Why do cats snore

You should always be aware if your cat’s behavior changes from what it usually is. It could be a sign that your cat is unwell. It could also just be a completely natural and harmless or temporary thing, but if it is a defect that needs to be cured, it is always best to intervene as early as possible.

If your cat starts to snore, it may mean that breathing is strained, and therefore you should get it checked out. Snoring in a cat can be caused by various health situations.

What can snoring in a cat mean?

There can be several different reasons behind a cat’s snoring. In most cases, it happens when the cat is sleeping deeply, and it is not more worrying than when it happens to humans.

But in some cases, it can indicate something health-related that is concerning. In most cases, however, there will be more symptoms than just snoring.

It could, for example, be:

· A polyp

· Overweight

· Chlamydia

· Allergy

· Asthma

· Pneumonia

· Cat flu

· Age

Be especially aware if your cat suddenly starts to snore heavily. And be particularly observant if you notice that the cat generally has difficulty breathing. This always requires a visit to the vet.

How serious can it be when a cat snores?

As indicated by the list above, it can be a symptom of something quite serious if a cat snores. But it can also be perfectly natural. Some cats often snore when they sleep. This is especially seen in certain cat breeds. Other cats do it only rarely. There is nothing worrying about that.

It is mostly concerning when other symptoms accompany it, especially when it happens while the cat is awake, that you should be worried. Generally, pay attention to your cat’s overall health and well-being. If it changes suddenly or over a short period, it could be due to something that needs further investigation.

It could be a condition that can be relatively easily cured. But it could also be something that requires surgery. Always consult your vet if you are in doubt.

What can you do about your cat’s snoring?

If it is a case of natural sleep-snoring, it is quite harmless, and there is nothing you need to do about it.

If, however, it is snoring due to overweight or lack of exercise, then there is definitely something you can do to improve your cat’s health. You can relatively easily change its food and its exercise habits.

Give your cat the right food

If your cat is overweight, then you have a task to change that. A cat is not overweight by nature, and it does not thrive being overweight. You can immediately change the cat’s diet.

Ensure that it gets a food specifically composed for overweight cats. Such a food will over time be able to reduce the cat’s weight. Here it is important that the cat does not have free access to food around the clock. If it overeats, you need to regulate access to food or the amount of food.

Give your cat enough exercise

In terms of exercise, you should also ensure to activate your cat as much as possible. This can especially be a problem for indoor cats to get enough movement. In that case, you must activate it. This can, for example, be done with cat toys that get the cat to move more.

Exercise and sensible diet will generally do a lot of good for your cat’s health. It applies to weight, strength, and breathing. All of which can result in problems with snoring. It is always easier to prevent than to cure. This also applies to your cat’s health.

As always if you are in doubt contact your veterinarian for advice – this advice is general and may not apply to your cat as all cats are different.

Our team may have used AI to assist in the creation of this content, which has been reviewed by our editors.