The cat snores in a dream reasons. Why does the Scottish and British cat snore and snore in his sleep? Where does the cat run in a dream

In the article, I will consider the situation when a cat sniffs loudly during breathing. Why does this happen when sniffing is the norm, and in what cases is the development of pathologies possible? I'll tell you when it's time to seek help from a veterinarian, what to do in order to carry out timely treatment.

The respiratory system in cats is similar in structure to the human one. They, just like a person, can sigh, grunt and even snore. If the cat sniffs not only in a dream, this may be a symptom of the disease.

If you do not understand why the cat sniffs when breathing, then most likely she has rhinitis or a runny nose.

The animal begins to sniff as a result of inflammation of the nasopharyngeal mucosa. This happens due to hypothermia, or a cold.


A runny nose in a pet often occurs as a result of exposure to chemicals.
Rhinitis can be a consequence of any past disease.

If a cat sniffles, you need to monitor her, the sick pet constantly rubs her nose with her paws, often sneezes, and breathes hard.

In addition, the pet looks apathetic, there is exhaustion, and the development of conjunctivitis.

In case of a cold or rhinitis, treatment should be carried out in order to avoid negative consequences.

The normal state of the cat

In exotic breed cats with a flat muzzle, this process is the norm, due to the physiological feature of a short nose.

If your pet is from the cat family, sniffs through its nose, but does not express the presence of pain, its behavior has not changed, it plays, eats well, you need to examine the animal:

  • if the nasal mucosa is pink, then the body receives enough oxygen;
  • there is no discharge from the nose, which means that a cold is excluded;
  • light pressure on the entire back will help to find out if there are or are no zones of pain.

Snoring may be due to a deviated septum, or obesity, which is not life-threatening.

When your cat sniffles, along with this she scratches her nose with her paws, and sneezes, she may just have an allergy that will disappear after the elimination of the allergen.


Possible diseases and pathologies

When a pet snores constantly, or very frequently, it may be a symptom of one of the following conditions:

  • swelling of the larynx; can be caused by allergies, or the presence of foreign objects in the respiratory system;
  • ; sniffling is sometimes accompanied by wheezing;
  • the presence of worms, which may be present even in the respiratory system;
  • asthma;
  • pneumonia and bronchitis;
  • heart failure; along with sniffing, a cough is traced, and blue mucous membranes;
  • respiratory infections;
  • obesity.

A veterinarian will help the owner determine the cause of sniffing when breathing in a cat.

When to take your cat to the vet

If your cat snores frequently or breathes with an open mouth, this should alert you to a visit to the vet.
Before you go to the doctor, you need to observe the animal for a couple of days in order to correctly answer the questions in the veterinary clinic for a correct diagnosis.
The veterinarian may be interested in the following information:

  • How long has the sniffling started?
  • are there accompanying sounds along with sniffling during breathing;
  • Has the pet been injured?
  • whether the usual behavior of the animal has changed;
  • was there a change in the color of the mucous membranes;
  • other symptoms (vomiting, runny nose, cough).

By the nature of sniffing, and additional sounds, you can determine the focus of the disease:

  • sniffling, coughing and blue mucous membranes signal heart failure;
  • wheezing with wheezing indicates the presence of urolithiasis;
  • moist rales may indicate sputum in the respiratory system;
  • crackling indicates problems in the alveoli;
  • dry wheezing indicates the presence of edema in the bronchi or larynx;
  • sniffling plus wheezing may indicate swelling in the airways.

When a pet has difficulty breathing and she sniffles, do not diagnose yourself, this can lead to her death.

Correct diagnosis and timely initiation of treatment will ensure a speedy recovery of the cat. You do not need to be guided by the advice of other cat owners, or information on websites. Each case is different, even if the symptoms are similar.


Few hold back laughter from a YouTube video of a cat snoring in its sleep. But it's not funny when your cat snores especially if it happens at 4 o'clock in the morning. Snoring is not as common in cats as it is in dogs. It is usually caused by an upper airway obstruction. The cause of snoring can be the presence of fluid in the nasopharynx, which interferes with the normal passage of air. In animals, as in humans, snoring can be harmless, but it can sometimes indicate a health problem.

Are certain cats prone to snoring?

with a flattened muzzle (for example,) are predisposed to a disease such as brachycephalic airway syndrome, which can cause snoring. By and large, any cat breed that has an unusually shaped muzzle is prone to snoring. The thing is that in such animals, the deformation of the muzzle leads to the development of narrower nostrils, the presence of a softer and elongated palate. Most often, snoring is absolutely harmless, but in some cases, even surgical intervention may be necessary, without which the animal will not be able to breathe normally. Obesity can also affect the appearance of snoring in a pet. Therefore, there is another reason to keep the animal on a diet.

When do you need to seek help?

If snoring doesn't create a real problem for the cat, then, in principle, nothing needs to be done. But if the animal has difficulty breathing, tries to breathe through its mouth, or stretches its neck when breathing, you should contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. Other indicators of problems include discharge from the animal's nose (from one or both nostrils), swelling in the face, sneezing, coughing, or a change in voice. The veterinarian will perform a thorough examination, in some cases, may prescribe an x-ray. A thorough examination of the throat and nasopharynx may be used to pinpoint the problem. This procedure is performed under anesthesia.

Reasons for snoring in a cat

In addition to the brachycephalic airway syndrome, snoring can be caused by the following reasons: a foreign body in the throat or nasopharynx, polyps, inflammation, trauma, paralysis of the larynx.

Methods for treating snoring in cats

Method cat snoring treatment will largely depend on its underlying cause. That is why it is impossible to say exactly how a particular animal will be treated. Everything will depend on the results of preliminary diagnostics. Fortunately, snoring is not dangerous in most cases. Sometimes it is enough to use special tampons for the ears. But this problem should not be neglected, with any suspicion of an ailment, consult a doctor.

Some strange sounds wake you up at night. It turns out that your cat is snoring. I feel sorry for the animal and myself. What to do in such cases?

Why does a cat snore with his nose and sniff like a person when he sleeps but there is no snot

There are breeds of cats and dogs that are prone to snoring. These are animals with a shortened nose, such as Persians or Exotics. It is natural for them to snore or sniff their nose a little while sleeping. Sniffing in the nose can also be a sign of illness.

What to do if the cat is electrified and why it happens

The cat's coat can become electrified from the dry air in the room. In winter, it is necessary to humidify the air in the apartment so that it is about 50-60%. Static electricity in wool can be generated by contact with the wearer's synthetic clothing or furniture upholstery. You can spray clothes (but not a cat) with antistatic.

Why does a cat constantly snore and is it dangerous, how to help

Diseases in which a cat can snore:
- helminthic invasions;
- asthma;
- polyps in the nose;
- excess weight;
- hyperplasia of the soft palate;
- heart failure;
- urolithiasis disease;
- Brain injury.

It is necessary to observe the animal in order to know what to tell the veterinarian. How a cat snores - with its nose or mouth, on inhalation or exhalation, what an appetite and behavior. The veterinarian will examine the animal and prescribe treatment. An x-ray of the nose may be needed if snoring is caused by polyps or a deviated septum.

The cat snores while inhaling and breathing what to do and how to treat, is this normal or bad

Snoring or wheezing when inhaling can mean bronchospasm. This condition occurs during an asthma attack. If a cat has previously suffered from allergies that were not treated, asthma is a logical continuation of the disease in a more severe form. This disease is life-threatening, the animal can simply suffocate while sleeping. It is necessary that the doctor prescribes a treatment for the cat, which will definitely help.

The cat snores after anesthesia what to do

After anesthesia, the animal may feel unwell - refuse to eat, snore through the nose. Usually within a day the condition is normalized. The cat does not need to be disturbed, forcibly pour water into it, it can vomit. If the snoring doesn't go away in the next few days, take your cat to the vet.

Cat snores after spaying

Snoring can be caused by a variety of reasons, one of which is heart failure. Therefore, the operation is advised to be performed on animals at a young age. There is a danger of urolithiasis due to the restructuring of the metabolism in the body. One of the symptoms of this disease is snoring.

After sterilization, the animal is transferred to specialized industrial feed intended for sterilized animals.

This serves to prevent the occurrence of kidney disease. It is necessary to monitor the weight of the animal, after sterilization there is a tendency to obesity - this is also one of the reasons for snoring in a cat.

Snoring is as common among cats as it is among humans. Therefore, the characteristic sounds made by a pet during sleep are far from always an alarming sign of serious pathologies. There are breeds that are predisposed to snoring due to the specific structure of the muzzle and the olfactory organs in particular. There are cats that tend to snore on their own, even though it doesn't happen that often. It is difficult to count all the reasons why a cat snores. In this article, we will try to cover all aspects of cat snoring, its painful and healthy sides.

Many owners, having heard snoring coming from their pet, begin to sound the alarm and take the cat for all kinds of examinations. In some cases, such care is really useful and helps to recognize the disease in the early stages. But is snoring alone worth the complete mobilization of cat owners? Consider the circumstances in which snoring fits into the norm:

  1. Let's start with the fact that in a completely relaxed state, a cat can make a whole range of sounds: from rumbling and squeaking to sniffing and snoring. The muscles of the chest come to rest, which only contributes to the production of various guttural sounds;

  2. Scientists have proven that animals see colorful, meaningful dreams and deeply experience the events taking place in them. So, dogs or cats can imitate running in their sleep, which will cause them to churn and shortness of breath. During dreams, pets can meow, bark and even growl, not to mention snoring. However, such active actions during sleep are a rare occurrence that will not manifest itself every night;

  3. Brachycephalic cats are more prone to snoring than their relatives. A flattened nose suggests its own nuances of functioning. By the way, brachycephaly is common not only among cats, but also among dogs. An excellent example of this is the pug and those recognizable sounds that he makes even when he is awake. Brachycephalic cats include Persian cats, Scottish Folds and Straights, British and Himalayan cats. It is these breeds that are predisposed to asphyxia, shortness of breath and heart failure;

  4. The more weight a cat has, the more it is prone to snoring. Excess weight is one of the main causes of snoring in both humans and animals. Therefore, if you correlate the appearance of night “concerts” with weight gain in a cat, then think about changing his diet and increasing active loads.

Another cause of snoring, which is not related to pathologies, however, and is not a variation of the norm, is the foreign body stuck in the sinuses of the animal. This reason may be relevant for families with children who play building blocks and other toys that have small parts.

The main danger of a stuck object is an unexpected attack of suffocation, which can come unexpectedly for the owners of the animal. Long-term presence of a foreign object in the nose of a cat is also fraught with the appearance of inflammatory and purulent processes.

brachycephalic syndrome

Let us dwell in more detail on the brachycephalic syndrome, which is a key feature of some breeds. The structure of the muzzle of brachycephalic breeds has the following features:


Video - Causes of cat snoring. brachycephalic syndrome

Types of snoring

Hardly any of the owners are aware that there are different types of snoring. Meanwhile, it is the nature of the sounds made by the pet that helps the veterinarian to establish an accurate diagnosis. Before visiting a specialist, it is advisable to listen to the cat’s night breathing and describe its changes in detail, since the veterinarian will not be able to watch the sleeping cat live.

For ease of recognition of certain types of snoring, we provide their descriptions below.

Table 1. Types of cat snoring

TypeDescription
Dry snoringThis type of snoring is recognized only on exhalation and sounds like a whistle. Hoarse breaths can only be heard when using special equipment in the veterinary clinic. Dry snoring, as a rule, marks the narrowing of the trachea and bronchi and other problems with the respiratory system.
Wet or bubbly snoringSnoring owes its second name to the expressive sound that accompanies snoring, reminiscent of bursting bubbles. It seems as if something like an air bubble film is stuck in the pet's airways. Wet snoring is clearly audible when inhaling and exhaling
Inspiratory snoringIn its sound, this type of snoring is more like whistling or hissing or even noises. Changes in breathing are clearly audible both during inhalation and exhalation. The main cause of inspiratory snoring is narrowing of the upper airways.
Crackling or crepitant snoringThe cause of crackling snoring, which occurs due to the expansion of sticky alveoli during inhalation, is most easily diagnosed. Alveoli are bubble formations in the lungs that normally do not manifest themselves in any way. Cracking when snoring indicates a change in their condition. When recognizing such snoring, a doctor's consultation is required.

Comprehensive diagnostics

Cat owners should remember that any pathology has several manifestations at once, which make it possible to more accurately determine the disease. If, apart from snoring, you do not observe any changes in your pet, most likely there is no cause for concern. Of course, an extra trip to the vet is never harmful.

However, cats deserve special attention, the snoring of which is accompanied by other negative symptoms that are not immediately evident, and sometimes even almost imperceptible. Less obvious manifestations of a possible disease include:

  • General weakness, apathy;
  • Lack of appetite;
  • Temperature increase;
  • Digestive disorders: diarrhea, diarrhoea, constipation;
  • Shortness of breath in your free time from sleep, shortness of breath;
  • frequent sneezing;
  • Cough.

Drawing up an anamnesis

If you have checked off one or more of the items from the list above, you should collect a preliminary history in order to prepare for upcoming questions from the veterinarian. The history includes the following information:

  1. Age and basic habits;
  2. Accurate weight;
  3. The time of occurrence of snoring and the possible reasons with which the owner associates it;
  4. The specificity of disturbing extraneous sounds - whether they are heard during inhalation, exhalation, or both;
  5. Paleness or, conversely, inflammation of the mucous membranes during sleep or immediately after waking up;
  6. The presence of craniocerebral injuries or injuries that touched the muzzle or some of its parts;
  7. The manifestation of indirect symptoms indicating the painful condition of the pet, indicated above.

Diseases associated with snoring

Despite the fact that the spectrum of pathologies leading to snoring is wide - from thickening of the soft palate to polyps in the lungs, there is a list of the most relevant diseases that owners of snoring pets face.

Laryngeal edema

Edema is difficult to attribute to pathologies; rather, it is the result of an allergic reaction that was not recognized in time by the owner. An allergen can be a product or some object that once got into the pet's larynx and caused inflammation. To protect the sleep of an allergic cat, it is advisable to remove the allergen from the house, which has a constant effect.

In the event that the edema was provoked by autoimmune diseases, the veterinarian selects a stabilizing therapy that strengthens the pet's body's resistance.

Asthma

It is difficult to talk about the causes of asthma because they remain largely unexplained. Influenced by genetic and pedigree factors. For example, bronchocephalic breeds already familiar there are more prone to this disease. In addition to snoring, asthma is accompanied by suffocating bouts of coughing, which are sometimes mistaken by the owners for the manifestation of a gag reflex, later shortness of breath, apathy, and lack of appetite join the cough.

Asthma exists in several forms:

  • Moderate - this type of asthma usually goes unnoticed by the owners. The cat sometimes coughs and wheezes, but does not show other signs of illness and appears healthy;
  • Moderately severe - coughing attacks torment the pet several times a day, sometimes leading to suffocation;
  • Acute-severe - this form is accompanied by respiratory failure and narrowing of the animal's bronchi, threatening his life. In acute severe asthma, the animal is hospitalized as soon as possible.

Owners of animals prone to asthma and chronic bronchitis will sooner or later need to inhale their animals at home. You can read about the inhalation itself and how it is carried out below.

Urolithiasis disease

Despite the fact that urolithiasis does not affect the lungs and extends its influence to the kidneys and the genitourinary system, wheezing often accompanies advanced stages of the disease. With intoxication and periodic pain, the occurrence of extraneous sounds during breathing is not uncommon. Diagnosing urolithiasis as the primary source of wheezing is not difficult - unsuccessful trips to the toilet and blood in the urine are an unambiguous signal for the start of serious treatment.

KSD is more common among males due to the peculiarities of the structure of their genitourinary system. Moreover, young individuals are susceptible to the disease, while in animals after six years this pathology is diagnosed relatively rarely. Castrated cats that have survived the removal of the gonads are at risk.

  • An increase in the abdomen, pain when trying to palpation;
  • Loss of tufts of wool, regardless of molting;
  • Yellowing of the mucous membranes due to enlargement of the liver;
  • Repeated attempts by the cat to lick the anus due to increasing itching.

Bronchitis

It is quite difficult to notice snoring, missing other symptoms of bronchitis, therefore, as a rule, the owners have no doubts about the pathology of the respiratory system when they come to the veterinarian. The only difficulty is that in cats, coughing, sneezing and vomiting are very similar to each other and it can be difficult for a person who is not privy to cat diseases to distinguish all these painful manifestations.

One of the sure signs of a lack of oxygen that occurs with bronchitis is the blue of the mucous membranes, which is also characteristic of asthma. To check the shade of the mucous membranes, it is enough to lift the upper lip of the animal and look at the gums.

With bronchitis, a dry cough is most often observed, sometimes accompanied by sputum. Accompanying bronchitis can also be non-specific symptoms such as diarrhea or vomiting (due to severe coughing).

Heart failure

A number of factors lead to heart failure, including:

Symptoms of heart failure in some cases can be confused with pneumonia, bronchitis or asthma. This disease is also characterized by shortness of breath, blue mucous membranes due to oxygen starvation of organs and tissues, wet rales. In severe cases, heart failure leads to fainting and even paralysis of the hind limbs (due to the occurrence of a blood clot).

Obesity

Excess weight can be formed both as a result of an unbalanced diet, and as a result of hormonal disorders in the pet's body. Some breeds (for example, the British cat) have a predisposition to rapid weight gain, so the diet of such animals requires a particularly careful approach. Due to the lack of physical activity, all pets are equally at risk, especially those that have been sterilized.

The consequences of obesity can be global - from joint problems to interruptions in the work of the heart. The appearance of snoring just indicates an increase in the load on the cardiovascular system, which cannot cope with the body weight of the animal.

Snoring treatment

As you can see, the causes of snoring can be very different, therefore, subsequent treatment will depend on the severity of the pathology:

  • In case of obesity, for example, it will be enough for a cat to change the diet, it may be necessary to transfer it to special dietary ready-made feeds;
  • In the event that there is hyperplasia of the soft palate, to get rid of snoring and associated breathing discomfort, the cat will be prescribed an operation that will solve the problem. However, surgery is performed only in extreme cases, when hyperplasia threatens the life of the pet. Otherwise, the veterinarian will advise you to put up with the snoring of the animal if it does not threaten his health;

As such, snoring is not curable. And if it is not included in the list of other dangerous painful manifestations, then it makes sense to put up with this phenomenon as a feature of a pet. Since cat snoring is barely audible, getting used to it will not be difficult.

Cats, like some other representatives of the animal world, snore in their sleep. A small kitten emits a light sniffle, slightly purrs. An adult cat snores much louder and can even prevent you from falling asleep.

Cat snoring is divided into two categories: normal physiological and snoring, which indicates a serious illness.

  • Ordinary snoring.

A sleeping cat, which is sure that nothing threatens her, relaxes all the muscles in a dream, including the muscles of the chest. In this case, during sleep, the chest shifts slightly, it is more difficult to breathe, and the cat makes rumbling sounds similar to snoring.

Difficulty breathing and light whistling sounds during sleep are common for exotic cats (with a shortened muzzle). Representatives of these breeds have narrowed nasal passages, which is why breathing in a dream is always accompanied by light sniffing and purring.. That's why it usually doesn't bother experienced hosts.

  • Snoring, which indicates a serious illness.

In some cases, such snoring can be caused by "brachyceial syndrome". If your Persian cat snores louder than usual, breathes heavily and often in a dream, snoring is more frequent, consult a doctor.

Danger symptom

  • Allergic reaction.

An allergic reaction and, as a result, swelling of the larynx is caused by the ingestion of a foreign object that could be stuck in the throat. This could be chemicals, plant leaves, or any other substance that the cat has accidentally swallowed or has in its mouth. Allergies are usually treated conservatively.

  • Foreign object

Harsh, intermittent snoring may be caused by the cat swallowing a foreign object that is lodged in the upper airway. This, for example, is a large fish bone or small parts of toys. You can see exactly where the object is stuck using a chest x-ray. As a rule, with a timely appeal to the veterinarian, the pet can be saved.

Snoring accompanied by a cough can also indicate diseases such as pneumonia or acute bronchitis. With timely access to a veterinarian, there is no danger to life.

What chronic diseases are responsible

We have already mentioned the “brachyceial syndrome”, which causes snoring. Such a syndrome is a consequence of the growth of the veil of the palate, due to which the nasal passages are greatly narrowed, it is difficult for the animal to breathe in sleep. This disease can be diagnosed both with a routine examination of the oral cavity and with the help of bronchoscopy of the respiratory tract. The syndrome is cured with the help of surgical treatment, and with a timely visit to the veterinarian, there are no serious consequences for the health of the animal.

Also, your cat may snore loudly if she has acute heart failure or asthma. In this case, snoring is a natural consequence of the disease.

The next reason is a disease of the urolithiasis. It is more common in males. The cat may have difficulty urinating. This is caused by malnutrition and castration done at the wrong time.

If your cat is obese, then snoring is a natural consequence of the disease. In this case, after consulting with a specialist, you should align the diet. And put your pet on a strict diet.

If your newborn kitten is snoring loudly, it could be due to worms. They can also cause coughing.

As you can see, there are many reasons why your pet may snore in their sleep. The most important thing is to be attentive to the condition of your pet and consult a doctor in time.

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