Why is my cat dry heaving, tensing, hiding, and making hacking noises?

Good for you for noticing that Simba is breathing more heavily than normal! This is a fairly subtle symptom that many cat owners don't notice until the problem is severe. Increased respiratory effort like this is not normal, and definitely warrants a vet visit. Some possible causes could include heart disease, a severe respiratory infection, fluid in the chest, or even lung cancer. Your veterinarian can listen to Simba's heart and lungs, and may also take chest x-rays to help diagnose the problem. Many of these issues are treatable once a diagnosis is made, so it's definitely worth trying to determine what's wrong before things get worse.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Simba. None of the pictures were available to view. Based on what you have told me, I would advise that you have him evaluated as soon as you can. Sounds like he is very weak and possibly in pain from some problem. If he goes outside, he may have gotten into a fight and has a abscess or infection brewing somewhere. Your vet can evaluate him and then advise tests that would be appropriate to diagnose what is going on. Blood tests, X-Rays, Physical exam and other tests may be needed to determine what is wrong. I sure hope that Simba is able to see a vet and that he starts feeling much better.

I recommend taking Mufasa to the veterinarian. He may have aspirated some of his throw up if it is affecting his breathing. He may need antibiotics, treatment for the vomiting, and hospitalization if this is what is going on. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Simba sounds very weak and it does sound like she is ill and in pain. She could have been injured, she could be suffering from a systemic illness, or she could have an infection. Her symptoms are very general, so it's hard for me to narrow down more what could be going on with her without seeing her in person. Given her age and the fact that she is has been like this all night and day, taking her into the vet now would be the best option. The vet can diagnose what is causing her to behavior like this, and can treat accordingly.

Aw poor Simba! I'm sorry to hear he's sick! It would be a good idea to have him checked out by a veterinarian to ensure he does not have an intestinal obstruction, infection, or other cause of vomiting and decreased appetite. He may need injections to stop his vomitng and fluids to rehydrate him. I'm concerned that 4 days of not eating can cause serious illness in a cat so the sooner he sees a veterinarian the better. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Simba is feeling better soon!

Please get Simba fully assessed by a vet, altered behavior, trembling and lethargy are common with pain, fever or infection and given this has been present more than 72hours he should be treated by a vet. In the meantime continue to encourage food and water intake and keep him warm and well rested

It sounds like Tiger may have an upper respiratory infection, However other more concerning problems such as pneumonia or feline asthma are also possibilities. I would encourage you to take him into a bathroom and run the shower to humidify him. Warm up the food to try to encourage his appetite. If he isn’t interested in food then try low sodium chicken broth to encourage fluid intake. You also may want to to contact a house call veterinarian to come to you. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.