Why is Oliver making this sound, and what can be done to help him?

Oliver is a 13 year old domestic short haired cat. We rescued him as a stray when he was around 5 weeks old and he had a respiratory infection, which we cleared up. Oliver never meowed like normal cat. It is a low soft hoarse meow – like a whisper. It has been this way his entirely but he has been an otherwise healthy, playful cat even through today. Starting around 8 years ago, he developed IBD, and was on numerous dosages of steroids to combat this over the past 7-8 years, always at the direction of our Veterinarian. The steroid treatment stopped about 1 year ago, when we found Science Diet Biome eliminated his IBD symptoms.

For the past two-three years, Oliver made a snoring sound while sleeping, but never while he was awake until December 2025, when he started making a loud snoring sound and wheezing/whining sound. We took him to the vet who said it was likely an ear infection, and he was given prescription ear drops. He continued showing symptoms, and in February 2026 the veterinarian prescribed another antibiotic (Clavamox) because he had dry mucus clogging up his left nostril.

On March 11, 2026 Oliver discharged a LOT of bright red blood from his left nostril. He was lethargic.

On March 12, we took him to the veterinarian who examined him and said that it’s possible that there is a mass. Her recommendation was to go to an animal hospital for further evaluation, but she also prescribed an antibiotic (Clavamox). We took Oliver the same day to Red Bank Animal Hospital and they said it was likely respiratory and prescribed a different antibiotic as a first treatment and a steroid, and to follow up after if no improvements for a CT Scan to confirm if there is a mass. Since this visit, he’s been on a daily transthermal steroid to slow the growth of a possible mass.

At this point in time, no vet has examined behind his soft palate to see if there is a polyp. We asked all the vets that have seen him if they can look in his nose or throat with a camera or scope, but they they don’t have instruments small enough, and only push a CT Scan which is an astronomical sum of money.

On March 28, 2026 I took him to a different vet for another opinion and basically was given the same recommendations for treatment.

Around May 4th, 2026 , for a period of 3 solid weeks he stopped making the snoring noise entirely, but then it returned.

On July 9, 2026, Oliver relapsed with a stuffy right nostril with green-yellow thick mucus).
On July 10th he had blood mixed in with the thick mucus. (see photo attached)
On July 11th the vet prescribed 25mg Zeniquin for 14 days. This has cleared the mucus, but the snoring sound continues to this day.

Throughout this entire period, he has not lost any weight, continues to eat normally, and shows no other symptoms. He is still on the transthermal steroid which receives daily because he does not take pills easily.

We live in central NJ, and I found you on Facebook and see the wonderful things you are doing and I spoke to your office who instructed me detail his symptoms here in advance of our visit to your office. I look forward to your reply and hope that you can help Oliver as we cannot afford a CT Scan and do not know what else we can do here.

thank you,
Katie