Cat “choking” - hairball or what?

[Judystilldreamsofhorses]

Hello, I’m just looking for a wee bit of reassurance. Can anyone help? My cat was sleeping happily on the couch next to me then suddenly started this weird kind of coughing, like she was going to be sick but wasn’t sick. She’s been absolutely fine all day, playing, eating, racing about the garden.

The only odd thing I can think of is that I gave her some fish which I cooked for her a few days ago and had been in the fridge - maybe it had gone bad. I googled hairball cough and it was exactly like that but nothing came out.

My DP is away for work so I am home alone and just feeling a bit anxious. She’s gone out now and is in her usual spot for this time of night, sitting at the back door monitoring the garden.

Mine does this sometimes. It worries me but like yours she seems fine as soon as she has finished retching.

Thank you for replying! I think she got a bit of a scare but she did then get up on the arm of the couch and look mournfully at the Dreamies.

She just came in, went straight to her food bowl, ate a Dreamie I put down, and went straight back out. Hopefully that’s a good sign! My poor DP in another time zone getting my voice-notes 🙈

Now on my lap purring like a little engine. Thanks for coming to my hour of panic, it’s been a wild ride.

They can be quite dramatic when trying to cough up a hairball! She's lovely.

One of ours does this sporadically. But doesn't seem to cough anything up. Fine immediately before and after (just me slightly panicked!).
So I groom him daily (british shorthair) and found some lick e lix treats with grass in which I like to think might help. He wouldn't touch the cat grass we bought and grew. He only eats wet food which is his choice and I like to think that might also help if there is a hairball thing going on!
So he is still thriving, and I'm stuck between fretting and thinking it is just something he does. If it becomes more frequent, google has brought up hairball pastes etc that I might try but I think it's just how he is. (But I'm with you on the worrying!!).

My cat seems to enjoy puking. I assume this as she frequently eats grass (and pukes it). Occasionally she'll puke cat food, less occasionally a furball, but mostly just grass. Strange creatures indeed, but you've got to love them.
Glad your baby's happy now :-)

If nothing came out it's possibly asthma which can be pretty similar to a hairball cough. Might be worth mentioning to the vet the next time you take them for a check up.

I actually had her at the vet a few months back because she had been puking one morning and then was really not herself. She had a thorough check and was deemed in rude health. The vet said she had probably eaten something in the garden. She (vet) definitely used a stethoscope on her then so I assume checked her heart and lungs. The vet also gave her an injection which she said if she vomited “through it” would be a diagnostic that further tests were needed, but really by the time of the appointment she was begging for food and absolutely fine. Came home and straight off wolfed a dish of biscuits. (£70, please.)

Boycat used to do this, then eventually after a couple of days would puke up a sort of hair soup. When I first got them, hairballs weren't common (very short, silky coats) but I put them on indoor cat dry food & occasional anti hairball dry & they got even less common.

As well as the paste, you can get anti-hairball treats, though these were never looked upon as well as Dreamies.

I thought this with my late girl. Showed the vet a video and she said it wasn't.

I have 2 who can’t cough up hairballs. They’ve now had 11 operations between them for intestinal blockages - £20k in total. My pet insurance company loves me!

After reading previous post I'm now grateful my long haired cat does puke up his fireballs about once every 10 weeks. I'm always amazed at how big but he is a big floofy cat. I do brush him most days and so brush out some loose fur. My shorthaired cat only very rarely vomits up a hairball. Maybe only 2-3 times a year and that is probably because she sometimes grooms long haired cats ears for him. I've spoken to our vet and he said not to worry about it, long haired cats do this more.

Mine does this frequency. Vet said it's due to an irritated larynx.

She asked if he was a hunter and caught mice (he does) and said that would be the cause. (To confirm slight pressure she put on his throat caused him to cough the same. Weirdly he loves having his throat rubbed despite this.)

If you cat is still eating, I wouldnt worry. But if it continues its worth mentioning next time she's at the vets.

Just updating to say all is absolutely fine this morning, breakfast eaten and off out for her early patrol. she also had some cooked chicken breast before bed and shouted at me for more when I put the box back in the fridge.

I got a real fright last night - I think worse because I was by myself and have never seen this in the six years we’ve had her - so I am really grateful for the company.

If you feed your cat dry food , switch to a wheat free variety . Wheat is common in dry food and wheat allergy is common in cats . The two I know of and can highly recommend are Purina ' sensitive' and royal canin . If wheat is the problem and you switch to wheat free food , your cat should stop coughing immediately , always make sure your cat has plenty of fresh water .