My cat sometimes breathes thru her nose loudly.... as if stuffed up... how do I treat this?

Question

Anyone ever have a cat who literally breathes loudly? Sounds like she is stuffed up.
We use premium litter (Freshstep, $$) and feed her Purina food... any ideas on how to treat this nose whistly/stuffiness without going to the vet? Note* she is perfectly active and otherwise healthy, except this stuffy sound

Answer 1

~They mostly do breathe through their noses. My cat does it when he's tired, we think it's asthma. Your cat could have a cold. Is it wet? Can you wipe her nose?
I think you should call the vet and see what they say. I think it's either asthma or a cold.
Good luck~

Answer 2

Cat Breathing Loudly

Answer 3

Your cat isn't overweight is he? If not, then I see no reason that he would be exhibiting both of these symptoms. The bone cracking sounds like arthritis but he's really too young. He may have a problem like hip or joint dysplasia. It can happen even in mixed breeds. Does he walk and run normally? As far as being a heavy breather, he may have a bit of allergies, but it's not unusual. I have a 1 year old that a serious heavy breather. He purrs like a diesel truck too, so I guess he's just a loud breather.

Answer 4

She could have allergies, and if that's the case, she could be allergic to anything under the sun, just like humans.

Some common allergies for cats that most people aren't aware of:

plastic (as in food dishes and litter pans), use ceramic dishes

the brand of litter (doesn't matter if it's "premium", if she's allergic, she's allergic, my tom cat is allergic to certain litters)

the brand of food (see more on this below)

fleas (my female cat is allergic to fleas!)

*****
No real way to know w/o seeing a vet. I recommend a vet visit. He will most likely tell you to change her food first in order to rule out a food allergy. He'll most likely suggest a "duck & pea" flavored food or something weird like that, something that has flavors that are somewhat unusual for cats so that there is no way that they could have built up a tolerance previously.

Purina is an awful brand for cats with allergies, anyway. I used to feed them that when I couldn't afford Iams, but then I found out that both brands have so many awful fillers that the cat can't help but to have an allergic reaction to the food. Most cats (and dogs!) are allergic to "commericial" food. It really is worth the investment to get your pets off those types of brands and to go with something your vet recommends.

**
A word of caution though, after I had tried everything else with my female cat and before we knew that it was fleas that she was allergic to, I had the vet give her a cortizone shot for her allergies. (I am not a rich person and yet I was prepared to spend this money on her food and bi-weekly shots if it would help her.. but) The first shot nearly killed her, and then we found out the hard way that she is also allergic to cortizone!!!

You can't be too careful. Sorry for going on and on. It's my way of saying please just take her to a vet.

Answer 5

It sounds like she may have allergies. It could be to anything, but make sure you always keep her litter area clean, and keep the dust in your house to a minimum. Of course, any allergy sufferer will tell you that season changes, and even weather changes will affect that too. You seem to be doing everything you can and I wouldn't worry about it too much, unless she gets worse. In that case, take her to the vet. Good luck!

Answer 6

She could have allergies, asthma, or a respiratory infection. Take her to the vet. He/she will examine the cat, listen to the chest with a stethoscope, and possibly take an x-ray. She may need to be on antibiotics or some type of antihistamine.

Answer 7

try tidy cat litter... or any other type. I have 2 cats and the one "puss" sometimes breathes the same way... but it is when she is burring. If you are very worried about your kitty I would call your vet to see if it is something to be worried about. Maybe she/he just has a small cold.

Answer 8

Is she a Persian or similar? That is normal for the breed. If not, she may actually have allergies and even asthma..you would want to get this diagnosed by a vet for the pet's sake.

Answer 9

That's probably just a way your cats purrs. They have a variety of different ways they purr based on how they are feeling.

We have one cat who sometimes purrs and looks like she's gasping for breath. We call it her "ahhhh, I got the bed all to myself" purr.

If you feel concerned about her health, talk with a vet. Just to make sure this is just a character trait your cat has.

Answer 10

my cat does the same thing.