My kitten whistles when breathing. Is it serious or just snoring?

Question

My kitten is about 7 months old. She had a lung infection when we rescued her at around 12 weeks. Ever since, she has struggled to inhale. Sometimes she breathes quietly, but mostly when she inhales she makes a high pitch whistle sound that sometimes sounds gargley. My vet I have now said “she’s just a snorer” but I feel like it’s something more serious. Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Female | unspayed | 7 months and 6 days old

Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA · Accepted Answer

It could be more serious, but it may be hard to diagnose. X-rays would be a good first step to check for any narrowing of the trachea or current lung abnormalities. A sedated oral, nasal, and pharyngeal exam can look for scar tissue, abnormalities, or polyps that can cause this to happen. If those are both normal, then a CT scan or MRI may be needed to find the cause for the narrowed airway (which often causes the whistle sound when breathing).

My kitten whistles when breathing. Is it serious or just snoring?

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