Coughing cat? Should I worry?

[Solo2]

One of our cats (British pedigree shorthair)has recently developed what sounds like a cough. When he (neutered male 1.5 yrs) 'coughs' it sounds quite loud and he looks as if he's going to be sick - but isn't. So I'm not sure if it's a respiratory thing or a tummy thing or what.

When he'a breathing/ purring on my knee, his breathing sounds sort of 'wet'. Could he simply have a bad cold, because it's so cold at the moment?

He's not got any nasal discharge or runny eyes in particular and isn't off his food and his poo looks normal. He's behaving normally too. He's a house cat (along with his half-brother) and spends the night in an unheated utility room - but I've recently added a hot water bottle since last night, to their cat basket, in case they're too cold.

Does this sound like something that needs to get me running to the vets?

I think he might have a fur ball he is trying to get rid of. It can take a bit of time sometimes. There is probably something you can give him to help but not sure what, hopefully someone else will be along with suggestions.

Cats should never have a cough, take him to the vets.

MILs cat used to cough very occasionally, he nearly died some sort of severe infection of the lining of the lung - very costly too!

My mum's cat seemed to develop a 'prelude to hairball' style cough a couple of years ago. After a few days of this mum toted her off to the vet and was told that the mog had an abscess or growth in her throat. Luckily it was an abscess and was easily sorted and the cat is still going strong.

It is pretty likely that your little guy has just got a sticky hairball he is struggling to shift (one of my cats sometimes works on her hairball for a couple of days before finally hurking it up - probably because she enjoys seeing DH squirm at every hack) but it could be a sign of something more serious that needs treatment. If it is within your finances to do so I'd take him in. I'd rather look like daft catlady and make a fuss about a hairball than not get my cats seen if they are really sick.

I comfort myself that I'm not as daft or inclined to rush to the vet as a friend of my mother's who took her cat into the vet because the cat was limping... the vet took one look and diagnosed foreleg stuck through collar!

Thanks for the feedback. Have just come back from vets and they've given him an injection and tablets and are hoping it's an upper laryngeal infection (sore throat) only but we have to take him back if he's not getting better by Monday, and maybe he needs a general anaesthetic to see if there's an obstruction. He seems fine in himself....so fine that....

He chased his half-brother up the stairs tonight and half-bro slightly fell backwards and may have done something to his pelvis....so he's been to the vest too tonight and is staying in overnight. If he HAS damaged his pelvis, it'll be cage rest for 6 to 8 weeks! I don't know how we'll manage as we're going away next week and have our cat sitter taking over care and if both cats aren't OK...well I just hope she will cope....

DS1 is missing his cat tonight and DS2 is worrying about his cat and I'm worrying about all 4 of my DCs - the 2 hairless and the too furry ones....