What Causes My Cat to Snore? 6 Reasons You Should Know

what causes my cat to snore

Is it Normal for a Cat to Snore?

The short answer is yes!

Cats, like humans, sleep in cycles. They experience REM (Rapid-Eye Movement) and can sleep a deeper, more relaxed sleep. You’re likelier to hear snoring when they’re in deep slumber or dreaming. If you see twitching or meowing squeaks, your cat is more likely to be in REM. If you only hear your cat snoring occasionally, you don’t need to worry too much. Similarly, if your cat has always snored and doesn’t appear to be in any physical pain, it could just be who he is! Some people are more likely to snore because of the form of their nasal passages.

When deeply asleep, your cat is most likely to snore. The soft tissues around their nose and neck relax as their body relax. Cats, like humans, have a loose flap of skin at the rear of the nasal tube that allows air to pass through when we breathe but prevents water from going up our noses when we drink. We recognize snoring as the vibration of this flap while we are relaxed and asleep. Because the shape of an animal’s head and face influences the size and position of the flap, some animals snore more than others.

A cat purr can sound like snoring at times. Listen if you’re unsure whether your pet is snoring or purring. A cat’s purr is a consistent sound, whereas a snore changes with its breathing and becomes louder when exhaling.

Why Does My Cat Snore?

Why Does My Cat Snore?

There are numerous reasons your cats may snore when sleeping, but the following are some of the most prevalent:

1. Your Cat’s Genes

Because of the form of their faces, brachycephalic or flat-faced cat breeds such as Himalayans and Persians are more prone to snoring. They are more prone to have their soft palate or some other tissue constricting their airway because their entire nasal cavity is inside their skull. This situation raises the possibility of cat snoring.

The term “brachycephalic” comes from two words: “brachy” means shortened and “cephalic” means head. As a result, brachycephalic cats’ skull bones are more diminutive, giving the face and nose a pushed-in appearance. They may also have additional anatomical alterations in their brain and airways, which cause breathing issues, including snoring. The form of your cat’s nose and nasal tubes influences how the air travels in and out. Some cats are just inclined to snore, especially brachycephalic breeds like Persians.

So if you’re wondering if it is normal for my cat to snore and you have one of these brachycephalic cats, then wonder no more! It’s going to be a natural occurrence at your home. These cats are stunning, but you’ll have to keep them away from you when sleeping if you don’t want to be bothered by their snoring.

2. Your Cat’s Weight

Overweight cats are more likely to snore due to extra fat accumulating in the tissues surrounding the upper airways—one of many reasons you should strive to keep your cat from becoming overweight.

A cat’s weight significantly impacts the quality of his sleep. Weight gain might strain your cat’s nasal passages, causing him to snore. Remember that snoring caused by obesity may indicate that your cat isn’t getting enough rest! Around half of the cats aged 5 to 11 are overweight, and roughly one-third of all cats in North America are obese. They usually weigh at least 20% more than they should.

Extra fat can develop around your cat’s neck, much like in overweight people, making it difficult for your cat to breathe and perhaps causing snoring. Obesity creates much more severe health concerns in cats than snoring. If your cat is overweight, consult your vet about how to help them lose weight. It could benefit your cat to live a longer life.

3. Your Cat’s Sleeping Position

It would be best to consider the cat’s sleeping position when it comes to snoring. Your cat may snore because of the unusual angle when sleeping, which it can assume due to its extreme mobility and adaptability. In this scenario, the sound should be brief and stop as soon as your cat changes position.

It’s possible that your cat’s loud snoring is due to an awkward resting position. In this scenario, the sound should be fleeting and end as soon as your cat moves to a new location. If you think about it, sleeping positions can also be the reason for snoring humans. A quick change of position should remedy the problem.

Cats are known to sleep in the most peculiar positions. They occasionally sleep with their heads tilted at precisely the right angle, which causes them to snore. As soon as your cat changes position, the snoring will stop immediately. There is absolutely no need for alarm here at all.

4. Your Cat’s Respiratory Health

Snoring results from various illnesses, including asthma, respiratory system infections caused by bacteria or fungi, and other conditions with similar symptoms. In addition to discharge from the eyes and nose, other signs of a respiratory illness include sneezing, coughing, a lack of energy, and poor appetite.

When they have a cold, your cat will snore as you do. Snoring can have a wide variety of root causes, including asthma, bacterial infections, and fungal infections, to name just a few.

You may detect any of the following symptoms in addition to those described earlier, such as sneezing, coughing, eye or nasal discharge, aberrant behavior, or decreased appetite. If that’s the case, you should take your cat to your trusted veterinarian as soon as possible.

5. Your Cat Has Something in its Mouth

Snoring, coughing, and anxiety may happen because of something as simple as a grass blade lodged in the back of the nose, throat, or mouth. As curious creatures, cats often try eating or drinking unusual items. There’s a chance that they cannot wholly swallow the thing, and it becomes stuck in the back of their throat.

After a long day of grooming, they may fall asleep with a lint or hairball lodged in their mouth, which can lead to noisy snoring. However, it’s not entirely out of the question that your cat could accidentally swallow something it shouldn’t.

A blade of grass or another foreign object may be stuck in your cat’s mouth, causing it to snore for the first time. If there is something stuck in your cat’s nose, it may become irritated or cough. Do not try to remove anything from your cat’s nose if you suspect something is there. It’s best to have your cat checked out by a vet to ensure you’re not making things worse.

6. Your Cat Has an Underlying Condition

Snoring in cats may also be caused by a whole set of other conditions, including nasal polyps or tumors, trauma, inflammation, or allergies. You should rush your cat to the veterinarian for a checkup if you are unsure of the reason behind its abrupt onset of snoring.

Snoring could be a symptom of a more severe problem, such as an issue with your cat’s respiratory system, and you may have been hearing it. If the snoring continues despite your best attempts, it is probably time to make an appointment with a trained medical professional. Of course, this is just a hunch, but it could be that something more severe is going on.

Your veterinarian will be able to do the required testing to determine whether or not there is a cause for concern if there are other symptoms besides chronic snoring.

How Do I Stop My Cat from Snoring?

If your cat’s snoring is interfering with his sleep, attempt to figure out what’s causing it. If your cat is snoring transiently, try putting him in a new position as he sleeps; sometimes, changing how it breathes can help. If you’d rather stay up all night than wake your sleeping cat, there’s no shame in investing in a good white noise machine.

Cat snoring is common. It’s pretty standard most of the time. With nearly 60% of cats classified as fat or overweight, chances are your cat’s snoring is driven by a desire to lose weight. Please work with your vet to develop a weight loss plan for your cat and see whether the snoring stops as his weight reduces. However, obesity is one avoidable and treatable cause of snoring. Obesity can lead to a dramatically shorter lifespan for your cat.

Many people need to consider giving exercise to their cats as they do for their dogs. After all, most cats struggle to walk on a leash. Make sure your cat has plenty of safe places to perch. The more variety you can provide your cat, the happier he will be. Please encourage them to jump or climb from one perch to the next to get some exercise.

Final Thoughts

Talk to your veterinarian before your cat’s yearly checkup if the snoring is new or if other symptoms accompany it.

On the other hand, it is not unheard of for cats to produce adorable tinny snorting noises while sleeping, which sometimes can be quite audible and loud. If you keep an eye out for the warning signs we highlighted and pay attention to your cat’s eating patterns, you can avoid severe problems.

The remedy for your cat’s snoring will depend on the underlying problem. The good news is that most feline snoring cases are entirely safe, and the only necessary treatment is getting a comfortable set of earplugs for you.

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