He estimated how many species of insects lived on each plant species in England, and then extrapolated that figure across the whole planet. âIf we say 400,000, we shall, perhaps, not be very wide of the truth,â he wrote. Today, scientists know the Westwood figure is far too low.
Symptoms: A chronic dry cough that's worse at night, disturbing sleep, and sometimes with wheezing and shortness of breath. Causes: An irritating night cough is often the first sign of asthma, especially in children, but you can develop it at any age. It's also a sign asthma is worsening or not being well controlled.
1 Asthma. 2  If the cat also sneezes, but has no other symptoms between the coughing episodes, asthma is the probable diagnosis. 3  Allergies to dust, pollens or smoke can also cause lung disease signaled by dry cough. 4  Lung cancer can be a cause of dry cough in older cats.