Cough is a common clinical symptom. The incidence of chronic cough without significant abnormalities on chest radiography has recently increased, and its complex etiology and high rates of misdiagnosis and mismanagement have received attention. Cough hypersensitivity has been identified as an important clinical and pathophysiological feature, associated with transient receptor potential pathway activation, airway inflammation, neural pathways, and cough-center facilitation; however, the mechanisms are complex and further detailed studies are needed. Information on cough mechanisms has important implications for the development of new drugs, improvements in clinical efficacy, and the reduction of socioeconomic burdens. Animal models of cough are crucial for experimental research and elucidating the mechanisms responsible for cough. Animal models of cough are currently divided into simple cough models and disease cough models; however, its complex pathogenesis and multiple causes mean that there is no unified standard for preparing cough models, and these continue to be modified and improved. The current review discusses the mechanisms, methods and research progress of animal cough models, and comprehensively summarizes the research statuses of these models from the perspectives of animal selection, establishment, and the application of simple and disease cough models, by reviewing the recent relevant global literature. We present a comparative evaluation and reflect and elaborate on the current problems in preparing cough models, to provide references for the preparation of animal models for experimental research and for indepth research on the pathogenesis and treatment strategies of cough.