# Should I fear aspiration pneumonia from inhaling cat hair? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 5, 2007, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-fear-aspiration-pneumonia-from-inhaling-cat-hair/406865 "2007-06-05T16:59:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-fear-aspiration-pneumonia-from-inhaling-cat-hair/406865/1 "2007-06-05T16:59:16Z")
This morning, I inhaled a giant puffball of cat hair, and I’ve been coughing ever since. A coworker whose father kept developing aspiration pneumonia from inhaled food is worried that I could get it, too. Is it something I should legitimately be worried about? ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-fear-aspiration-pneumonia-from-inhaling-cat-hair/406865/2 "2007-06-05T17:05:37Z")
If you keep coughing, head for the doctor. Probably nothing to worry about but I would prefer you didn’t take any chances. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-fear-aspiration-pneumonia-from-inhaling-cat-hair/406865/3 "2007-06-05T18:01:44Z")
I’ll admit, I would really hate to explain this one to a doctor. “Well, doc, I kinda inhaled a dust bunny. Should I worry?”