3 Cat Coughs and Why They Happen

There are three distinct coughs a cat will produce. The first is a dry cough, this can be caused from an obstruction of the air passage. This may be from the result of a collar being to tight or they may have drank water to quick. The cough is an attempt to clear the passage of this obstruction. The second is a a rasping cough. This is a common cough in felines as they continually ingest hair and the cough will eventually produce a hairball. The third is a gagging cough, this can be the result of many different causes. The gagging is the result of mucous built up in the air passage and there attempt to clear it.

When your feline coughs, it is never a good sign. Although there are some non-threatening reasons there is also some very dangerous reasons that can cause a feline to cough. The most common diseases associated with cat cough are asthma, heart worm, lung worm, and the bordetella virus (Kennel cough).

Asthma is generally a cause of allergies. These allergies may be a result of dust or even pollen. Although asthma may not be life threatening it can weaken their immune system which can open the door to other more dangerous diseases.

Heart worm can be a deadly disease in cats. Felines are not as susceptible to this disease as their system is better suited to fight the worm in its early stages. When there immune system is weakened they are more likely to contract this parasite.

Bordetella is a virus much like the common cold or flu. It can be spread threw coughing or hissing from the infected animal. This is why it has been called "kennel cough". This disease is most prominent in places where there is a high population of animals that are being housed in close quarters. Some examples would be a kennel or animal shelter.

The best way to combat these life threatening illnesses is to learn the causes and ways to prevent them. There are vaccines and other measures you can take to ensure your cat remains healthy.

Whatever may be the cause to your cats cough. There is many ways to ensure your cat remains Healthy [http://www.myhealthykitty.info/].

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