Yes, cats can have deviated septums, and they’re surprisingly common. A CT imaging study found that roughly 71% of healthy cats had some degree of nasal septal deviation. The condition ranges from a minor anatomical quirk that never causes problems to a significant obstruction that affects breathing, and flat-faced breeds are especially prone to nasal structural issues.
How Common Septal Deviation Is in Cats
The thin wall of cartilage and bone dividing a cat’s nasal cavity into left and right passages can shift off-center just like it can in humans. What surprises most people is how frequently this shows up on imaging. In a study using CT scans, about 71% of cats with no nasal disease at all had a visible septal deviation. Cats with chronic nasal inflammation (rhinitis) had an even higher rate at nearly 87%, and cats with nasal tumors came in at about 68%.
The key difference wasn’t whether a deviation existed, but how far off-center it was. Cats with rhinitis or nasal tumors had deviations greater than 1 millimeter from midline significantly more often than healthy cats. So a small deviation is essentially normal feline anatomy. A larger one may either contribute to breathing problems or result from disease pushing the septum out of place.
Flat-Faced Breeds Are More Affected
Brachycephalic cats, the breeds with shortened, flat faces like Persians, Exotic Shorthairs, and Himalayans, have a much higher risk of nasal structural problems. Their compressed skulls don’t just affect the outside appearance. Internally, the bones and cartilage of the nasal cavity get displaced and crowded. CT and anatomical studies of Persian and Exotic Shorthair cats show displacement of the internal nasal bones, including rotation of the structures (called conchae) that normally help direct airflow. Exotic Shorthairs in particular tend to fall into the most severe category of skull compression.
These breeds also commonly have narrowed nostrils, a condition called stenotic nares, which compounds any septal deviation. The combination of a shifted septum, displaced internal structures, and pinched nostrils can make breathing through the nose genuinely difficult. If you have a flat-faced cat that snores, breathes noisily, or regularly breathes through its mouth, the nasal anatomy is likely a factor.
Signs Your Cat May Have Breathing Obstruction
A mild septal deviation usually causes no symptoms at all. When the deviation is significant enough to partially block airflow, you’ll notice changes in how your cat sounds when breathing. The most common sign is stertor: a low-pitched snoring or snorting sound that’s audible without a stethoscope. It sounds exactly like a person snoring and can happen while the cat is awake and at rest. A higher-pitched, more whistling sound called stridor points to obstruction lower in the airway, around the throat or windpipe, rather than the nasal passages.
Other signs of nasal obstruction include chronic nasal discharge (from one or both nostrils), frequent sneezing, open-mouth breathing, and reduced appetite. Cats rely heavily on smell to stimulate eating, so a blocked nose can make food less appealing. Persistent noisy breathing, especially if it doesn’t come and go with a cold but stays constant, suggests a structural issue rather than an infection.
How Vets Diagnose Nasal Problems
A veterinarian may suspect a nasal structural issue based on your cat’s breed, breathing sounds, and history, but confirming what’s happening inside the nose requires imaging. The two main tools are CT scans and rhinoscopy.
CT scanning gives a detailed cross-sectional view of the entire nasal cavity, including the septum, surrounding bones, and sinuses. It’s particularly useful for evaluating whether bone has been damaged or eroded, which helps distinguish a simple deviation from something more serious like a tumor. Rhinoscopy involves passing a tiny camera into the nasal passages to directly visualize the lining and any masses, and it allows the vet to take tissue samples during the same procedure.
Both require general anesthesia. CT scans for cats typically cost in the range of several thousand dollars. One owner reported paying approximately $3,700 for a feline CT scan, though prices vary widely by region and facility. The cost of any follow-up surgery adds to that considerably.
Surgical Options for Severe Cases
Most cats with a deviated septum never need surgery. Treatment is only considered when the deviation (alone or combined with other structural problems) causes significant breathing difficulty that affects quality of life.
Septoplasty, the surgery humans get to straighten a deviated septum, isn’t commonly performed in cats the way it is in people. Feline nasal structures are small and delicate, which makes direct septal correction technically challenging. Instead, surgical intervention in cats more often targets the nostrils themselves when they’re narrowed. A recently developed technique for cats involves removing a small wedge of cartilage along the outside of each nostril, then suturing the edges together so the nostril opening widens permanently. This approach was specifically designed because procedures used in dogs don’t translate well to cats due to anatomical differences in the nostril shape and size.
Recovery from nasal surgery in cats generally takes 10 to 14 days. Serious complications are uncommon but can include infection at the incision site or the sutures pulling apart. Brachycephalic cats do carry a higher risk of respiratory complications under anesthesia, which is an important consideration when weighing the decision to operate.
Managing Mild Cases at Home
For cats with a mild deviation or chronic stuffiness that doesn’t warrant surgery, a few simple strategies can help keep their airways as clear as possible. Humidifying the air around your cat is one of the most effective approaches. Running a humidifier in the room where your cat spends most of its time, or bringing your cat into a steamy bathroom for 10 to 15 minutes, helps loosen mucus and keep nasal tissues from drying out. Saline drops instilled into the nostrils can also stimulate sneezing, which is a cat’s natural way of clearing the nasal passages.
Keeping the home environment free of strong irritants also helps. Cigarette smoke, heavily scented candles, dusty cat litter, and strong cleaning products can all worsen nasal congestion in a cat whose airway is already compromised. Switching to a low-dust litter and improving air filtration are small changes that can make breathing noticeably easier for a cat with structural narrowing. If your cat’s appetite drops during episodes of congestion, warming their food slightly can intensify its smell and encourage eating.
When a Deviated Septum Points to Something Else
Because septal deviation is so common in healthy cats, finding one on a scan doesn’t automatically explain your cat’s symptoms. The degree of deviation matters more than its mere presence. A deviation greater than 1 millimeter is more strongly associated with underlying nasal disease, but the deviation itself may be a consequence of the disease rather than the cause. Chronic inflammation from rhinitis can remodel the nasal structures over time, and nasal tumors can physically push the septum to one side as they grow.
This is why vets look at the full picture rather than stopping at the septum. Nasal polyps, fungal infections, chronic viral rhinitis, foreign bodies, and tumors can all cause similar symptoms. CT imaging and rhinoscopy help distinguish between these possibilities, and tissue biopsy provides a definitive answer when a mass is found. If your cat develops new or worsening nasal symptoms, especially discharge from only one nostril or visible facial swelling, a thorough workup is important to rule out conditions that need targeted treatment.