Why Does My Cat Sound Like a Kazoo? (3 Top Reasons)
If your cat sounds like a kazoo, you may be wondering if this sound is normal for cats, and why this is even happening…
Why does my cat sound like a kazoo?
The main reasons why a cat may sound like a kazoo is it has a hairball causing a blockage in its airway, has an allergy, or is naturally flat-faced. If it’s the latter, flat-faced, its face structure will make it harder to breathe and potentially cause this.
So, now you know. But, how can you prevent this from happening? Should you be concerned about it wheezing, or sounding like this? Is this sound the same as a ct wheezing? Keep reading for these answers, and much more.
3 Top reasons why your cat sounds like a kazoo:
Earlier I mentioned 3 reasons why your cat may be sounding like a kazoo. Therefore, in this section, I will give you more detail on each one of these:
01. Hairball
A hairball is basically a compact collection of cat fur that gets stuck in your cat’s stomach. In most cases, this will eventually work its way up and get couched out. However, before this comes out it can cause many symptoms such as wheezing or making your cat sound like a kazoo.
These hairballs are more common in long-haired cats, such as Maine Coons. This does not mean that short-haired cats cannot get hairballs, because they definitely do.
02. Allergies
Various allergies affect cats, like us humans. This includes food, dust, or smoke, for example. If your cat has an allergy there are several symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, or sounding like a kazoo.
If you do discover that it is a food allergy you will need to be very careful with their diet. This is because, like us humans, you will need to identify the cause, meaning the food item. Then, you will need to stop feeding this to them.
Also, even once this food item is identified, you will need to monitor any new feed they are given to make sure it does not include this food directly, or indirectly.
03. Flat-faced cats
Flat-faced cats, such as the Himalayan, have natural facial structures that inhibit their breathing and cause them to sound wheezy. This wheezy sound can sound like a kazoo, to some people.
These cats are also known to have wet noses, that are known to run sometimes. This alone can be a contributing factor to them making some weird sounds like this.
What is a kazoo?
A kazoo is an American musical instrument. The sound it makes is a weird buzzing sound. It is used to add an interesting sound effect to a song or for fun, depending on the situation.
The sound of a cat who sounds wheezy can sometimes be compared to this instrument because of the subtle buzzing sound it makes.
How can you prevent your cat from sounding like a kazoo?
Now that you know some of the reasons why your cat may be sounding like a kazoo you may be wondering what you can do to prevent this from happening. Therefore, in this section I will give you some tips based on the root cause of the problem:
01. Has a hairball?
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If your cat has hairballs there are several solutions, such as a dedicated hairball formula (Click here to see the reviews, on Amazon #Ad) food. This can be used to help minimize the collection of hairballs.
Other solutions are more practical like helping your cat to groom regularly to avoid it swallowing so much fur. Or, stopping it grooming excessively.
02. Has allergies?
If your cat is making these kazoo sounds because it has allergies then there are various solutions, depending on what the allergy is.
Food allergies
If it’s a food allergy you need to identify what the food item is that’s causing the problem. Once you do, keep this away from your cat. Also, watch the ingredients of any food given to them. Why? Well, sometimes the offending food may be hidden in there without you knowing.
Other Allergies
Other allergies, such as dust or smoke can be helped with general cleanliness. Meaning, you should help your cat by keeping your home clean and dust-free.
Also, avoid smoking in, or near your property. Even though you may be outside in your garden, the smoke can still drift back into your home.
03. Flat-faced cat?
With these flat-faced cats, you need to be careful not to over-exercise them. This may sound the opposite of what you would expect, and I get that. But, these cats can have breathing difficulties if they are overexerted.
When this happens they may encounter breathlessness or other breathing-related issues.
Is this kazoo sound your cat makes basically wheezing?

A scared/anxious-looking cat with its mouth partially open.
The kazoo sound that you hear from a cat is most likely from it wheezing. Therefore you may find people referring to both of these terms interchangeably. This does not mean that all wheezing sounds like a kazoo, but in some cases, it can be the same issue.
So, if you have ever wondered why the kazoo sound and wheezing are often mentioned in the same sentence you have an idea as to why this has happened.
Is cat wheezing serious?
A wheezing cat can be serious because it could be a health issue such as asthma. If this is the case, without medical attention, it could escalate and leave your cat in a bad place. Therefore, if it’s coughing, or wheezing, do not assume it will just be fine.
Instead, if in doubt, get it checked out to be safe. It may seem a bit annoying having you take your cat in each time, but what would you prefer annoying your vet, or a seriously sick cat? Exactly!
Can olive oil help a kazoo-sounding cat?
Some cat owners have been known to offer olive oil to their cats to help with hairballs, which may make them sound like a kazoo. The theory is that the olive oil will help the cat to pass the hairball, because of its lubricant properties.
However, it’s important not to try force-feeding your cat olive oil. The cat owners, that claim to have had success with this offer it to them to lick off voluntarily or adding it to their food. But, it’s worth checking with your vet first to see if they agree with this, or have other preferred solutions.
Can you use petroleum jelly to help a kazoo-sounding cat?
Like olive oil, some cat owners have been known to use petroleum jelly to help with cat hairballs, which may make your cat sound like a kazoo. The theory is it will help to lubricate the digestive tract to help to pass the hairball.
Again, before considering this it’s with checking in with your vet to see if they agree, or have any other suggestions. Also, never force your cat to eat this, even if your vet agrees with it being used.