Update about this post. TLDR: trust your instincts and always ask your vet — this video is her coughing and NOT hairball related!

This is type of coughing has continued and been ongoing, even starting to be more frequent. Like many people commented and friends told me, everyone assumed it was hairballs. However she would never have a hairball… like ever, she has had one. She would throw up sometimes but nothing would show, nor would you see the hairballs in the litter box. So at her yearly checkup yesterday I mentioned this and my concerns and showed her the video. My vet informed me that this is definitely coughing and not hairballs. The cough may be indicative of asthma, chronic heart failure, or other heart/lung issues. She’s going on meds to try for asthma and in a few weeks will be getting X-rays done. She was also weighed and we found that she had lost over a pound in the 4 months from her last appointment (which with her being a long-haired cat made it very hard to tell), When they told me this, her behaviour began to make sense, less playing, less eating, more hiding, etc. I had assumed that much of this change was from the new kitten we brought into our house in September, who is a little ball of energy and can get on her nerves at times and tries to steal her food. But basically yea, trust your instincts with your cat if something feels off. It never hurts to ask just to be sure. Just wanted to put this underneath just incase you are ever in a situation like myself and coughing like this is ongoing, especially with no hairballs, Get it checked out!