Our new kitty wheezes and meows like a creaking door... is this abnormal?

Question

We got a new kitty recently, and I've noticed that he wheezes when he's asleep. He's not snoring, because I've heard him do it a few times while sitting inactively, but definitely awake. He doesn't cough, and he doesn't wheeze when exercising a lot or anything, so I don't think it's feline asthma.

When he got him, he'd had his shots, worm treatment, he was fixed, and he got microchipped, so presumably if there was anything seriously wrong, the vet would've noticed.

In addition, this may or may not be related, but the kitty can't meow normally. Whenever he meows, he sounds like a rusty door creaking while being opened or something, my fiance calls it more of a croaking, it's really weird. Could this be related, or do some kitties just have really strange meows?

Answer 1

If Kitty is wheezing,the poor baby could have bronchail asthama, lungworms, upper respiratory infection, I could name more but, I think even though you just had kitty to the vet, I would take her back & have them give her another look and tell them your concerns. Make a list of questions so when you go, you don't forget anything you want to ask. Tell them about her meow and her breathing, any and every little concern you have. Remember, Kitty counts on you don't wait 'til it's to late.

Answer 2

1, is kitty still a kitten? I've known of many a kitten that for whatever reason, they don't meow at all or it comes out weird until they are an adult.
2, I got 'Max' at a shelter and he wheezed just sitting around. He is overweight too and we think he had some kind of internal damage because he won't lose any weight at all. He will have what sounds like a hairball attack that hits on and off for a few days in a row about 6 times a year.
The vet said Max is healthy and his breathing doesn't seem to hold him back. Max acts like a normal healthy cat and we've had him almost 3 years now. I sometimes think he has some form of asthma that may rarely kick in but doing ok around the other cat just fine.
In this case, I agree with your vet. Depending on your kitty, where you got it, it's age, and such, it may have been abused or may even have an allergy to something in your home. Years ago a cat I adopted from a lady had an allergy to some bedding in her home but it cleared up when I got it home after a week.
Good luck with kitty. I believe that as long as he acts ok, he probably is. Also, strange meows are normal.

Answer 3

Just to add to some of the things already mentioned, its possible that the cat had pneumonia at some time. I had two cats who had wheezing as a result of lung damage from having had pneumonia before.

Has the cat ever meowed normally? I've had some cats who meowed themselves into laryngitis!

Some cats do have different meows, I had one who always did what I called a "silent meow", she would meow and make either no sound or a very tiny sound, while looking at you. She was capable of making loud sounds as she once demonstrated when the vet had to give her an injection, but mostly she used her own unique silent type of meow as regular communication with humans.

Answer 4

Hi there...perhaps the wheezing you may be hearing is actually snoring, which with some cats sound like wheezing. Because you've indicated that this is occuring while kitty is sleeping but not while awake, leads one to believe it's snoring. Anyhow, it's quite common and some cats snore so loud it's shocking to believe such a little darling kitty can be capable of unusual noises.

Here are some videos of cats who are snoring which also sounds like wheezing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvBFTuLKYco&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy_vlIclVIk&mode=related&search=

Additionally, kitty meows are all different like human voices. Your voice probably sounds much different than your mothers or if you have a sister. This is also applies to the feline species. Some are dainty meowers and others are raspy...similar to your kitty and it is quite normal.

Answer 5

My Poppy wheezes too when sleeping. She did it as a kitten too, so I'm not worried.

She's a Maine Coon type, and they're known to have very soft meows. Half the time she just opens her mouth but no sound comes out!

So like everyone said, the meow is nothing to worry about.

Answer 6

Your kitty could be fine, have something as simple as allergies or as serious as upper respritory conjuntivitus, but to be sure and safe it best to call and make an appointment with your vet. The vocal cords have not fully developed so it is common for the to creak and croak till thier vocal cords and lungs develope and stregnthen, some cats keep thier creeks but it's normal.

Answer 7

First off,.. Vet would be better to ask.

But going on to what your picking at. He may have something even some humans have where they don't breath as normal in their sleep (it is not life threatening).

Cats have unique cries,.. some times truma or neutering seems to change their voice. Then if they ever get back to normal it's so slow you don't notice (your with them every day after all). (Some males permanantly get a higher normal every day meow/voice after being Neutered).

Talk to a Vet, his Vet or Vets. Odds are he is fine.

Answer 8

maybe the vet did not hear it when the kitten went in -
may have had their hands full with the litter there

I might want to call your new vet - and ask to see if you need to bring the kitty in -

don't know where you got it - but some stores have a policy if there is a probem - you can exchange the animal - and that would be best for him, too.

Answer 9

If it continues I would take him to the vet just in case.

As for the meowing, some cats have very funny meows and no cat is the same!

Its just his way of being unique! :-)

Answer 10

my cats was kinda like that too, this could just be normal for your cat, ask your vet