Cats spend much of their time sleeping, sometimes up to 4 p.m., and they may even snore when they breathe heavily. If it is often harmless, it is still better to make sure that it is not due to an underlying cause. If you have a snoring cat, stay tuned with me, I tell you everything you need to know.
Snoring cat: Why?
A cat’s sleep, like ours, is made up of several phases or cycles. Deep sleep is the one in which the cat snores, because brain activity is at its maximum there and the lungs are activated to stir the air at maximum power. This is when your cat starts snoring.
The surrounding soft tissues vibrate with the passage of air and your cat ends up with a stuffy nose which can cause snoring. These can be occasional but when they are regular it is best to fix the problem so that he stops snoring and to ensure that there is no underlying cause in which case it will be necessary to heal.
Why does my cat snore?
A cat can snore for many reasons, each of which must be handled differently to resolve the feline snoring that is bothering you. Let’s go for an overview of the different causes of this snoring. For each of them, I explain how to recognize them and above all how to react by implementing the most appropriate solutions.
He sleeps in a bad sleeping position
Cats sometimes have surprising sleeping positions, on their backs with their paws in the air for example, but not all positions are equal and if they snore, it may be that their sleeping position is not correct. adapted. If your cat sleeps on his back , he is much more likely to snore because this position is less good for the airways, especially when he still has a full stomach.
In this position, the tongue is positioned back in his mouth and blocks the passage of air. This position compresses the airways. Flat-headed cats, such as Persians, will have more problems because of their flat nose, which makes breathing less good.
What to do ?
To solve this, you can put him in his basket so that he stops this position, or touch his belly which will make him no longer sleep in this position, but he will lose confidence in you. But normally, if the snoring bothers him or he feels that he is breathing less well, he will no longer sleep in this sleeping position.
Be aware that if it is very hot, your cat will probably choose this sleeping position, with the paws in the air to evacuate as much heat as possible. By giving him something to cool off, like a cooling mat, you ensure that your cat can sleep on his stomach even in hot weather.
He is too fat
Some cats love to eat and you may even find yours in the middle of their bag of kibble. When the feline diet is too high, it will start to accumulate fat, especially if it is an indoor cat.
When they gain weight, the consequences are the same as for us, the tissues around the pharynx thicken and become fatty, reducing the airways which have trouble functioning properly, causing snoring.
What to do ?
It is necessary to modify his diet by gradually reducing the doses so that he has only what he needs. Exercise is also essential so that he can strengthen his muscles and improve his metabolism.
You can buy him toys to play with, and if he’s an outdoor cat, keep him outside longer. Indoors, a cat wheel will help him exercise on his own. You can also give him a food puzzle that will help him better manage his food intake.
To stimulate him, if he is young, give him a reward after he has spent himself creating a positive association in his head.
He has allergies
Cats also have allergies like pollen or dust mites and this causes their body to defend itself, and it will start snoring to defend itself. It is a natural defensive mechanism of his body which is totally useless and sometimes dangerous.
Cats are mainly allergic to pollens, cigarette smoke, dust mites and pollution, and are very similar to humans in this respect, so pay attention to his elements if you see him having trouble breathing.
As for pollen, you can check the pollen calendar , he will usually have red eyes or a runny nose and may also have asthma. If your cat snores louder when it’s windy or hot coupled with a high concentration of pollen, this is likely the cause.
Regarding dust mites, it’s more complicated, you can always take a hypoallergenic basket, but it will be difficult to detect this type of allergy without the help of your veterinarian.
As far as pollution is concerned, it is more difficult to protect him from it, but you can put his personal corner in a room that is not on the street side, for example you can also put an air purifier which allows you to clean indoor air. But ventilate to evacuate indoor pollution.
What to do ?
Ensure the healthiest possible environment for your cat and if necessary go to the veterinarian to provide him with a treatment adapted to a good sleep.
You can already avoid smoking when he is there and close the windows during high traffic hours if you are in town. Also watch out for household products that can cause him breathing problems and cause him to vomit or sneeze if he is sick or that they are really aggressive.
He’s sick
If your cat is showing signs of weakness in addition to snoring, then it is very likely that it is suffering from a condition that only a visit to the doctor can resolve. If he breathes heavily during the day, is listless, and snores even during his naps, he may be suffering from an infection and to avoid the worst you must act as soon as possible.
If your cat is old (over 12 years old), then the disease may be behind this snoring problem, as several conditions affecting older cats, such as Coryza, can cause your cat to snore.
What to do ?
Go to the veterinarian as soon as possible, any problem related to breathing must be treated as soon as possible or risk being fatal. Your veterinarian will provide appropriate treatment for your feline so that it can heal quickly.
His race predisposes him
Each breed of cat is different and cats with flat noses are bound to snore. For example the Persians, and there is nothing abnormal as long as there is no parallel problem which can affect your cat, like nausea or asthma for example.
What to do ?
Just make sure the snoring is normal and not something abnormal. Also do what is necessary so that he can have a healthy air, his breathing being naturally less good than that of other cats.
He has a foreign body stuck in his nose.
If your cat goes outside, it’s possible that he has grass or something else stuck in his nose that’s causing him difficulty breathing. If he is bleeding from the nose, for example , this is probably the cause. Your cat may have objects stuck in its nose if it has access to the outside because it will stick its nose everywhere, especially when hunting.
What to do ?
If the object is visible and slightly sunken, you can remove it, otherwise let the veterinarian do it. Remember that cats cannot breathe through their mouths, and any objects that interfere with their breathing should be quickly removed.
The two distinctions to be made
It is necessary to distinguish the case in which your cat has always snored and the case in which your cat has been snoring for a short time.
If your cat has been snoring forever, it’s probably normal for your cat to snore, due to his predisposition, but still watch for symptoms like sneezing or coughing, which could indicate a problem, not necessarily serious. , but to watch.
If your cat starts purring suddenly, there may be an underlying problem and checking your cat for potential weaknesses or symptoms is essential to monitor any problems.
How to prevent cat snoring?
If you want to prevent rather than cure for the next few times, there are many easy-to-implement solutions that will have a positive effect on your cat’s overall health. Here are all the solutions to implement if your cat snores abnormally.
Annual visit to the vet
Cats often tend to hide their pain and going to the veterinarian once a year always ensures that the cat is in good health. This concerns all potential health problems. Know for example that if your cat purrs a lot for no reason , it is probably to hide his pain.
The annual visit is all the more important after its 12 years, because from this age, your cat will be naturally more fragile and the pathologies of age will be more present and will evolve if nothing is treated early enough.
Get him a food puzzle
Cats, in the wild, spend a lot of time hunting for their next meal. With this toy, he will have to make more effort to eat, allowing him to exert himself in addition to working on his animal instinct. He will also be able to keep his brain active and better control his food intake, killing two birds with one stone if your cat is overweight.
Basically your cat will have to use its paws to access the food, forcing it to dig into its neurons and exert itself, preventing it from throwing itself on the food at all times and only feeding when it really hungry.
Exercise him
Exercise is essential for cats, especially if they live in an apartment. So preferably, take him a wheel on which he can easily exert himself and take care of himself. A cat that exercises lives longer and healthier.
Encourage him to move by giving him his food after for example, so that he connects the exercise to something pleasant in his head.
If he is young, he will like, for example, electric fish or running after a laser, so make him exercise so that everything goes well with his respiratory tract. There are lots of different toys for independent play if you don’t have time after work.
Regarding the duration, 10 to 15 minutes a day is a good base, especially in winter; period during which he will be less likely to exert himself, and if he goes outside, exercise is not necessarily necessary, especially if he hunts. Either way, you’ll see him at his energy level when you get home. And if he hunts, don’t forget that he will have already eaten a little, so there’s no need to feed him as if he weren’t feeding outside.
Another way to stimulate cat exercise is to give them food supplements that will restore their energy, such as salmon oil in the winter. The fact that he feels in great shape will help him want to exercise.
Snoring cat: The final word
A snoring cat is generally harmless and easily correctable. But if your cat shows signs of significant fatigue or illness that could put it in danger, go to the veterinarian to avoid any risk of complications related to illness. And in the meantime, put in place the solutions adapted to the problem which creates the snoring.