She went right to Mr. Google to see if it's normal for cats to get the hiccups. Here's what she found.
Cats get hiccups for a lot of the same reasons humans get them.
- Overeating
- Eating too fast
- Stress such as separation anxiety
But we also get them from hairballs or loose fur in the throat. As the throat is trying to dislodge the fur, it can become irritated and hiccups can occur. In rare cases, hiccups may be a sign of something more serious such as asthma, a tumor or heart disease, or even parasites, foreign body ingestion or food allergies.
A hiccup is an uncontrolled spasm of the diaphragm, the muscle that enables the lungs to bring in air when the cat breathes in. It is perfectly normal for a cat to get the hiccups cos we swallow a lot of air when we eat. It is important to make sure your cat isn't in respiratory distress and is breathing normally while hiccupping. Kittens are more susceptible to them than adult cats.
Is It Normal for a Cat to Hiccup?
While you can't "cure" a case of hiccups in your cat, you can make changes to the way you feed your cat. If your cat is eating too fast, give him smaller but more frequent meals or use one of those puzzle feeders. If you suspect hairballs, try brushing the cat more or use one of the hairball remedies on the market. Shaving the cat is not recommended. If your cat has chronic hiccups or has trouble breathing or is in pain during her hiccups, a trip to the vet should top your "to-do" list.
IMPORTANT: This cat is NOT a veterinarian. Always have a vet look at your cat when sudden or distressing symptoms arise.
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| Cats do NOT get hiccups from drinking adult NIP beverages. NEVER give your cat an alcoholic beverage. |
Kitties, have you ever had a case of the hiccups?
I've never had hiccups, but my human has had a cat get them before. Fortunately, it didn't last long and went away on their own.
ReplyDeleteWe never had hiccups, and we didn't know it could happen to cats. Thank you for the information ! Purrs
ReplyDeleteNot what my mom can remember =^x^=
ReplyDeleteGood to know, Miss CK.
Thanks you
I've never seen kitties having hiccups. Thank you for sharing this info. It's very good to know!
ReplyDeleteI have not seen a cat who hiccups either, though I've seen it in dogs. Nip beer? That's new to us!
ReplyDeleteWho knew? Certainly, not me!
ReplyDeleteThe way Chucky has been sneezing lately, I'm now surprised that he hasn't started hiccuping too! Well...let's hope not.
Good post! Glad you are better, CK!
That is interesting. I have never noticed any of my cats to have the hiccups. I get them about once week though, during the night, very strange.XO
ReplyDeleteI never thought of that CK, we've not had those pesky things here.
ReplyDeleteMy cat, Szander, has had hiccups after eating/drinking, but only about 3 or 4 hiccups at a time, then stops... I'd only be worried if he couldn't stop hiccuping, but that hasn't happened yet :)
ReplyDeleteCK...inn deed eye haz.....knot a lot but eye haz had hiccupz N de stoooooooopid food servizz gurl thinkz her shuld like hold me sidez ore sum thin dum like that...oh, N bye de way...eye haz never shaved.....with shavin creem ore an electrix razor ..... ;) ♥♥
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever seen a cat have hiccups...you've broken new ground, CK!
ReplyDeleteWe hope your bout of hiccups didn't last long, CK. The cats here have never had them. This is good information in case it happens, thanks!
ReplyDeletexxoo
Mickey Mouser and Rufus the Red and Maggie the person
We didn't know that separation anxiety could cuase a cat to get hiccups! That's really interesting, CK.
ReplyDeleteWe don't recall ever having hiccups, CK. We didn't even know cats could get them. Thanks for this info. We hope you don't get them again.
ReplyDeleteMy Dexter gets hiccups every now and again. He tends to eat and drink too fast. Luckily, Dexter's hiccups self-resolve within a minute or so. I hope that your hiccups passed quickly too!
ReplyDelete-Purrs from your friends at www.PlayfulKitty.net
CK, I just had the hiccups last night! I didn't want Evan to get the last bites of food in our bowl, so I shoved him and gulped them right on down. Then I had the hiccups. Evan said something about karma. Purrs, Eddy
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks CK! Anipals get hiccups as we know, so I'm surprised they aren't talked about. Elevating kitty's water & food bowls may help keep them away or lessen their frequency, especially for pets that like to eat fast! I haven't hiccuped in a long time. They feel funny! Hugs! -Valentine (& Mom) of Noir Kitty Mews
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. I've never seen our cats have the hiccups before.
ReplyDeleteI've seen the occasional kitty hiccup, but nothing that's concerned me. They are surprising though.
ReplyDeleteQueen Penelope tells me that Hissy Old Licorice used to get them occasionally from eating his food too fast (probably trying to eat it before she Queen Penelope) tried to muscle in).
ReplyDeleteWhen Mommy started to feed him and Queen Penelope in different rooms, the "hics" went away!
Mommy says thank you for the memory!
Purrs
Marv