Cat is making choking noise

Question
Once in a while my cat is making a choking noise. He just does it out of the blue. As he does the noise, he sticks his paw up to his mouth as if he's trying to remove something from his mouth. Could this be a hairball he can't seem to get rid of? His eating has gone down, too. He never goes outside, also. And he eats both dry and wet food. Thank you so much in advance for your help! I really appreciate it!!

Answer
Hi Fernando,

It's possible that he has a hairball, but it sounds very likely that he's experiencing some mouth pain.  This is the most common reason why cats will paw at their mouths, and cats will make all sorts of noises associated with pain.  It's also possible that he IS choking, especially if it's a growth in his throat that's causing the pain, or if he's avoiding chewing his food properly because his teeth are causing him pain.  Oral pain is also a main reason why cats will begin eating less and lose weight.

Whatever the reason might be, because your kitty is eating less, it's definitely a good idea to get him to the vet.  Your vet will do an oral exam to see if dental disease, oral ulcers or growths in the mouth could be causing his symptoms.  They'll also check under the tongue and view the throat to try to make sure your cat hasn't swallowed something, such as thread or a needle, which can cause these symptoms.  If the cause is found, an appropriate treatment plan will be set.  If no cause is found, your vet might discuss further diagnostics with you.  This might include sedating the kitty to get a better look down the throat, or x-rays.

I hope he's feeling better soon!

Jessica