The cat hiccups. What to do?

Causes of hiccups

Hiccups in cats, like in humans, are a sharp contraction of the diaphragm and are a violation of breathing. It can occur for various reasons and have a different duration.

Loving owners need to pay close attention to the health of a cat or cat if hiccups occur with enviable regularity. Causes of hiccups can be both physiological and psychological.

So, a cat can hiccup because of what she has suffered. stress, provoked by the long-term lack of attention of the owners to whom the cat is attached, undeserved punishment and the resentment associated with it, as well as fear, the struggle for territory, food and attention that inevitably arise with the advent of new family members.

Hiccups can also be caused by physiological causes, the most common of which are hypothermia and cold food, as well as  lack of water when feeding industrial dry food. Swallowing large amounts of hair when shedding (especially if the cat is clean and very fluffy) can also cause hiccups. Regular feeding of a cat in an unnatural position for her can also turn into problems: for example, if the bowls in which food is placed are on a stand.

However, incessant, pathological hiccups are almost always one of the symptoms of a serious illness. These hiccups are long, spasms may not be very frequent, but usually last seven to ten minutes. At the same time, the owners may notice unusual animal behavior. Hiccups in a cat should be taken very seriously if it is accompanied by a pet walking in a circle, involuntary urination, vomiting, hissing breath and shortness of breath, loss of consciousness. Such symptoms can indicate both brain damage, including tumors, and problems with the heart, gallbladder and stomach, as well as viral and bacterial infections or parasites, including helminthic invasion.

How to help a pet?

If the cat lacks your attention or she is cold, hiccups and trembles, then the solutions to the problem are very simple. Caress your pet, warm it up, and everything will pass. It’s also easy to fix feeding bugs by offering your cat a new place to eat and constantly making sure she has enough water.

However, if the hiccups are constant, if the cat’s behavior is seriously changing, if disturbing symptoms are added to the hiccups, then you should immediately visit the veterinary clinic and examine the pet.