Reverse sneezing in cats happens when something irritates the back of the nasal passages or throat, triggering a rapid, forceful inhalation through the nose instead of the outward blast of a normal sneeze. It looks and sounds alarming, but in most cases it’s a brief, harmless reflex that clears on its own within seconds. Compared to dogs, cats reverse sneeze far less often, which is partly why it catches owners off guard when it does happen.
What Happens During a Reverse Sneeze
A regular sneeze pushes air out to expel an irritant from the front of the nose. A reverse sneeze does the opposite: your cat rapidly pulls air in through the nose in short, noisy bursts while standing still with a stiffened neck. The soft palate (the fleshy tissue at the back of the roof of the mouth) spasms, temporarily narrowing the airway. This creates the distinctive snorting or honking sound that many owners mistake for choking or an asthma attack.
The whole episode typically lasts 10 to 30 seconds. Your cat may extend their neck, keep their mouth closed, and appear to be struggling to breathe. Once the spasm ends, they usually go right back to whatever they were doing as if nothing happened.
Common Triggers
Anything that tickles or irritates the nasopharynx, the area where the nasal passages meet the throat, can set off a reverse sneeze. The most frequent culprits include:
- Household irritants: Dust, cigarette smoke, perfumes, scented candles, cleaning sprays, and air fresheners
- Allergens: Pollen, mold spores, and cat litter dust, especially with fragranced litters
- Eating or drinking too fast: Rapid swallowing can briefly irritate the soft palate
- Sudden temperature changes: Moving between warm indoor air and cold outdoor air
- Excitement or pulling on a leash: Physical pressure on the throat area during activity
In many cases, you’ll never identify a specific trigger. A one-off episode with no other symptoms is rarely worth worrying about.
How Common Is It in Cats?
Reverse sneezing is much more of a dog phenomenon. In a study of nearly 400 dogs and cats evaluated for nasal and nasopharyngeal disease at a veterinary teaching hospital, 31% of the dogs showed reverse sneezing compared to only 6% of the cats. This doesn’t mean it’s abnormal in cats, just that it’s less frequently the presenting complaint. Dogs with flat faces (brachycephalic breeds) are especially prone, and the same applies to flat-faced cat breeds like Persians and Himalayans, whose compressed airways make them more sensitive to irritation.
Reverse Sneezing vs. Asthma and Coughing
The biggest concern most owners have is whether they’re witnessing a reverse sneeze or something more serious like a feline asthma attack. The differences are fairly reliable once you know what to look for.
During a reverse sneeze, your cat stands upright with their neck extended and mouth closed, rapidly inhaling through the nose. The sound is a rhythmic snorting or honking. It stops abruptly, and your cat acts completely normal afterward. During an asthma attack, your cat typically crouches low to the ground with their neck stretched forward and mouth open, coughing or wheezing. The sound is harsher and more labored, and the episode may last longer. Your cat may appear fatigued or breathe with visible effort even after the coughing stops.
A regular cough sounds like a hacking or retching motion, often ending with a gag. Reverse sneezing has no coughing component at all. If you’re unsure, recording the episode on your phone gives your vet much more to work with than a verbal description.
What to Do During an Episode
Most reverse sneezing episodes resolve on their own, but if you want to help it pass faster, a few gentle techniques can interrupt the spasm. Lightly rubbing your cat’s throat encourages swallowing, which resets the soft palate. You can also briefly cover their nostrils for a second or two, which stops airflow through the nose and prompts a swallow. Some owners find that gently blowing a puff of air toward their cat’s face also works. Stay calm, because your cat will pick up on your anxiety and become more stressed, which can prolong the episode.
Don’t restrain your cat or force their mouth open. If the episode ends on its own within 30 seconds or so and your cat resumes normal behavior, no further action is needed.
When Reverse Sneezing Points to Something Else
Occasional reverse sneezing is benign. Frequent or worsening episodes, especially alongside other symptoms, can signal an underlying problem in the nasal passages or nasopharynx. Diseases in this area can cause reverse sneezing along with gagging or difficulty swallowing.
Pay attention if your cat also develops nasal discharge, nosebleeds, noisy breathing (a low-pitched snoring sound even while awake), facial swelling, bad breath, or reduced appetite. These combinations suggest something beyond simple irritation. The possible causes depend partly on your cat’s age: kittens are more likely to have upper respiratory infections, while middle-aged and older cats are at higher risk for growths like nasopharyngeal polyps or nasal tumors. Dental disease, particularly tooth root infections, can also irritate the nasal area and trigger chronic episodes.
How Vets Investigate Persistent Cases
If your cat reverse sneezes frequently or has accompanying symptoms, your vet will likely start with a physical exam and oral examination. From there, the workup depends on what they suspect.
CT scans have largely replaced traditional skull X-rays for evaluating the nasal passages because they provide much better detail of bone and can reveal polyps, masses, or destructive lesions. For soft tissue evaluation, MRI is sometimes preferred. Rhinoscopy, where a tiny camera is passed through the nose or guided behind the soft palate, lets the vet directly visualize foreign bodies, masses, or narrowing in the nasopharynx. In cats, the nasal passages are quite small, so retroflex rhinoscopy (approaching from the throat side) is more commonly used than going in through the nostrils. Dental X-rays may also be taken to check for hidden tooth root abscesses contributing to the problem.
These procedures require anesthesia, so vets typically reserve them for cats with chronic or worsening signs rather than the occasional reverse sneeze. Imaging is always done before any tissue sampling to get a clear picture of what’s going on before anything is disturbed.
Reducing Episodes at Home
If your cat reverse sneezes occasionally and has no other symptoms, small environmental changes can help reduce the frequency. Switch to unscented, low-dust cat litter. Avoid using aerosol sprays, plug-in air fresheners, or scented candles near your cat’s living areas. Run an air purifier in the rooms where your cat spends the most time. Vacuum regularly to keep dust and dander levels down. If episodes seem seasonal, pollen may be the trigger, and keeping windows closed during high-pollen days can help.
For cats with flat faces, keeping their weight in a healthy range is especially important since excess tissue around the airway makes them more sensitive to irritation. Feeding from a slow-feeder bowl can also help if rapid eating seems to trigger episodes.