TL;DR: Respiratory clicking in cats is a sign of potential airway obstruction or infection and requires prompt veterinary evaluation. Seek emergency care immediately if your cat exhibits open-mouth breathing, blue-tinted gums, or labored neck stretching.
What does it mean if my cat is making a clicking sound when breathing?
- Known medically as stertor or stridor, these sounds indicate abnormal air movement through the upper airways.
- The noise typically points to an obstruction, fluid accumulation, or narrowing in the nasal passages or throat.
- Common underlying conditions include feline asthma, upper respiratory infections, or nasopharyngeal polyps.
Is respiratory clicking in cats considered a medical emergency?
- Urgency Level: High. Because cats hide respiratory distress well, any sound audible to the human ear likely indicates a significant issue.
- Seek immediate emergency care if:
- Your cat is breathing with an open mouth.
- The gums have a bluish or purple tint.
- Your cat is stretching its neck out to draw breath.
Why should I record a video of my cat’s respiratory clicking for the veterinarian?
- A video captures symptoms that may be masked by adrenaline or "white coat syndrome" during a clinic visit.
- It allows the veterinarian to observe the specific sound, frequency, and rhythm of the breathing in a natural environment.
- A recording provides vital information that leads to a faster and more accurate triage and diagnostic process.
Clinical Context (Merck Veterinary Manual)
Compromised breathing in cats may manifest as an increased respiratory rate and effort, followed by changes in respiratory pattern, and postural changes such as sitting crouched on all four limbs with the sternum slightly elevated. Labored, open-mouth breathing and cyanosis indicate significant loss of pulmonary function and impending pulmonary arrest. Auscultation of the thorax is important to determine the location of the pathology, whether pleural space or parenchymal disease, guiding resuscitative efforts. Lung parenchymal disease typically causes quiet, smooth breathing, while pleural space disease causes asynchronous breathing. Cats may also present with an "asthma-like" airway constriction, characterized by expiratory wheeze on auscultation, forced abdominal expiratory effort, and easily induced exercise intolerance.
Chapter: Emergency, Respiratory
Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual, 11th Edition (Page 1663)