Why can't my cat swallow? Is something stuck in his esophagus?

If you are concerned there may be something stuck, I would recommend that you have Cheeky evaluated by a vet immediately. Sometimes they can eat a piece of string or fabric that gets caught around the base of the tongue. Other times, these types of symptoms can be caused by coughing/respiratory disease or nausea. A thorough exam with a vet should be able to clue you in to what could be going on with Cheeky.

I would be as concerned as you at this point. I don't think I would wait 2 days before bringing Milo back in (or consider another vet) to have x-rays taken. It does sound like there could potentially be something stuck in the esophagus. I hope not, but if there is, and you wait 2 days to recheck, there could be perforation of the esophagus, which can be quite serious. If you have access to a veterinary specialist in your area, I would consider going. They can anesthetize Milo and use an endoscope to look down into the esophagus and retrieve anything that could be stuck there.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Poe. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian as soon as possible if his symptoms have persisted. In the meantime, you can try rubbing his throat. This can aid in and encourage swallowing. You can open his mouth and see if you see anything in the back of his throat. Small amounts of water as you are doing can help as well. I hope this information helps!

I recommend to take him to the vet immediately he may have a foreign body (FB) in his mouth. Linear FB such as strings can be under the tongue. the fact he seems in distress and not eating/drinking will require him to be checked by a vet possibly under sedation to look thoroughly and safely in the mouth do not to try to do it yourself especially since he is not cooperative .Try and get him in a carrier to take him. Good Luck

I would feed her soft canned food until you are able to get her evaluated by your veterinarian. She could have an injury, an abscess, or even a tumor that could be inhibiting her swallowing. Watch her breathing closely as it is possible that what is inhibiting the swallowing may progress to inhibiting breathing. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Sometimes a viral upper respiratory infection can affect the back of the throat and cause swelling that could affect your cat’s ability to meow. Difficulty swallowing can also occur when something is lodged in the esophagus or if there is a problem with a tooth. I’m glad Lily ate some chicken, but if her normal appetite does not return soon I’d recommend seeing your vet for an examination.

This definitely seems suspicious of an airway blockage. If this was the first time you've seen this, then it would be good to try and check inside his mouth to see if anything is visible. It's best to do this with two people - where one holds a flashlight and looks, while the other holds the mouth open. If you see something, then I recommend taking him to the vet to get it removed, because if you attempt to remove it at home, you have a chance of pushing it further into the throat. If he has had something like this happen before, then I would be suspicious of a nasopharyngeal polyp (a soft mass that can develop in the throat), which can cause them to choke every once in a while. This would have to be diagnosed and treated by a veterinarian. The other possibility is that he got his claw stuck in his collar. This happens sometimes when they are scratching and can cause them to panic like this. If he is getting better, then I would not worry too much right now. It wouldn't hurt to get him checked-out by a vet sometime in the next week, to make sure that this won't happen again. I hope that helps and all goes well.