Why Does My Cat Snore?

When the cat snores, it can sound quite cute. But what is behind it? We tell you when you should go to the vet.

Cat snores: Introduction

What helps against snoring? This question does not only arise with us humans, but also with animals. Because if your cat snores, it can have different causes. Some of them are completely harmless, but with others you should go to the vet immediately.

Possible causes

• Polyps: Polyps are benign formations of the mucous membrane located at the pharynx or ear canal. Polyps constrict the airways and cause snoring.
• Allergies: Your cat has a fever? This can be due to allergies caused by food or contact with the environment. Due to allergies, cats may have a narrowing of the respiratory tract, which can trigger snoring.
• Infection: An infection can narrow the throat and thus promote snoring. Infections can be caused, for example, by a cold or the dreaded cat cold, for which you should see a vet immediately.
• Parasites: The airways can also be restricted by foreign bodies (parasites), for example in the throat.
• Sleep apnoea: Sleep apnoea is a respiratory disorder that also causes problems for many people. When sleeping, there are interruptions in breathing that can lead to long-term damage to the cardiovascular system because there is too little oxygen available to the body.

• Tumor: A tumor in the area of the nose can make it difficult for the cat to sleep and cause snoring.
• Obesity: In case your cat is very overweight, there is also a reason that causes snoring. If your cat is overweight, the airways are compressed by layers of fat and snoring is ultimately one of the symptoms.
• Satisfaction: In the best case, your cat simply feels comfortable with you and is so deep in sleep that it begins to snore. It does not have to be thus always directly an illness behind it.

When to the veterinarian?

• Polyps can be removed by the veterinarian without much effort. Also for the cat there is no great suffering due to anesthesia.
• If narrowed airways cause snoring, the doctor can identify the cause by analyzing the feces or x-rays and treat it with medication against worms.
• If the cat has a tumor in the nose or throat area, you should also visit the vet as soon as possible to start treatment. If the cat is overweight, it is also important to find out the reason with the veterinarian and to accompany the process of weight reduction professionally.
• Especially if snoring occurs very suddenly or in combination of different symptoms (e.g. breathing stops), you should consult a vet.