We often put so much love to our cats sometimes, that we tend to attribute to the human emotions and actions with them. We tend to get convinced that our cats are capable of understanding that we are feeling. Thus making us consider that our cats are smart, cautious, outgoing, and sensitive, among other conditions that we may say about some human companions. However, what about the physical attributes? We know too well that cats may get sick, just like us, be so tired in an equal amount of time. Nevertheless, where do these similarities end? For instance, to us humans, hiccups are somewhat common to happen –nothing of a concern. But is hiccups in cats a thing as well?
In the actual fact, cat hiccups are more common in kittens, than in adult cats. Nonetheless, just like in humans, they may happen at any time or any age. Give this article a read and get to learn more about it.
Hiccups in Cats: What causes it?
Generally, hiccups occurs when the diaphragm pacts in an involuntary manner at the same time when the glottis closes. This is due to irritation of the nerve, which runs into the diaphragm.
You may ask, what makes this particular involuntary action to happen? Well, cats may experience hiccups for several reasons. These are much the same was as, us humans do. The most common among these is eating too fast or overeating. Cats has the tendency to not chew their food properly. This is what causes them to swallow some extra air. Thus resulting to spasms into the diaphragm.
One more common cause of the hiccups in cats is the hairballs. As the throat tries to dislodge the fur, it may become irritated and the hiccups may happen. In case a cat has been hiccupping for a long period of time, most especially if it is an older cat, this might be a sign of a more serious problem. These problem include a heart disease, a tumor, or an asthma. Or perchance even parasites, food allergies, or ingestion of foreign entity.
How long does a normal cat hiccup lasts?
The normal hiccups in cats should last no longer than a day. Further, it usually go away on its own. In case a cat gets hiccups on a regular basis after it eats, which may be in connection to eating too fast or too much, yet must be monitored still. Whatever it is that looks to last for a long time or may become so often must be checked by a professional.
Symptoms of Cat Hiccups
If the cat experiences coughing or hiccups, they might exhibit one or more of the following symptoms:
- Sounds like something is being caught on the throat when breathing.
- Having trouble in breathing or wheezing.
- A spasm is visible in the abdomen, or sometimes it’s very slight that you can feel it.
- Making a squeaky noise when they are breathing.
Common Treatments for Cat Hiccups
While there are several things that you can do in helping in the alleviation of the cat’s hiccups when they seem to be water or food related, avoid trying so many at-home therapies without any consultation to the vet. even though, general tips tells that making certain that the cat has a lot of water and food available, as well as giving the cat some quiet and calm time. Some of the cats prefer having a running water, hence a tap water or a circulating fountain might be essential for them.
Moreover, most of the hiccups in cats is entirely normal and will vanish on its own, just like in humans. Even though it happens in a frequent manner, it might just be the result of eating excessively. In case you have made some changes in feeding and hiccups still persist, begin investigating and treating some other possible causes, beginning with the treatment of hairballs, and taking to your vet regarding the problem. It might be beneficial for your vet to understanding better if you may bring some proof that your cat is really hiccupping.
Other Treatments
- In case the hiccupping are so sudden, last for several days, or seem to distress or hurt the cat, it is now the time to visit a vet and make certain that it isn’t a symptoms of a much bigger problem. Some of the throat injuries may be corrected by a veterinarian, but when it is a sign of heart disease, tumors, or asthma, treatments must be started ASAP.
- In case the hiccupping is because of hairballs, there are some foods and gels, which you may give your cat, which help in reducing the hairball problems. You may also brush the cat more frequently to get rid of the loose fur that they may ingest while still cleaning. If the cat looks as if it is suffering from a hard hairball for more than a few days, go and visit your vet.
- In order to treat overeating or too fast eating, feed the cat in much smaller portions and put its bowl on a raised platform, so that it is much harder to get the food, thus slowing down eating.
While some of the hiccups are in association with feeding are typical, they should not continue for several days. Those that do may be indications of much larger problems. Therefore, if you happen to notice that your cat has chronic or sudden hiccups, it is the best to pay your vet a visit and discuss some treatment options.
