Causes of hiccups in kittens
Hiccups are a natural and involuntary process that cannot be controlled by will or desire.
Good to know! Hiccups are a malfunction of the respiratory system caused by improper, involuntary contractions of the diaphragm.
During contraction of the diaphragm, the kitten's epiglottis closes, resulting in the characteristic sound of hiccups.
Causes of hiccups:
- Rapid absorption of water and food.
- Overeating is a strong distension of the stomach.
- Accumulation of hair in the stomach.
- Allergy.
- Moments of high activity.
- Stress and extreme excitement.
- A metabolic disorder that can lead to behavioral changes, including hyperactivity.
- Freezing.
If your pet hiccups regularly after eating, carefully observe the feeding process. The kitten should not grab food in chunks or swallow it without chewing.
Hormones
The reason for the round-the-clock singing may well be hormones. And in particular, their imbalance or simple changes in the body.
As the kitten grows older, it begins to show a desire to continue the race. Such changes in the body are often accompanied by endless screams that do not stop day or night. In addition to exhausting its own body, the cat also exhausts the household, so the decision must be made quickly and firmly.
If the pet will participate in procreation in the future, then the first urge to find love will have to be endured. When the baby gets stronger for the “wedding”, he can find a couple.
If procreation is not your cat’s business, it is advisable to resort to castration. This radical method will help your pet avoid monthly songs, and will also prolong his life.
Natural and unhealthy hiccups - what's the difference?
You've probably experienced debilitating hiccups yourself and know how much discomfort this involuntary phenomenon can bring. Natural and unhealthy hiccups - what's the difference? It is difficult to answer this question, since hiccups are not a defense mechanism; rather, it is a reaction of the nervous system that cannot be controlled.
Natural hiccups occur and go away without intervention. If a kitten begins to hiccup after eating, the condition usually returns to normal after burping. If the pet hiccups frequently and for a long time, the owner needs to take care of eliminating the provoking factors and monitor the dynamics of the development of the clinical picture:
- Regularly prevent the accumulation of hair in the stomach - this point is especially important for long-haired young cats. The pet washes itself 2-3 times a day; in the process, it regularly swallows hair, which accumulates in the stomach, forming a lump. To prevent hair accumulation, various means are used: pastes, gels, catnip, etc.
- Change the type of feeding and eliminate allergens from food - if the kitten hiccups frequently, for a long time and clearly suffers from this, pay attention to the condition of the mucous membranes. Typically, prolonged, debilitating hiccups are associated with irritation of the mucous membranes, which may be indicated by sneezing, excessive production of tears, and unhealthy shine in the eyes.
- Monitor the temperature in your home - kittens are very sensitive to cold, so hiccups due to freezing are a natural mechanism for mobilizing the body's strength. If for some reason the kitten has spent a long time in the cold and often hiccups, most likely he has already caught a cold, and the hiccups are associated with improper functioning of thermoregulation.
- Distension of the stomach due to extensive helminthic infestation - according to generally accepted rules, animals must be treated for fleas and worms once every 3-4 months. Kittens under 1–2 months of age are not treated for worms or special, gentle products are chosen. A bloated abdomen, diarrhea, slow weight gain, constipation, vomiting, intoxication, and anemia may indicate helminthic infestation.
Note! In rare cases, hiccups may indicate a neurological disorder, but such a diagnosis is made by “method of exclusion” - only after all other causes have been excluded.
Why does a cat scream and how to calm it down?
The domestic purr does not always please its owners; sometimes at night or throughout the day it screams loudly and heart-rendingly. There can be many reasons for such behavior in an animal, ranging from special sensitivity to physiological needs. Why is the cat screaming? How to deal with this? This article will help you understand the problem of night and daytime cat tantrums.
Why is the cat screaming?
The first thing to do after the heart-rending cries of an animal is to check if its stomach hurts. Normal bloating may cause your cat to experience severe discomfort.
The reasons for the first appearance of a loud cry in adult cats can be:
- urolithiasis (pain when urinating);
- infection with worms;
- Alzheimer's disease (the appearance of symptoms similar to senile human disease);
- injury or painful wound on the body (paw, head, ears);
- severe nervous disorder.
With urolithiasis, which castrated cats are prone to, the animal cannot go to the toilet for a long time. While in the tray, the pet screams loudly and crouches.
Cats aged 8 years or older often develop dementia resembling human Alzheimer's disease. Animals get lost in space, do not recognize their owner, and constantly meow and scream.
Pain in any organ or part of the body can also provoke night and daytime hysterics in a cat. Do not ignore this, be sure to examine your pet.
Nervous disorders caused by abuse, fear, lack of attention cause the animal to scream for no particular reason. If you adopted a cat from a shelter or from the street, then surround him with affection and warmth. This will help minimize the consequences of psychological trauma.
If you suspect illness, consult your veterinarian. Do not ignore the animal’s alarming “statements” about its problem.
However, a cat screams not only because of physical discomfort or pain. His “rulads” may be associated with the search for a female to create offspring. Urging can be prevented through castration in cats and sterilization in cats.
Hormonal drops do not give much effect and, as experienced veterinarians say, have a negative impact on the pet’s health
What to do when an animal runs and screams at night? Try to organize his day and early evening, saturate him with active games. The fact is that cats are wild predatory animals by nature; they need to be constantly on the move.
They are nocturnal, so when living with a person, domestic cats cannot adapt to their daily routine. To get rid of night “vigils”, you need to play active games with your pet in the evening (if possible, during the day), and run with it. And after a simulated hunt, feed them with a meat delicacy. Gradually, the animal will get used to a certain daily routine and stop screaming at night.
Why does my stomach swell after eating?
Cats are just like people: some are silent, others are talkative, and some are like a 24-hour radio. It is difficult to understand why a cat screams. However, we can speculate on possible reasons for the endless meowing.
When your cat starts singing songs that last for an eternity, do not rush to scold her. There are problems that the mustachioed simply cannot cope with, which is why they appeal to those who tamed them.
It has long been known that cats acquired the sound “meow” during their domestication by humans. And this sound is addressed specifically to a person. Murkas communicate with each other using completely different “words.” Therefore, if you are in doubt about whom the cat is yelling at, rest assured - at you.
Possible reasons why a cat yells:
- Disease is the most common cause. The cat is in pain, so it seems to “turn” to the owner for help;
- Hormonal imbalances;
- Anxiety, stress or excitement;
- Feeling of hunger, thirst;
- Appeal to the owner, attracting him to action.
Hiccups after eating
Hiccups after eating are a natural reaction of the body. There are three main reasons:
- Distension of the stomach.
- Swallowing air.
- Stress from competition.
Make sure that the kitten eats and drinks at a normal rate - if necessary, if the kitten eats dry food, you can purchase a special bowl with a structured bottom and high sides. Competition can affect the rate at which food and water are consumed, so make sure your kitten is comfortable while feeding.
When to take your pet to the vet
Prolonged and frequent hiccups in dogs, which cannot be corrected and are accompanied by accompanying symptoms, require mandatory diagnosis. Due to the variability of possible causes, you will have to undergo a clinical examination and blood biochemistry, as well as undergo an ultrasound of the lungs and gastrointestinal tract.
Due to the high likelihood of complications such as heart attack and stroke, it is necessary to make an appointment with a cardiologist and neurologist. If nervous system instability is detected, your pet may be prescribed medications to reduce stress levels.
Causes of hiccups in newborn kittens
Experience shows that newborn kittens are more likely to develop hiccups. The causes of hiccups in newborn kittens are natural. While the kitten is sucking milk, it may swallow air, for example, if it lies in an uncomfortable position or the mother cat has too little milk . Usually, hiccups in newborn kittens are eliminated by licking by the mother.
When artificial feeding, it is extremely important that the kitten sucks milk itself. Squeezing milk into the baby's mouth can lead not only to hiccups, but also to food getting into the respiratory tract. Milk that gets into the lungs causes bacterial pneumonia, which can lead to death.
Note! If the kitten is bottle-fed and often hiccups after eating, try giving it a light massage, holding it with its head up, stroking its belly and back so that the baby can burp.
Hiccups can also be observed when switching from milk to supplementary feeding. In this case, the body’s reaction is considered natural, since it adapts to digesting food of an unusual structure. According to generally accepted recommendations, supplementary food that can be licked is more suitable for kittens under 1.5–2 months of age.
What to do if your dog or puppy hiccups
If the reason why the dog hiccups is known, then the tension in the diaphragm can be relieved yourself. This applies only to those cases where the danger to the life of the animal is completely excluded.
To stop hiccups, rely on its cause:
- Hypothermia. Feed your pet warm broth and cover with a blanket.
- Fast absorption of feed. Place the puppy on its hind legs so that all the excess air comes out with the burp. After this, give him a light circular tummy massage, moving clockwise.
- Active growth phase. Here you just have to wait until the four-legged one gets older.
- Pinched vagus nerve during sleep. Carefully change the dog's position. Compression occurs due to maintaining a motionless posture for a long time. Just moving a little is enough to relieve the tension. If your pet has already slept, play ball with him.
- Increased physical activity. Allow the animal to catch its breath and drink water to replenish its depleted reserves.
- Fright. Pet your pet and treat him with a treat. Most animals quickly forget about the unpleasant, switching to treats.
After following these steps, the hiccups should disappear within a few minutes. If this does not happen, contact your veterinarian.
Methods for eliminating hiccups in kittens
“Traditional” methods for eliminating hiccups in kittens: drinking too much, frightening, taking certain positions, physical activity are not suitable, since they create even more stress by forcing the pet to do something it does not want. If the kitten starts hiccupping, just watch him.
The most reliable and safe method for eliminating hiccups is to pick up the kitten and stroke it until it falls asleep.
If the process has exhausted your pet, contact your veterinarian; most often, the problem can be solved with minimal doses of antispasmodics.
Treatment
If a cat hiccups, but the phenomenon is not accompanied by other unusual symptoms, treatment of the animal consists of the following measures:
- The pet should be caressed and calmed down;
- Offer your cat to drink water at room temperature;
- Distract the animal by keeping it busy with play.
If a cat hiccups because it is cold and trembles, it must be warmed up. But treatment in the case of pathological hiccups should only be prescribed by a veterinarian.
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