Occasional noisy breathing

[ForeverHungry]

I have had my beautiful calico for a little over 2 years (4.5 years old). She was found by the shelter in someone's backyard and had a polyp in her ear at the time. The vet removed it when they put her under for spay. Other than some ear infections when I first adopted her, she's been a healthy cat. She gets yearly checks at the vet and vaccines and is a 100% indoor cat.

However, since the day I adopted her, she has occasionally shown to have noisy breathing. It happens for a few mins and then stops. She doesn't seem any different when the noisy breathing goes on although since cats are notorious for hiding health issues I've pointed this out to the vet along with videos to capture her noisy breathing. Unfortunately she has never had this noisy breathing during her checkups so the vet hasn't seen this happen in person. They always check her breathing and everything always seems normal. Vet suggested it could be allergies due to changes in the weather etc. Vet has checked her ears and not found any recurring polyps.

Every time this happens, I get crazy paranoid that something is going on and I'm not being a good cat parent. Would love some perspective from the community here on if anyone else has had any similar experience. I've read and watched videos on cat asthma and her breathing pattern during these noisy breathing episodes don't match with the videos I'm seeing online. However, maybe I'm missing something and have attached a video of her recent episode. Please let me know if this something you've dealt with and have any advice!
AziziBreathing.mov

 

[Sarthur2]

It sounds like a snore. Does this happen at certain times of the year, or just randomly? Is it only when she is awake, or also when she is sleeping?

It sounds like a clogged sinus that perhaps an antibiotic or steroid might help.

My daughter was clogged for quite awhile at around age 3, and snored loudly at night. She sounded quasi-okay during the day. She finally had an MRI and was found to have a deep sinus infection that required 2 months of antibiotics to fully clear. She’s been clear ever since and is an adult now.

However, I have a 3-year-old cat who seems to have a similar breathing issue and sounds much like yours. I’m planning to take him to the vet and am anticipating a prescription of clavamox for 14 days, possibly to be repeated if he’s not fully cleared.

Unless your cat has a deviated septum, it’s likely a set in sinus infection that needs meds.

 

[maggie101]

I found an article that may nellp
My cat Coco has a small face and noisy breathing though I notice it mostly when she sleeps on the head of my couch
Noisy Breathing in Cats

 

[ForeverHungry]

Thank you both! Funnily enough, she is an absolutely silent sleeper. This noisy breathing only happens when she is awake and only happens once or twice a week.

I’ll explore the possibility of a sinus issue with the vet.