Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Cat pawing at mouth

Species: Cat
Breed: Short haired
Age: 2-5 years
My cat has been like this for 2 days now, he looked like he was chokeing at first, its like he has something trapped in his mouth. I have tried looking in there i can't see any think, then he will go ok for a while then start again he goes mad by jumping around with his tougue out and his paw at his mouth. we don't know if its a fur ball or if he has eat a bee or some thing like that. we can't afford to take him to a vet and find out its just a fur ball his trying to get up. can you please help by confirming what it can be and is wrong with him. Thankyou


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, it sounds like Diesel is having a hard time.

Usually when I hear of a cat having some coughing type episodes I think of an upper respiratory virus.

However, what you have described with him trying to paw at his mouth makes me concerned that there is something more serious going on. It certainly is possible that there is something stuck in his mouth. One possibility is if there is a thread or strong of some sort stuck under his tongue. This can be hard to see though and equally hard to fix and would likely require veterinary care.

I have not seen many cats have the symptoms that you have described. One cat that I saw with similar symptoms had a small piece of plastic stuck to the back of his tongue. Fur balls, or an insect sting should not cause these symptoms.

I wish I could give you some more helpful information, but if he is continuing to be this distressed then a vet visit is definitely necessary.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Liver disease in a cat. Ruby is 8 years old, and was diagnosed with liver disease last Thursday. I could... (14408 views)

Diarrhea with canned food. We have only had goliath for 5 months. all my other cats I would give them a little... (4973 views)

Do cats taste sweet? Dr. Marie, This is really more of a general question than a question about my pet... (20675 views)

Is it time to put her down? My dog has degenerative myelopathy and is having trouble getting up, moving around... (24070 views)

Small pink lump on back. My dog has had a small light pink lump on his back for a little while now. I have... (11155 views)

Black dots in dog's ear. We recently realised there are black sesame seed like black dots in one of my dog's... (10388 views)

Pregnancy test for dogs? How can I tell if my dog is pregnant? She was with a male dog yesterday and I think... (18333 views)

Coughing dog. I have two very healthy Min Pins. Well I had two healthy dogs. Last weekend we... (4479 views)

Horrible euthanasia experience Why was my pets euthanasia a nightmare? I brought my cat Jack in for euthanasia... (9272 views)

Guinea Pig heat cycle. my female guinea pig has a swollen vulva which is very red. this happens once every... (30986 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.