Why Does a Cat Cough Right After Waking Up?

1 Cat Coughing After Waking: Causes and Care

1. Causes of coughing in cats

1) Temperature changes make a cat shed more. If the shedding is heavy, the cat licks up loose fur, and too much hair reaching the stomach can trigger coughing — so brush the cat promptly.

2) A cat that coughs right after waking is often doing so from a dry throat, or from food left in the throat from before sleep. Don’t feed hard-to-digest food, and offer a little water after the cat wakes.

3) Chilling and colds also cause coughing. Mornings are cooler, so keep the cat warm when it wakes — especially make sure its sleeping spot is comfortable and warm. If you see a cold with coughing and nasal discharge, give cold medicine promptly or take the cat to the vet.

4) The environment matters too. If the air where the cat wakes is stagnant, it irritates the respiratory system — so keep the room at a good temperature and ventilate it.

5) Respiratory or lung infections directly cause coughing and are more serious, so see the vet promptly.

2. Care tips

1) Watch whether the cat is coughing up hairballs. During shedding, clean the loose fur and offer hairball paste or cat grass.

2) Offer water regularly. Kibble is fairly dry and can lodge in the esophagus or throat as the cat swallows; more water also helps digestion.

3) Cats are sensitive to where they live. Keep the sleeping area clean with regular cleaning to stop germs getting in.

4) If the cat has other symptoms besides the cough, see the vet promptly and use medicine under a vet’s guidance.

A cat’s respiratory tract is especially sensitive, and a virus invasion can be fatal, so the owner must pay close attention whenever a cat coughs. For other questions, you can consult an online vet.