Cat stopped purring

Today I was petting my 16 year old cat with CRF and realized that he should be purring. He had been sitting on my lap for 20 minutes while I was watching TV and when I turned it off I noticed that something was missing. He wasn't purring. Then I realized I don't remember the last time he purred. It also sounds like wheezing or watery breathing through a straw? Could it just be a cold or allergies. He was just at the vet and was doing well. Has anyone elses cat ever stopped purring? What could it be?

James Bond got lost, and by the time we got him back, he'd been hit by a car. He didn't purr for several months, but the day it came back, I cried.

It sounds like his purr just doesn't sound like it used to? The wheezy sound might be what is purr is like now that he's getting old, but I'd mention it to the vet to see if it's a sign of anything.

Sometimes as they get older it is harder to hear if at all. I would keep an eye on his breathing if your concerned, older cats can develop sudden fluid in the lungs ........

When my cat Kitten died, BooBoo didn't purr for months. When I noticed it I got concerned but he was still eating and drinking ect. Then when Glitch died he got so depressed I took him to the vet! Turns out he just had anxiety because he was lonely!

Hi there,

My cat has just sadly passed away as a reult of CRF. She lived with it for 7 years...she was 23!!

About 3 years ago she stopped purring out loud but she could still be FELT purring.

Stroke your puss and either listed to her tummy or put a finger gently under her throat. I think you'll find she's still purring.

Apparently it's quite normal for an older cat to stop purring and you're cat's a lovely oldie so probably nothing wrong.

Good luck with the CRF, there are some good web sites to ensure you're doing every thing you can.

Shelagh

Sweet old thing.....

I had a cat since I was 4 and she just passed away this year at 16. She had a lot of health issues, for example, one of her kidneys failed a few months before she passed, she also had UTI problems since she was born. She stopped meowing around 10 years old. It was just a squeak and she stopper purring then too. You could feel her purr if you really tried hard, but like someone said before, that gets to be a normal thing at that age.

I don't think it is really something to worry about unless the cat looks like it can't breath or do other natural things.

How sad. Their little purring machines run down in old age. I never knew that.

I know you said she was just at the vet, but I'd call them and tell them just what you said about breathing through a straw (the gurgly part) which possibly could be a symptom of a cardiac problem (though may not be!).

My 16 year old male diabetic cat has also stopped purring. He has not purred for over a year now. He is not your normal cat. He has to use Lantus insulin for his diabetes and take 6 to 7 units  a day down from 10 because of  a chronic health issue that Dr. does not know how to cure. He takes periods where just stops eating to  have to put him on 14 days of Marbow antibiotics to get him eating again for about 2 weeks then stops wanting to eat again.