Help!

[Brandywine]

Four of my eight kitties are displaying some odd symptoms.
The one, who is about a year old, has been gagging. He doesn't through anything up, but he gets into a good coughing/gagging jag. Also, the other day I saw him come out of the little box and scoot his butt along the carpet, something I've never seen him do. I have no idea if the two are related. He also sneezes a couple times a day. His eyes are clear and he's eating and drinking as usual.

The other, who is also about a year old, has been coughing/gagging quite a bit. Like, all last night. I haven't seen him do any butt dragging, and his eyes are also clear. He doesn't sneeze and appears to be normal otherwise.

The other is a newcomer, a stray who is long-haired. He acts like he's trying to spew up a hairball, but hasn't yet. He also eats well and is acting as normal as ever.

Lastly is my oldest kitty. She just gags. No other symptoms and appetite, eyes, etc are all normal as well. She just came off a treatment of amoxycllin (spelling...) to treat a UTI.

All have been vaccinated in the last year for everything under the sun. The stray was fixed/vet checked about a month ago.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? I thought parasites, but I'm afraid to start treating since I haven't seen any in their feces and no one has coughed up any critters.
Sometimes, they do cough up white foam, but it's rare.

Thanks for the input!

ps. all the others are acting 100 percent normal, no coughing, gagging, butt dragging or anything else.

[That_girl]

My first thought with the gagging is hairballs. Do you offer your cats Laxatone? If not, you can pick it up at any store, even Walmart in the pet section. It comes in a tube like toothpaste and the cats should lick it up. Laxatone breaks up hairballs.

Dragging butt - he may be having problems with his anal glands. You'll want to have a vet "express" these glands (which means releasing the fluids that are built up) DO NOT DO IT YOURSELF because you may hurt your cat.

[lindsayanng]

My guess would be WORMS. The dragging of the butt AND gagging means that the cat COULD be severely infested with intestinal worms that is filling his belly.

FYI, my dog was pretty badly infested with round worms (the kind that might be in your cat) and i was watching his poo EVERY time be went because he had diarrhea and i NEVER once saw a worm, so its still possible that they could be there, they just arent coming out, which could be worse.

When a cat is hacking AND scooting, i wouldnt hesitate going to the vet because parasites are very dangerous and can kill a young kitten very quickly. Also, do NOT get your cat's anal glands expressed unless a vet suggests it. There is some controversy among vets and groomers (especially with cats) if this practice does more harm than good. Most vets agree that it should only be done if the vet suspects a severe impaction. Unnessesary expelling of the anal glands will result in the need to do it more often.

With the symptoms you have, i would feel uncomfortable telling you to do anything else except see a vet because they are still kittens,a nd the symtoms are not common in anything simple.

[brenda67]

Thanks for both your input. I think I will take the youngsters to the vet and see what she has to say. I think the stray is hairballs. It just seemed so coincidental that it happened all at once to four.
Thanks again!

[lindsayanng]

let us know what they say. Hope all is well.