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Cat Forum / General Topics / June 2007What should I do when my cat does this?
You know how sometimes cats get into a respiratory spasming thing like they're trying to clear something from their throat (a hairball or something??) I don't know what to call it. It's very rhythmic, and it appears to be involuntary, like they're choking on something and they're trying to expel it. Every cat I've ever had goes through this from time to time. They're obviously in distress. I want to help and I'm thinking maybe I should slap them on the back to help "dislodge" anything that's stuck there, but I don't know if that would help or hurt. I'd love to know what's going on and what I can do about it, but it never occurred to me until now to go online to a cat interest group and ask! So I'm asking. Does anyone know what that spasming is called, what causes it, and what we humans can do to help our little furry friends get over their episode? -Garret Swayne garret at garretswayne dot com > You know how sometimes cats get into a respiratory > spasming thing like they're trying to clear something [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > slap them on the back to help "dislodge" anything that's > stuck there, but I don't know if that would help or hurt. No..! Don't do that..! See below. > I'd love to know what's going on and what I can do about > it, but it never occurred to me until now to go online to [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > -Garret Swayne > garret at garretswayne dot com They're almost certainly doing exactly what you suggest, i.e. trying to cough up a furball. It's more common obviously in longhaired cats (you don't say if yours is a longhair) but all cats will do it from time to time. Does it happen very frequently, or is it a once in a while thing..? If you're really concerned, then see your vet, but I doubt it's anything serious from what you describe. Ivor > You know how sometimes cats get into a respiratory spasming thing like > they're trying to clear something from their throat (a hairball or [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > -Garret Swayne > garret at garretswayne dot com It's a hairball. Do nothing at the time (maybe get a magazine to catch what they hack up.) Hairballs come from the gut, not the lungs so your cat is not in danger of choking. It is probably uncomfortable (vomiting usually is) but you can't do anything to help. Over the long term, brush or comb your cat so less fur gets in them. If you use dry food, consider adding a bit of wet, or using one of the "reduced hairball" formula foods. (The Purina one does wonders for my little hairball generators... went from 4 piles a week to 1 pile a month with four cats.) >> You know how sometimes cats get into a respiratory spasming thing like >> they're trying to clear something from their throat (a hairball or [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] >hairball generators... went from 4 piles a week to 1 pile a month with four >cats.) Brush the kitty frequently enough to remove shedding hair, as others have mentioned. Also there is something called "Petromalt" that will help kitty pass the hairballs. it is available at your friendly local pet labyrinth and seems to be tasty enough that kitty will eat it off your finger... Bubba likes it. Of course he'll eat most anything... Anyway, it seems to help. > there is something called "Petromalt" that will help kitty > pass the hairballs. it is available at your friendly local > pet labyrinth and seems to be tasty enough that kitty will > eat it off your finger... Bubba likes it. Of course he'll eat > most anything... Anyway, it seems to help. I vote for Petromalt, too. It is amazing how well the product helps solve this problem (I think it allows the cat's system to collect and pass the otherwise indigestible hair swallowed while grooming ). AFAICT, Petromalt is essentially meat-flavored petroleum jelly, so it is completely inert and non-toxic in the amounts a cat would ingest. > You know how sometimes cats get into a respiratory spasming > thing like they're trying to clear something from their throat [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > -Garret Swayne > garret at garretswayne dot com Garret, this can be an asthma attack. Please have your cat seen by the vet. Here's a video of an asthma attack and while it looks like a cat horking up a hairball, watch the neck sticking out as if trying to straighten the windpipe to get air to breathe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG5vBaT21_c  SignatureCheryl Wow, thanks Cheryl for sending the video link! After watching it, I believe that's exactly what my Zacky is doing. I think he has asthma. He doesn't get these fits often, but every now and then. I should take him to a vet to have him checked out. Thanks again... -Garret >> You know how sometimes cats get into a respiratory spasming >> thing like they're trying to clear something from their throat [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG5vBaT21_c > Wow, thanks Cheryl for sending the video link! After watching it, I > believe that's exactly what my Zacky is doing. I think he has asthma. He [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] >> > Hi: My cat does the same thing. She gets shot of Depo/methylprednisolone about every three months. The vet says it's an allergy. vince > Wow, thanks Cheryl for sending the video link! After watching it, I believe > that's exactly what my Zacky is doing. I think he has asthma. He doesn't [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > > -- > > Cheryl I learned a lot from this other video. (It sounds like it was written by some drug company, and of course it's off the net, but still..) What the narration said made sense. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkebV2tv_cs tom tac > I want to help and I'm thinking > maybe I should slap them on the back to help "dislodge" anything that's > stuck there, Slap them? I would rather pistol whip them. |
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