Cat coughing

[Polyethyl]

My cat started coughing 3 weeks ago.
Her coughing fits are coming more often (now at least daily) and the coughs are getting stronger. She's 4 years old and otherwise healthy, lively, good appetite and is fully vaccinated.
I suppose I need to take her to the vet.
I am reluctant to go to vets as in the past (previous cat) I was very badly ripped off by a vet, doing unnecessary tests and then unnecessary treatments to make big bills, which was not in the cat's best interest.
Please reassure me that I should take my otherwise healthy, but coughing, young cat to the vet and that it won't end up with me being ripped off and my savings account emptied.

MY ćat does this sometimes, put her very very low to the ground and coughs. Might be worth googling a video of feline asthma to see if it looks the same. Also, if you can get a video on your phone to show your vet this will help with the diagnosis.

If you can get pet insurance for any future vet visits, it’s well worth it

Good luck.

I meant that she puts her head very low to the ground

My cat does this when she has a hair ball.

I agree that you should film your cat so you have something to show the vets. Coughs can look different.

Yeah she'll probably deposit a fur ball fairly soon. Is she off her food at all?

Coughing can be a sign of worms too

Yes her head is very low to the ground when she coughs.
Her appetite is fine. She's playful and energetic. Just coughing more and harder.
I hope it is just a fur ball!

My cat did this, and I think she was allergic to an indoor rabbit we bought or it could have been the hay, a few months later we moved house and the rabbit stayed with my parents for a few weeks and she got better, brought the rabbit back again and she started with the coughing again so we had to rehome the rabbit and she's been fine since. Whilst the coughing was on going I had a lot of vet visits and they diagnosed feline asthma but also found she has a heart murmur which they thought was related to the asthma but I'm pretty sure the coughing was just the rabbit.

My cat does this. It used to be daily. But has really lessened until I forgot that she did it. I thought it was feline asthma. But a vet I showed a video of her to, didn't think it was. I've notice it's worse if the hearing is ok.

Have you started using any different household products, air fresheners, perfume in the last six weeks? If so, cut those out.

If it's ongoing, you really need to get her checked, even if it's just an initial appointment.

Yes, you need to take her to the vet. It may be nothing serious, but it can be a sign of a heart murmur (treatable).

Harry coughs, usually after he's been asleep for a long time. He had a heart scan and apparently has a grade 1 murmur but the vet doesn't think it's related to that as it's dry. He thinks it's something to do with his upper respiratory tract but we have chosen not to have tests as it doesn't seem to bother him.

It definitely needs to be checked out by the vet though.

I think if it was a fur ball it’d be up by now.

Change the vets if your not happy with the service they provide.

How’s your cat @Polyethyl ?

She had no coughing fits this weekend. So I think it must have been a three week fur ball!

She is the flurries cat I've ever owned. My previous cats were sleek furred Siamese who never had fur balls!

Fluffyest

Oh bless!

My own cat is incredibly fluffy/long haired and I know if I don’t keep up with brushing her then she’ll get hair balls.

You can get hairball paste which seems to work. (If it happens again in the future.)