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Why is my cat hacking and breathing heavy after spay surgery?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 8 months and 12 days old | 7 lbs

My cat was spayed 4 days ago and she has been hacking like she is going to throw up ever since she returned from the vet. Every time she tries to meow or purr, she starts hacking. Now she's completely afraid any of that. I can also hear her breathing more heavier than before. Is there something I can do to help her??

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Sarah Derksen, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on January 27th, 2018

Hi. The tube that go down the throat for anesthesia can cause irritation to the throat area for a few days, but not this bad. It may be something totally unrelated. She could have an upper respiratory infection, allergies, hair ball, cardiac disease, and more. If it has been 4 days, i recommend that you see your veterinarian as soon as you can. If they aren't open, I would recommend the ER

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