Hello-
There are only a few things that will cause a cough in a cat-other than the cough that sometimes precedes a hairball.
Bronchitis, pneumonia, heartworm, kennel cough and heart conditions are the usual culprits, and all of them need veterinary care. There may also be an obstruction causing the problem.
I would consult a feline practitioner if you have one available in your area if your regular vet is unable to find anything going on. Anytime there is a problem that is out of the ordinary, I feel feline practitioners are the way to go. Most veterinarians are great with dogs, but sometimes fail to address issues that are unique to cats simply because they don't see these problems routinely. A feline practitioner has had extra training and focuses on issues unique to cats, so that's where I would go in this situation. Labored breathing is also something you may see with the cough and is very concerning; however, if your cat's primary complaint is the coughing-especially an intermittant cough, I would be suspicious of a heart condition or an obstruction. HCM (hypertrophicardiomyopathy) is a genetic condition and I would have the vet do an ultrasound of the heart to check for the disease.
Please let me know if I can help further in any way.
Breeder
16 yrs health care mgmt & issues focusing on cats, reproductive issues & multicat environments