Rapid Breathing in Cats
Written By hannah hollinger
Published: 12/05/2016Updated: 05/14/2021
Veterinary reviewed by Dr. Linda Simon, MVB MRCVS
Rapid Breathing in Cats - Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Recovery, Management, Cost
What is Rapid Breathing?
A normal healthy cat will take 10-30 regular breaths per minute. The air travels into your cat’s lungs and is used to oxygenate the blood, which is then circulated throughout your cat’s vital organs. When a cat is suffering from rapid breathing, this breathing rate increases and breaths often becomes irregular, or shallow. This can be an indication that your cat is not able to bring enough oxygen into the lungs to supply their body’s need. Rapid breathing is a symptom that can be caused by a number of illnesses or injuries. Since regular breathing is vital, if your cat is suffering from rapid breathing (also known as tachypnea) it is a serious and life threatening condition and you should seek immediate veterinary care.
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Rapid Breathing Average Cost
From 364 quotes ranging from $200 - $2,000
Average Cost
$500
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Symptoms of Rapid Breathing in Cats
It can be difficult for an inexperienced person to actually count the number of breaths your cat is taking. There are a number of other indications, either gradually occurring over time or that are acute (or sudden) in onset, to watch for that would indicate your cat is having difficulties breathing. These include:
  • Blue tinged tongue, lips, or nose
  • Coughing or gagging
  • Wheezing
  • Lethargy or unwillingness to move
  • Lack of energy
  • Rapidly rising and falling stomach or chest
  • Open-mouth breathing
  • Lowered heads with extension of neck and body forward, indicating difficulty in bringing in oxygen
Causes of Rapid Breathing in Cats
Rapid breathing is a symptom with a number of underlying illnesses and injury as potential causes. The most common of these include:
  • Trauma or injury (leading to e.g. lung contusions or a diaphragmatic hernia)
  • Tumors in chest or throat
  • Respiratory infections
  • Pulmonary edema (lungs filling with fluid)
  • Pleural effusion
  • Pneumonia
  • Asthma
  • Lungworm or Heartworm
  • Allergic reaction
  • Foreign objects lodged in windpipe or other airway obstruction
  • Pain, stress or shock
Diagnosis of Rapid Breathing in Cats
Diagnosis of rapid breathing in your cat will require your veterinarian to determine the underlying cause. This will involve diagnostic tests that may not seem related to breathing, such as blood work, urinalysis and other extensive systemic exams. Given the lengthy list of potential conditions, it will be important for you to provide your veterinarian with a thorough physical and medical history of your cat. If your cat is allowed outdoors, has recently suffered from a traumatic injury, or could potentially have fallen from a high surface, this will be important information to help identify potential trauma or pain. You should also provide your vet with a history of progression of symptoms such as approximate time of onset and any worsening or improvement. This will help your veterinarian narrow down potential causes.
Blood work will identify the presence of any infections and will involve a quick needle stick procedure, done in your veterinarian’s office. Depending on the results from a preliminary physical exam, review of symptoms, and blood work, your veterinarian may wish to order imaging of your cat’s chest area. Images such as x-rays or an ultrasound will help identify any fluid buildup, foreign objects, or potential tumors, masses or foreign objects that may be causing the heavy breathing. Depending on your cat, your vet may order a mild sedative be given to your cat to potentially limit movement. Your cat remaining calm and still will have a large impact on the clarity of the images.
If heartworm is suspected, your vet will be able to perform a simple in office blood test to confirm whether your cat is infected with the parasite. 
Treatment of Rapid Breathing in Cats
Treatment of rapid breathing in your cat will be tailored to the specific cause of the condition. In the case of infections, pneumonia, or fluid filling the lungs, your vet will prescribe strong antibiotics to help fight off the infections. In many cases, your cat may need to be hospitalized so that they can be provided round the clock supportive care such as fluids, IV antibiotics, and administration of oxygen.
If your cat is suffering from pain as a result of trauma, if no broken bones are detected your vet will often take a conservative approach and allow your cat to be released to go home with a prescription for pain medication. You will need to provide a safe, warm and quiet place for your cat to heal and recover. 
Allergies will be treated with antihistamines or steroids and ongoing medication dosage in the case of seasonal or non acute reactions. 
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Recovery of Rapid Breathing in Cats
Long term prognosis for recovery of your cat will vary from cause to cause. Infections and pneumonia are serious illnesses that need a high degree of specialized veterinary care. In all cases, your cat’s chances for a full recovery will increase if immediate veterinarian care is sought as soon as initial symptoms are detected. Additionally, given the seriousness of lung and breathing issues, you should follow up after symptoms in your cat have resolved in order to prevent potential recurrence.
Rapid Breathing Average Cost
From 364 quotes ranging from $200 - $2,000
Average Cost
$500
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Rapid Breathing Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
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Calico
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Chen Chen
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8 Weeks
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1 found this helpful

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1 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Rapid Rising And Falling
My 20 year old brother stepped on our cat, she was laying down before but still alive, now she's acting normal but she's breathing rapidly, I don't know what to feed her as well as I'm scared it might hurt her teeth or something, I can't afford a vet either, she's probably 7-8 weeks old.
Sept. 7, 2018
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Calico
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Chen Chen
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8 Weeks
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2 found this helpful

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2 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Rapid Rising And Falling Chest
Hello, my 20 year old brother stepped on our [probably] 7-8 week kitten, she's breathing rapidly now, I don't know what to feed her but it's been at least a while since she was squished, she's acting normal but still is breathing oddly, I don't know what to feed her as well cause I'm scared it might damage her teeth or something, and I can't afford a vet.
Sept. 7, 2018

I also don't know how severe it could be, her ribs are okay
Sept. 7, 2018
Chen Chen's Owner
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Calico short hair
dog-name-icon
Amira
dog-age-icon
8 Weeks
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0 found this helpful

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0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Fast Breathing
Mild Lethargic
I recently got amira. She's 8 weeks old today... she recently starred breathing rapidly and acting tired/sleeping a lot. She seems in perfect health otherwise. Eating fine and somewhat playful for short times.
Sept. 5, 2018
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Tortoiseshell
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george
dog-age-icon
2 Years
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0 found this helpful

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0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Rapid Breathing
Rapid Breathing, Raspy Meows
my cat 2yrs old, has been rapidly breathing these past few days through her nose. her energy, eating, and behavior is normal.but her meows are raspy at times. she had kittens in april so i dont think its that but im not sure what to do.
Sept. 3, 2018
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tabby
dog-name-icon
Rupert
dog-age-icon
7 Weeks
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0 found this helpful

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0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Panting
Heavy Breathing
Groaning
Mild Lethargic
My kitten Rupert is only 7 weeks old and he started breathing rapidly the night before. At times he groans and breathes with his mouth open. He feels and sounds most uncomfortable when he is being held, but still has discomfort if laying down for a long time. I'm not sure if he has a cold, or if its something wrong with his lungs? He had just been in the emergency just 2 days ago for low blood sugar, but he wasn't doing this at that time. What do I do?
Sept. 1, 2018
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American Shorthair
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Bix
dog-age-icon
19 Years
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0 found this helpful

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0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Fast Breathing
Fast Breathing, Blood In Urine
My cat is recovering from having a tumor taken off of his neck. He is not thriving and today i found that he has blood in his urine. He is also breathing in short bursts. The doc said unless he seems very uncomfortable, it can wait till tomorrow, MOnday. I want the cat to see his usual vet, instead of taking him to emergency. What would you do? I don’t want him to suffer, so i gave him some pain meds.
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SEALPOINT
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CHOCO
dog-age-icon
8 Months
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0 found this helpful

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0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Snorring,
HELLO . I HAVE SEALPOINT HIMALAYAN CAT AND HIS NAME IS CHOCO. I ALWAYS OBSERVE HIS BREATHING AND IT LOOK LIKE HIS SNOORING ALL THE TIME ESPECIALLY WHEN HE IS ASLEEP. I ALSO NOTICE THAT EVERYTIME HE GOES TO SLEEP, HE ALWAYS PUT HIS HEAD ON A PILLOW OR LOOKING UP IN THE CEILING. I ALSO FEEL THERE IS A SMALL CIRCLE AROUND HIS THROAT WHEN I TOUCH IT. I WAS SO DEEPLY BROKE EVERYTIME I THINK ABOUT MY LITTLE CHOCO's CONDITION . DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS ABOUT MY CONCERN? THIS WILL BE A BIG HELP FOR ME MY FRIEND. THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!!
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Siamese
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Yuri
dog-age-icon
4 Years
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0 found this helpful

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0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Lethargic
Appetite Loss
Rapid Breathing
My 4 year old cat,yuri,had diaherria and vomited after she vomited she started to breathe rapidly and acted uneasey we thought maybe she has heatstroke so we cooled her off and after that we thought she was OK but we did not realize later that she was still breathing rapidly and acting lethargic the whole day ,she also hasn't eaten anything at since morning and has drank very little water ,I've been very worried and been thinking to take her to the vet tomorrow morning ,just hoping you guys would give us some advice for the night ,thank you.
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Mainecoon mix
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Dave
dog-age-icon
5 Years
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0 found this helpful

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0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Rapid Breathing
My wonderful kitty Dave is generally very healthy. He cuddles and plays all the time and is always by my side when I’m home. I’ve noticed this a few times but most recently a few days ago- he’ll be breathing very fast (60bpm) and shivering. He doesn’t try to hide and definitely wants to be held or cuddled but doesn’t want to move around. Last time it happened there was a bad thunderstorm and I wasn’t home for the worst part of it. Could he have just been scared? After a little while as the storm does down, he used his litter box and peed a lot, then pooped - also a lot. Buried it. Drank his water, ate some food and was back to purring and playing. I can’t remember if it had stormed the other times he’s acted like that with the rapid breathing and dilated glassy eyes, but i did notice that he’ll cuddle then use the box and feel better. He’s even cried before in his litter box, like it hurt to go poop. But I figured out that only happened when he ate fishy cat food so now he gets beef, chicken or turkey. So do you think he’s afraid or do you think he is eating something (either in his food or something around the house) that makes him breathe fast?
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dsh
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Georgie
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11 Weeks
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0 found this helpful

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0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Lethargic
Watery Eyes
Rapid Breathing
Our orange tabby kitten 11 weeks is having "episodes" of rapid breathing and horrible watery eyes. It starts nightly at about 5pm. It's a constant drip like a faucet is on and he is drenched. Starts from the right eye and then the left starts going. It drips down his face into his nose and then into the sides of his mouth where it pools until it drips out. During this he is lethargic and has severe rapid breathing. No fever, no diarrhea, no weight loss. lungs sound clear. eating and drinking water. Very playful like a kitten. It just this episode once a night in the evening.
Rapid Breathing Average Cost
From 364 quotes ranging from $200 - $2,000
Average Cost
$500
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