat breathes with wheezing;
cyanosis (bluish coloration) of the mucous membranes appears due to oxygen starvation of the cells.

First wince when breathing stops

In the most critical situation, when the cat has stopped breathing, it may be necessary to perform artificial respiration and chest compressions. The process is as follows:

Lay the cat straight, fix its position so that the neck is in a straight line with the spine;
The mouth of the animal must be closed. If necessary, it must be freed from foreign objects, saliva, mucus;
Through the palm folded into a tube, exhale air into the nose of the animal. The frequency of exhalations should be observed depending on the size of the cat. Approximately it is about 20 exhalations for a minute. With a slight expansion of the chest, the volume of air is considered sufficient;
Kittens should be given artificial respiration especially carefully so as not to damage the small lungs with a large volume of air;
In case of cardiac arrest, perform chest compressions. To do this, hold the cat's chest with the palm of your hand with your thumb on one side and the other four on the other. Rhythmically and sharply squeeze and relax your fingers five times in a row, then exhale into the nose of the animal. Check for a heartbeat every two minutes.

It is necessary to pay attention to any manifestations of hoarse breathing in a pet. With this symptom, there are almost always serious health problems.

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Many cat owners notice that their pets occasionally cough. At the same time, they wheeze, stretch their necks and stick out their tongues. In most cases, this is how hair comes out of their body, which they swallow when licked. Such behavior should not cause anxiety in the owner of the pet. What to do if the cat coughs constantly, hard, with a whistle and at the same time suffocates? What should be suspected if she burped up blood? What can be done at home to alleviate the condition of the animal?

Why can a cat wheeze and choke?

There are many reasons for this condition. Not all of them are associated with the presence of any pathology in the pet’s body; in most cases, no urgent measures are required. Despite this, coughing in cats should not be ignored. If the pet coughs, you need to find out what he did and ate before. If this was not possible, and the cat's cough does not go away, while he is breathing heavily and wheezing, clinging to the floor and trying to make him vomit, you should immediately take him to the veterinary clinic.

In what cases is impaired breathing normal?

Not in all cases, the cat coughs due to the fact that he has some kind of injury or serious illness. In these pets, there are a number of physiological conditions that are accompanied by this symptom:

The release of the stomach from the hairball. When a cat licks the fur, its particles inevitably enter the mouth, and then into the gastrointestinal tract. Gradually accumulating, they form a dense hairball in the stomach - trichobezoar. It irritates the mucous membrane of this organ, so the animal attempts to push it out of its body. To do this, it strongly and repeatedly regurgitates, while stretching its neck and making loud wheezing. The cat does this until the trichobezoar comes out. From the outside, it looks like she choked on her food. To prevent your pet from spitting up too often, having drunk on wool, it is recommended to feed him with special food or give a paste to dissolve hairballs.

Stuck in the throat of foreign objects. If a cat, after eating meat or fish, coughs, shaking its head, most likely, a bone is stuck in its throat. If the cat cannot cope with this problem on its own, it needs help. For the next few hours, she will continue to occasionally cough reflexively.

Too fast absorption of food. If a cat eats in a hurry, chewing food poorly, it may choke. In this case, coughing is a natural reaction of the body when the animal wants to spit up food stuck in the throat.
Stress. Experiencing a strong fright, rage, excitement or joy, the animal usually feels an increase in heart rate and, accordingly, begins to breathe quickly.

Dream. During deep sleep, a cat's heart rate and breathing slows down, and her stomach almost stops moving. To an inexperienced and too impressionable owner, it may seem that the pet is suffocating.
Pregnancy. In cats, waiting for the birth of offspring, the respiratory rate increases significantly.
Estrus. Females breathe frequently during this period.
Early age. Kittens have a faster heart rate than adults.

What are coughing and wheezing talking about?

Respiratory diseases

If the cat is breathing through its mouth, it is most likely that it has a stuffy nose. In the presence of polyps or other formations in the nasal passages or pharynx, the pet may experience frequent and shallow breathing. As a rule, such a pathological condition is accompanied by a complete lack of appetite. The loss of interest in food is due to the fact that the animal ceases to smell it.

If there are formations in the pharynx, the pet's swallowing function may be impaired, so it may choke and choke when eating. Pulmonary edema, bronchospasm and asthma are usually accompanied by asthma attacks. At the same time, the animal has heavy breathing, coughing, the cat constantly wheezes, making gurgling sounds. At the slightest delay, a pet in this state may die.

No less dangerous diseases of the respiratory system, accompanied by similar symptoms, are feline herpes, viral calicivirus, laryngospasm, which develops against the background of an acute allergic reaction, neoplasms in the bronchi, aspiration or respiratory injury when foreign objects get stuck or they damage the larynx or pharynx. The listed pathologies are accompanied by similar manifestations:

an intense cough, in which the pet, stretching out, bending its legs and pressing its body to the floor, tries to alleviate its condition;
dyspnea;
wheezing;
bluish tint of the mucous membranes as a result of insufficient saturation of cells with oxygen.

Diseases of other body systems that cause wheezing and coughing

Worm infestations, in addition to coughing, are accompanied by a decrease in the pet's body weight, despite the fact that it demonstrates an increased appetite. Against the background of the disease, the cat's coat also fades, dandruff appears, it often vomits.

Hoarse breathing and an obsessive cough can develop against a background of heart problems, in particular valve dysfunction. With this disease, the volume of the heart muscle increases, which begins to put pressure on the trachea. This causes bouts of uterine cough that worsens over time.

There are no wheezing in this disease, sputum does not go away. From the outside, it seems that the animal choked on food and wants, by bending its body and bending its head to the floor, to get rid of a piece stuck in its throat and preventing it from fully breathing. In addition, the pet has shortness of breath and pallor of the mucous membranes.

First aid for a choking cat at home

When the cat only has the first alarming symptoms, it needs to be urgently shown to the veterinarian. In some situations, the sluggishness of the owner can cost the life of the pet. If the animal began to cough strongly, after which he stopped breathing, urgent measures must be taken to restore it. For this, it is necessary to resort to artificial respiration and indirect heart massage. The first procedure involves the following steps:

Carefully place the unconscious animal on a flat, horizontal surface. When doing this, you need to make sure that his neck is in a straight line with the spine.
Close the cat's mouth. You need to make sure that there is no saliva, mucus and foreign objects in her oral cavity. Otherwise, it must be completely freed.
With your palm folded into a tube, exhale air into the pet's nose. The frequency of expiration depends on the size of the animal. Within one minute, it is recommended to make about 20 exhalations. The volume of inhaled air is considered sufficient if the cat's chest expands slightly.

Kittens should be handled with extreme caution. Too much activity and a large amount of air inhaled can damage their lungs.

Place the animal on a flat horizontal surface.
Pinch the cat's chest with the palm of your hand so that the thumb is on one side, and the rest are located on the other.
Intensely and sharply squeeze and unclench your fingers, counting 5 times. Then exhale into the nose of the animal, checking the presence of a heart rhythm every 2 minutes. In this case, you need to act confidently, but carefully, otherwise you can break the cat's ribs.

After completing resuscitation, you need to deliver the pet to the veterinary clinic as soon as possible. During transportation, it is necessary to provide it with an influx of fresh air. To do this, you need to open the windows in the car. It is better to carry the animal in a carrier if this device does not cause him stress. During the trip, it is not recommended to cuddle and hug a fluffy pet.

pet treatment

Treatment is prescribed only after the identification of the underlying disease, which led to the appearance of these symptoms. The veterinarian determines the root cause using various diagnostic procedures. First, he examines the upper respiratory tract of a four-legged patient, auscultates the trachea, bronchi and lungs. Then the specialist analyzes data on the conditions of keeping and nutrition of the animal, information about the diseases he has suffered in the past, and the features of the beginning of the present pathological process.

After carrying out the primary diagnostic manipulations, the doctor of the veterinary clinic prescribes the following types of laboratory and instrumental studies to the four-legged patient:

clinical, biochemical, virological, bacteriological blood test;
study of feces;
Ultrasound of the myocardium;
endoscopy of the trachea and bronchi;
analysis of flushing from the trachea;
chest x-ray.

A cat's cough is a natural physiological reaction of the animal's body to irritation. , the development of pathology in the respiratory tract. In the process, due to reflex muscle contraction, accumulations of mucus, pus, blood, as well as foreign bodies are removed.

Usually, the situation when a cat coughs, and even wheezes at the same time, confuses its owner. You need to know how to give the animal first aid, and then contact a veterinarian who will solve the problem professionally.

Mechanism of cough development

Cough in a cat manifests itself specifically:

the stomach is pulled inward;
the spine arches in the form of a question mark;
the neck is strongly stretched;
the head of the animal is pressed to the floor;
a sharp, loud sound comes out of the open mouth.

The reason for contacting the veterinarian is a periodic or persistent cough.

Types of cough in cats

When a cough appears, pay attention to its external signs:

duration of symptoms. Cough for several months (years) is considered chronic, the acute course of the pathology is observed in the first few days (week).
Periodicity. It is necessary to determine the time when the symptoms intensify (in the morning or in the evening, the season of the year, situationally (during meals), etc.).
The nature of the discharge that accompanies a wet cough. Pay attention to the contents: vomiting, mucus, blood.
Attack power. Dangerous hysterical, severe cough.
Sound. It is loud, muffled.

Causes of cough in cats

Causes of cough in cats:

Only a professional can correctly determine the cause of the disease.

Diagnostics

Having studied the external symptoms of a cough, they begin to diagnose:

conduct an external examination of the body, listen to wheezing and noises;
evaluate cardiac activity;
take blood for analysis;
do an x-ray examination of the sternum;
collect secretion culture or sputum to identify the causative agent of inflammation;
examine the affected organ for oncology (if suspected).

In clinics, it is possible to examine the entire body of the animal by different specialists, to conduct an X-ray examination with a contrast agent.

How to understand that the cat is not just coughing, but choking?

The animal is able to choke if a foreign body, usually small in size, gets stuck in the throat or esophagus.

To understand that the cat is choking, and not sick, the following factors allow:

eating before the onset of the first symptoms;
the cat does not take the standard posture for a normal cough;
there is no cough, but there are wheezing, urge to vomit;
touches his muzzle with his paw, tries to remove the interfering object herself;
saliva is abundantly secreted, it flows abundantly from the mouth, the animal is not able to swallow it.

The presence of these signs indicates that the cat is choking, it is necessary to provide assistance.

What to do if the cat is coughing

The cough that appeared from the fact that the cat choked is considered a reflex.

You can help the animal in the following ways:

Open the mouth, examine the mucous membranes.
Seeing a foreign body, try to remove it with tweezers.

A non-reflex (pathological) cough is the basis for contacting a specialist, it forces you to provide the pet with certain conditions:

Fresh air supply.
Increased humidity in the room. You can use a humidifier, hang wet towels and spray water through a spray bottle.
Protect from hypothermia.

Before the arrival of a specialist, it is forbidden to give medicines that can change the symptoms of the pathology.

Cough treatment at home

Therapy is determined by the complexity of the pathological process and is aimed at its elimination:

A sick animal should have access to water, but it is impossible to force it to drink.

Veterinarians often combine antitussive therapy with immunoremediation.

A few words about antitussive drugs

Medicines according to the method of exposure are divided into 2 groups:

central action- block the cough reflex of any nature, are potent substances (Codeine, Libeksin, Glaucin).
Expectorants- change the specifics of cough, stimulate the accumulation of sputum, thin it and facilitate discharge (ammonia-anise drops, Bromhexine, Lobelon).

A special group is occupied by anti-asthma drugs that relieve spasm, expand the bronchi (Ephedrine, Atropine, Theophylline) and restore the breathing process.

Specific methods of treatment are determined only by a veterinarian based on the clinical picture. The doctor will determine the dose of the medicine, prescribe the necessary accompanying procedures. It is dangerous to choose a therapeutic drug on your own.

Types of wheezing and heavy breathing in cats

The combination of breath sounds and noises is called wheezing.

Wheezing options:

whistling, appear with laryngospasm, laryngeal edema;
wet, occur against the background of accumulation of mucus in the bronchi;
crepitant(creaking, reminiscent of a crunch), with bronchial asthma;
dry, are observed with obstruction, narrowing of the bronchi, allergies, pressure on tumors or hernia in the airways.

Acquired and congenital pathologies can provoke the appearance of wheezing.

What to do if the animal wheezes

Wheezing in a cat is a reason for an urgent visit to the veterinarian. It is necessary to accurately diagnose the cause.

The treatment course is determined by the specifics of the pathology:

brachiocephalic syndrome removed only in an operational way;
bronchitis treated with antitussive drugs;
swelling of the lungs removed by intensive methods, artificial ventilation;
laryngeal edema removed medically.

It is impossible to treat an animal with wheezing on its own. Lack of proper treatment will worsen the condition.

Prevention

Many diseases in pets can be prevented by effective preventive measures:

A persistent cough in a cat, especially if it is accompanied by wheezing, requires a serious diagnosis and subsequent special treatment prescribed by a veterinarian.

The desire to help your pet yourself, without a specialist, can undermine his health.