My cat hiccups and coughs when she purrs?

L
Loreleillll Icon representing the flag French

Hi there,

I adopted a 7-year-old cat three weeks ago from a rescue centre (she’s been through at least one family and two different shelters already and is quite skittish).

At first, she stayed hidden, but for the last week, she’s been coming out on her own to ask for food and cuddles.

What’s worrying me is that as soon as she purrs, she starts hiccupping and sometimes coughs.

Do you think I should take her to the vet straight away? Or could it just be the stress of moving to a new home making her nervous? It literally only happens when she's purring...

I’d really like to avoid putting her back in her carrier to go to the vet if I can, especially since she doesn't fully trust me yet... Has anyone had a similar experience?

Translated from French
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3 answers
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    • L
    Loreleillll Icon representing the flag French
    Hi there! Daolia, unfortunately I'm not in touch with the first homes, only the last one where there were about 15 to 20 cats... I don't think the person looking after them really had the time to notice that sort of thing... but they did have a full vet check done and she was in perfect health. Blue Catil, thanks, that's a relief! It makes sense that she’d need some time to settle in, so I'll wait and keep an eye on things to make sure it doesn't get any worse.
    Translated from French
    Blue_Cat
    Blue_cat Icon representing the flag French
    Hi there, Coughing in a recently adopted cat is very often down to allergens in their new environment, which are different to the ones their system was used to in their previous home. It can take up to 2 months for them to fully adjust to these new allergens. Heat also increases irritation in the airways by drying them out. Plus, if it only happens when he's purring, it's even less of a worry. A touch of mild asthma is enough to make a cat cough slightly while purring; it's usually nothing serious. I'm a bit more surprised by the hiccups, though. In my opinion, there’s no urgent need to see a vet.
    Translated from French
    Daolia
    Daolia Icon representing the flag French

    Good evening,

    You could try checking with her previous foster carers and asking them if this was happening when she was with them as well?

    Translated from French

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