# Cat can't shake sneezing and coughing!



## Kooshdakhaa

One of my cats has been struggling with a bad cough.  He also sneezes.  At first when I heard him coughing, I thought it was hairballs.  But when I heard him also sneezing, I realized it was something else.

Long story short, took him to the vet.  He didn't cough or sneeze while we were at the vets, so the vet acted like nothing was wrong, said some cats get this and never really get over it.  He said giving antibiotics doesn't help, they just have to live with it.

I should mention I have five other cats, and they aren't having a problem.

I remembered that several years ago my cats were passing a cold amongst themselves and one cat was having trouble getting rid of it and he was prescribed antibiotics, which cured him.

After reading a bit on the Internet, I called the vet and asked to try antibiotics on this cat.  He prescribed Clavamox.  To my delight, the coughing and sneezing completely went away by about day 4 of the 7 day treatment.

But two weeks later, the cat has started coughing and sneezing as bad as ever.  I'm thinking of calling the vet tomorrow and asking for a longer run of antibiotics.  I remember reading something on the Internet that this kind of thing may be tough to beat and they may need to be on antibiotics for a longer term.

Anyone had any experience with this?


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## Kooshdakhaa

Well, this is a tough one when even USMB members don't have any answers!

Later today we are going to the vet and the cat will be given an injection of antibiotics that will remain in his system for 10 days.  This way I don't have to give him pills twice a day, which was pretty tricky to accomplish sometimes.  

I hope this works and I hope he doesn't just relapse once the antibiotics are done.

Poor little guy doesn't deserve this crap.


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## Ringel05

The cat's allergic to humans.


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## Mr. H.

Reminds me of when I took my Impala to the mechanic for a nasty knocking sound.
When he checked it over, it ran purrfectly.


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## Zoom-boing

Kooshdakhaa said:


> Well, this is a tough one when even USMB members don't have any answers!
> 
> Later today we are going to the vet and the cat will be given an injection of antibiotics that will remain in his system for 10 days.  This way I don't have to give him pills twice a day, which was pretty tricky to accomplish sometimes.
> 
> I hope this works and I hope he doesn't just relapse once the antibiotics are done.
> 
> Poor little guy doesn't deserve this crap.



How long was the initial run of antibiotics? 

Our dog bashed her nose but good last fall and after messing with creams and a steroid shot (which helped but only temporarily) the vet gave her a 14 day round of Keflex, (500 mg twice/day).  Long story short we took her to a different vet because first vet (we saw a different doc vs. the first visit) said the dog likely had a tumor in her nose.  We insisted that we try the meds first rather than a $1,500 CAT scan.  Turns out her nose was infected but the meds never kicked in until nearly halfway through.  You may be right in that your cat just needs a longer dose of antibiotics.  Trust your gut.  

On giving cats pills . . . whenever we've had to give our cat a pill, I crush it up, mix it w/some water and suck it up into an oral syringe.  Then someone holds him and we get his mouth open, pop the syringe far enough back so when I shoot the medicine it goes right down his throat.  Over in a snap and much easier than trying to get a pill down his throat.  Ask the vet for oral syringes if you can't find or dont' have any.  Good luck!


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## syrenn

Kooshdakhaa said:


> Well, this is a tough one when even USMB members don't have any answers!
> 
> Later today we are going to the vet and the cat will be given an injection of antibiotics that will remain in his system for 10 days.  This way I don't have to give him pills twice a day, which was pretty tricky to accomplish sometimes.
> 
> I hope this works and I hope he doesn't just relapse once the antibiotics are done.
> 
> Poor little guy doesn't deserve this crap.



The shot should do him. Sounds like an upper respiratory problem. Keep an eye on it though. 
If you have other cats, watch them too as it spreads fast.


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## The Infidel

Hope kitty gets better soon...


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## Kooshdakhaa

Zoom-boing said:


> Kooshdakhaa said:
> 
> 
> 
> Well, this is a tough one when even USMB members don't have any answers!
> 
> Later today we are going to the vet and the cat will be given an injection of antibiotics that will remain in his system for 10 days.  This way I don't have to give him pills twice a day, which was pretty tricky to accomplish sometimes.
> 
> I hope this works and I hope he doesn't just relapse once the antibiotics are done.
> 
> Poor little guy doesn't deserve this crap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How long was the initial run of antibiotics?
> 
> Our dog bashed her nose but good last fall and after messing with creams and a steroid shot (which helped but only temporarily) the vet gave her a 14 day round of Keflex, (500 mg twice/day).  Long story short we took her to a different vet because first vet (we saw a different doc vs. the first visit) said the dog likely had a tumor in her nose.  We insisted that we try the meds first rather than a $1,500 CAT scan.  Turns out her nose was infected but the meds never kicked in until nearly halfway through.  You may be right in that your cat just needs a longer dose of antibiotics.  Trust your gut.
> 
> On giving cats pills . . . whenever we've had to give our cat a pill, I crush it up, mix it w/some water and suck it up into an oral syringe.  Then someone holds him and we get his mouth open, pop the syringe far enough back so when I shoot the medicine it goes right down his throat.  Over in a snap and much easier than trying to get a pill down his throat.  Ask the vet for oral syringes if you can't find or dont' have any.  Good luck!
Click to expand...


The first round of antibiotics was only for 7 days.  I had the feeling that was too short.  This injection he received will keep it in his system for 10 days.

The vet says it's a viral condition and the sneezing and coughing are due to a  secondary bacterial infection.  The viral condition predisposes the cat to the bacterial infection, which is what we're treating with the antibiotics, but the virus still remains.  He says the virus will always be with him, but we can get it calmed down.  If he starts sneezing and coughing again he has another treatment we're going to do that addresses the virus itself and kind of makes it go into remission for a long period.  (Not sure why we didn't just go ahead and do that!)

Here's the trouble with giving a cat medication even with an oral syringe...once they know you're going to do it, and they don't want you to do it...how the heck do you catch them!?

He was a  pretty good pill taker overall, as long as the pill was in a Greenies pill pocket and then smeared with kippered herring.   The only reason I had trouble a couple of days was because I was in a rush to get to work in the morning and got excited and started pursuing him.  Next time I'm in that position I'll just be late to work and take my time enticing the animal.


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## Kooshdakhaa

syrenn said:


> Kooshdakhaa said:
> 
> 
> 
> Well, this is a tough one when even USMB members don't have any answers!
> 
> Later today we are going to the vet and the cat will be given an injection of antibiotics that will remain in his system for 10 days.  This way I don't have to give him pills twice a day, which was pretty tricky to accomplish sometimes.
> 
> I hope this works and I hope he doesn't just relapse once the antibiotics are done.
> 
> Poor little guy doesn't deserve this crap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The shot should do him. Sounds like an upper respiratory problem. Keep an eye on it though.
> If you have other cats, watch them too as it spreads fast.
Click to expand...


The others don't seem to be bothered by it, perhaps they have stronger immune systems.  But I'm definitely wary because I have  six cats.

: (


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## Big Black Dog

Your cat has not eaten the proper amount of mice and birds.  If they don't get these food items often enough, they cough and sneeze...


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## Kooshdakhaa

Ringel05 said:


> The cat's allergic to humans.



I have noticed that he seems to bond more with my dogs than with humans. : )

He was crazy wild when I rescued him.  Caught him in a trap.  Took 17 weeks before I could touch him.  Would go in his room every night and read to him from "Odd Thomas"  by Dean Koontz so he would get used to me.

He went up and rubbed against one of my Dobermans before he would ever approach me. : )

I've had him a few years now, but after all that work to tame him down, I'm not going to let him fade away easily!


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## Zoom-boing

Kooshdakhaa said:


> Zoom-boing said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Kooshdakhaa said:
> 
> 
> 
> Well, this is a tough one when even USMB members don't have any answers!
> 
> Later today we are going to the vet and the cat will be given an injection of antibiotics that will remain in his system for 10 days.  This way I don't have to give him pills twice a day, which was pretty tricky to accomplish sometimes.
> 
> I hope this works and I hope he doesn't just relapse once the antibiotics are done.
> 
> Poor little guy doesn't deserve this crap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How long was the initial run of antibiotics?
> 
> Our dog bashed her nose but good last fall and after messing with creams and a steroid shot (which helped but only temporarily) the vet gave her a 14 day round of Keflex, (500 mg twice/day).  Long story short we took her to a different vet because first vet (we saw a different doc vs. the first visit) said the dog likely had a tumor in her nose.  We insisted that we try the meds first rather than a $1,500 CAT scan.  Turns out her nose was infected but the meds never kicked in until nearly halfway through.  You may be right in that your cat just needs a longer dose of antibiotics.  Trust your gut.
> 
> On giving cats pills . . . whenever we've had to give our cat a pill, I crush it up, mix it w/some water and suck it up into an oral syringe.  Then someone holds him and we get his mouth open, pop the syringe far enough back so when I shoot the medicine it goes right down his throat.  Over in a snap and much easier than trying to get a pill down his throat.  Ask the vet for oral syringes if you can't find or dont' have any.  Good luck!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> The first round of antibiotics was only for 7 days.  I had the feeling that was too short.  This injection he received will keep it in his system for 10 days.
> 
> The vet says it's a viral condition and the sneezing and coughing are due to a  secondary bacterial infection.  The viral condition predisposes the cat to the bacterial infection, which is what we're treating with the antibiotics, but the virus still remains.  He says the virus will always be with him, but we can get it calmed down.  If he starts sneezing and coughing again he has another treatment we're going to do that addresses the virus itself and kind of makes it go into remission for a long period.  (Not sure why we didn't just go ahead and do that!)
> 
> *Here's the trouble with giving a cat medication even with an oral syringe...once they know you're going to do it, and they don't want you to do it...how the heck do you catch them!?*
> 
> He was a  pretty good pill taker overall, as long as the pill was in a Greenies pill pocket and then smeared with kippered herring.   The only reason I had trouble a couple of days was because I was in a rush to get to work in the morning and got excited and started pursuing him.  Next time I'm in that position I'll just be late to work and take my time enticing the animal.
Click to expand...


Prep everything when the cat is not around.  Hide the syringe behind your back, pat him and tell him how handsome he is, have someone else scruff his neck firmly.  Once you or the scruffer pry his jaw open you can move really fast to get the syringe in his mouth.  It's literally like squirt! -- 2 or 3 seconds and the meds are in.


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## strollingbones

mine did this...the first round of the same stuff knocked it out.....lungworms....you need to check for lungworms


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## strollingbones

Lungworm in Cats-Causes, Symptoms & Treatment of Lungworm in Cats - Cat-World


sounds worse than it is


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## Kooshdakhaa

strollingbones said:


> Lungworm in Cats-Causes, Symptoms & Treatment of Lungworm in Cats - Cat-World
> 
> 
> sounds worse than it is



Thanks, strollingbones, we'll check that out.


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## Kooshdakhaa

> Prep everything when the cat is not around. Hide the syringe behind your back, pat him and tell him how handsome he is, have someone else scruff his neck firmly. Once you or the scruffer pry his jaw open you can move really fast to get the syringe in his mouth. It's literally like squirt! -- 2 or 3 seconds and the meds are in.



Okay, Zoom-boing, but in my experience that works pretty good the first time or two and then they seem to be watching and anticipate your every move.

I have one cat with gingivitis and I need to swab her gums with a solution containing zinc as often as I can.  It is a constant battle, I just look in her direction and she "knows."  

I've found the best way to do it is on the spur of the moment, if she's within reach just seize the moment and grab her.  If I don't even know I'm going to do it, she can't anticipate me, right?    Once I've got her  she's very cooperative (I think the cool gel feels good on her gums), but catching her can be tricky.


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## Zoom-boing

Kooshdakhaa said:


> Prep everything when the cat is not around. Hide the syringe behind your back, pat him and tell him how handsome he is, have someone else scruff his neck firmly. Once you or the scruffer pry his jaw open you can move really fast to get the syringe in his mouth. It's literally like squirt! -- 2 or 3 seconds and the meds are in.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Okay, Zoom-boing, but in my experience that works pretty good the first time or two and then they seem to be watching and anticipate your every move.
> 
> I have one cat with gingivitis and I need to swab her gums with a solution containing zinc as often as I can.  It is a constant battle, I just look in her direction and she "knows."
> 
> *I've found the best way to do it is on the spur of the moment, if she's within reach just seize the moment and grab her. * If I don't even know I'm going to do it, she can't anticipate me, right?    Once I've got her  she's very cooperative (I think the cool gel feels good on her gums), but catching her can be tricky.
Click to expand...


If you prep the syringe when they're not around and have it ready you can do the bolded.  I agree that the element of surprise often works best.


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## freedombecki

Zoom-boing said:


> Kooshdakhaa said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Zoom-boing said:
> 
> 
> 
> How long was the initial run of antibiotics?
> 
> Our dog bashed her nose but good last fall and after messing with creams and a steroid shot (which helped but only temporarily) the vet gave her a 14 day round of Keflex, (500 mg twice/day).  Long story short we took her to a different vet because first vet (we saw a different doc vs. the first visit) said the dog likely had a tumor in her nose.  We insisted that we try the meds first rather than a $1,500 CAT scan.  Turns out her nose was infected but the meds never kicked in until nearly halfway through.  You may be right in that your cat just needs a longer dose of antibiotics.  Trust your gut.
> 
> On giving cats pills . . . whenever we've had to give our cat a pill, I crush it up, mix it w/some water and suck it up into an oral syringe.  Then someone holds him and we get his mouth open, pop the syringe far enough back so when I shoot the medicine it goes right down his throat.  Over in a snap and much easier than trying to get a pill down his throat.  Ask the vet for oral syringes if you can't find or dont' have any.  Good luck!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The first round of antibiotics was only for 7 days.  I had the feeling that was too short.  This injection he received will keep it in his system for 10 days.
> 
> The vet says it's a viral condition and the sneezing and coughing are due to a  secondary bacterial infection.  The viral condition predisposes the cat to the bacterial infection, which is what we're treating with the antibiotics, but the virus still remains.  He says the virus will always be with him, but we can get it calmed down.  If he starts sneezing and coughing again he has another treatment we're going to do that addresses the virus itself and kind of makes it go into remission for a long period.  (Not sure why we didn't just go ahead and do that!)
> 
> *Here's the trouble with giving a cat medication even with an oral syringe...once they know you're going to do it, and they don't want you to do it...how the heck do you catch them!?*
> 
> He was a  pretty good pill taker overall, as long as the pill was in a Greenies pill pocket and then smeared with kippered herring.   The only reason I had trouble a couple of days was because I was in a rush to get to work in the morning and got excited and started pursuing him.  Next time I'm in that position I'll just be late to work and take my time enticing the animal.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Prep everything when the cat is not around.  Hide the syringe behind your back, pat him and tell him how handsome he is, have someone else scruff his neck firmly.  Once you or the scruffer pry his jaw open you can move really fast to get the syringe in his mouth.  It's literally like squirt! -- 2 or 3 seconds and the meds are in.
Click to expand...

Wow, Zoom-boing. I'm going to try that with Touch the cat next time. He doesn't care to take his monthly dose of flea-worm-etc-prevent tab. He's now 18. I wish I knew that when he was 1. Somehow, we get by, but he isn't getting any more cooperative, and your post gave me a lot of ideas for things we could do to change that whole must-take-pill thing. Thanks.


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## Kooshdakhaa

Zoom-boing said:


> Kooshdakhaa said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Prep everything when the cat is not around. Hide the syringe behind your back, pat him and tell him how handsome he is, have someone else scruff his neck firmly. Once you or the scruffer pry his jaw open you can move really fast to get the syringe in his mouth. It's literally like squirt! -- 2 or 3 seconds and the meds are in.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Okay, Zoom-boing, but in my experience that works pretty good the first time or two and then they seem to be watching and anticipate your every move.
> 
> I have one cat with gingivitis and I need to swab her gums with a solution containing zinc as often as I can.  It is a constant battle, I just look in her direction and she "knows."
> 
> *I've found the best way to do it is on the spur of the moment, if she's within reach just seize the moment and grab her. * If I don't even know I'm going to do it, she can't anticipate me, right?    Once I've got her  she's very cooperative (I think the cool gel feels good on her gums), but catching her can be tricky.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> If you prep the syringe when they're not around and have it ready you can do the bolded.  I agree that the element of surprise often works best.
Click to expand...


Yes, I do see what you mean.  One problem with something like antibiotics though, is you're giving them on a schedule, such as every 12 hours.  That puts some limitations on the "spur of the moment" thing.  With the zinc gel, I can apply any old time I can get her...any time of day, every day or every two-three days, whatever...keeps her off-guard, she never knows when I'll strike. 

But if it's an antibiotic at 8am and 8pm...well, mine get attuned to that and take evasive action.  Luckily this cat will eat treats, and the kippered herring smushed on top of the pill pocket he couldn't resist.  Although I couldn't walk right up to him or he'd run, I could toss it in his direction and then back off and he'd eat it. 

If I'm every in a situation where I must administer oral medication, I will be remembering what you've said, though, and it will help me.  Sneaky preparation without them seeing is definitely the way to go.


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## Kooshdakhaa

freedombecki said:


> Zoom-boing said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Kooshdakhaa said:
> 
> 
> 
> The first round of antibiotics was only for 7 days.  I had the feeling that was too short.  This injection he received will keep it in his system for 10 days.
> 
> The vet says it's a viral condition and the sneezing and coughing are due to a  secondary bacterial infection.  The viral condition predisposes the cat to the bacterial infection, which is what we're treating with the antibiotics, but the virus still remains.  He says the virus will always be with him, but we can get it calmed down.  If he starts sneezing and coughing again he has another treatment we're going to do that addresses the virus itself and kind of makes it go into remission for a long period.  (Not sure why we didn't just go ahead and do that!)
> 
> *Here's the trouble with giving a cat medication even with an oral syringe...once they know you're going to do it, and they don't want you to do it...how the heck do you catch them!?*
> 
> He was a  pretty good pill taker overall, as long as the pill was in a Greenies pill pocket and then smeared with kippered herring.   The only reason I had trouble a couple of days was because I was in a rush to get to work in the morning and got excited and started pursuing him.  Next time I'm in that position I'll just be late to work and take my time enticing the animal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Prep everything when the cat is not around.  Hide the syringe behind your back, pat him and tell him how handsome he is, have someone else scruff his neck firmly.  Once you or the scruffer pry his jaw open you can move really fast to get the syringe in his mouth.  It's literally like squirt! -- 2 or 3 seconds and the meds are in.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Wow, Zoom-boing. I'm going to try that with Touch the cat next time. He doesn't care to take his monthly dose of flea-worm-etc-prevent tab. He's now 18. I wish I knew that when he was 1. Somehow, we get by, but he isn't getting any more cooperative, and your post gave me a lot of ideas for things we could do to change that whole must-take-pill thing. Thanks.
Click to expand...


18 years old!  Well, you're doing something right! : )


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## xotoxi

I sneeze and cough whenever I am exposed to cat dander.

Same probably goes for your cat.


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## Zoom-boing

We've also prepped the syringe and just sat next to the sound asleep cat and 'scruff, pry, squirt' . . . it's over before he was even awake.  He probably thought it was a bad dream.  lol  I only know it works for our cat . . . figured it might work for others.  

Yeah, a set schedule for antibiotics  . . . that might have been when we would find him when he was sleeping.  Talk about surprised.  Meow!


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## Kooshdakhaa

xotoxi said:


> I sneeze and cough whenever I am exposed to cat dander.
> 
> Same probably goes for your cat.



I've had him for several years and this is the first time he's had this problem.


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