Cats do breathing as they do everything else – a little bit differently to dogs and hiding problems from the humans looking after them!
If you ever notice a change in the way your cat is breathing, your vet will often ask you to come down sooner rather than later. What is the reason behind this dramatic response?
What does normal breathing look like in my cat?
Cats are ‘preferential nasal breathers’, meaning that they will almost always breathe through their nose with their mouth shut. They will normally take 20-30 breaths in one minute (depending on how active they are being), using the diaphragm and chest wall muscles to expand and draw fresh oxygen down into the lungs. As these muscles relax, they breathe out waste carbon dioxide.
But I see my cat panting sometimes, they seem ok!
Even though they’d prefer not to, cats can physically breathe through their mouths if they have to. Sometimes cats will pant as dogs do, breathing very rapidly in and out through an open mouth. This is usually seen after periods of rough play (in kittens for example), if your cat is very stressed (like being in a basket going to the vet) or if the temperature is really hot outside. If they do pant it should only be for for very short periods of time (seconds rather than minutes) and it should resolve quickly on its own. Your cat’s tongue will still look a nice healthy pink colour, and they will often panic if you pick them up.
What your vet is worried about is open mouth breathing; when your cat is breathing consistently through their mouth because they cannot get enough oxygen in through their nose. These cats often seem calm as they’re really concentrating on their breathing, and the subtle changes can sometimes be mistaken for something else.
How do I know if what my cat is doing is a problem?
More than 30 breaths in one minute
From a distance, watch your cat’s chest and belly rise and then fall. The number of times they do this in one minute is their respiratory rate and it should not be more than 30 breaths in one minute.
Change in tongue and gum colour
Normal gums are healthy pink which instinctively looks ok to us. If the gums and tongue are pale pink, white, blue or purple, they do not have enough oxygen and need to see a vet straight away. If you’re unsure, see if your cat will let you briefly press a finger against their gums; if the colour disappears but doesn’t come back within 2 seconds they need to see a vet.
Breathing with an open mouth
Sometimes the mouth will be wide open, sometimes only a little bit. If you can see a tongue the mouth is open!
Change in body position
Most cats sit very still when they’re concentrating hard on breathing, although some will shift and fidget as if trying to get comfy. If in real distress they will stretch their neck forwards and upwards, and they may turn their elbows outwards.
Belly breathing
If your cat seems to be breathing more with their tummy muscles than their chest, then they are short of breath. If the chest and belly are moving in opposite directions at the same time they are really in trouble!
Coughing and sneezing
Cats who seem congested and snotty with discharge from the eyes or nose can sometimes show open mouth breathing, similar to us when we have a cold.
Noisy breathing
If your cat can purr, there is probably no issue with their breathing. If they are making snoring, crackly or raspy noises, or it sounds as if there is something stuck, then they need to be seen by your vet.
Loss of appetite
A cat’s desire to eat is affected a lot by smell, so any issues in their nose may mean they eat less, or not at all. Any change in appetite in your cat is always worth a trip to your vet, and if they do not eat at all for 24-48 hours it definitely means they need to be seen.
Lethargy
As ever, you know your cat best, so if anything feels not quite right it’s worth getting your vet to check them over.
Sleeping respiration
A great way to get used to what is normal for your cat is to watch them when they are sleeping. See how peaceful they are, limbs all relaxed and curled up, often on their back or side? Watch their chest rise and fall, calmly and easily. You can practice counting as they sleep to give you an idea of what their normal resting respiratory rate is.
If you ever see odd episodes of breathing at home but they stop before you go to the vet, it’s really helpful if you can video what’s going on so they can see what you are seeing at home.
What could be causing the shortness of breath?
As all parts of the body need oxygen, disease or injury to almost any body system can cause shortness of breath. Issues with the lungs, airways and heart are the most common. Some are more serious than others, so it’s always worth an early diagnosis to stop things getting worse.
Here are a few examples of things your vet will be trying to rule out:
- Heart disease and congestive heart failure
- Feline asthma
- Pain and injury (such as from a road traffic accident)
- Cat ‘flu
- Pneumonia
- Fluid around the heart and lungs, which is called pleural effusion
- Pus around the heart and lungs, which is called pyothorax. This often happens after cat bites or if foreign material (like grass seeds or sticks) have got into the chest cavity
- Furballs
- Polyps of the nasal passages, ear canals and back of the throat
- Overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism)
What should I expect if I have to go to the vets in a breathing emergency?
If you are worried about your cat’s breathing, a phone call to your vet (or their out of hours emergency provider) is the first step. In an emergency you will be asked to come down straight away. If after your history it is felt safe to wait, an appointment will be made at an appropriate time.
It is vitally important to keep your cat as calm as possible
Further stress to a cat who is short of breath can make the situation worsen rapidly, and even cause sudden death.
Your cat must be in a suitable carrier to go in a car or into the vets. Drape a towel over the carrier to keep it dark and calm. Keep the car as cool as possible with windows open or the air conditioning on.
Practice staff may well take your cat from you as soon as you enter the building. This is to take your cat away from the noisy waiting area to a quiet calm room where the equipment they need is.
Your vet and their team of nurses will be working to get your cat as stable as possible before starting any tests
This usually involves oxygen and some sedative drugs, placing an intra-venous catheter and carefully observing your cat. Whilst the nurses are involved in this, the vet will come to take a history from you.
They may use an ultrasound scanner to do a test called a ‘POCUS’, where they can quickly tell if there is fluid building up where it shouldn’t be without stressing your cat further.
If there is fluid building up around the chest, they may need to drain this off. This can be effectively done for most cats without anaesthesia and can really help improve their breathing.
Once your cat is stable, other tests like x-rays or blood tests might be recommended.
Piecing together the results of these tests, as well as how your cat responds to treatment, will then guide your vet to making a diagnosis and putting together a plan for you.
In severe cases, it might be that emergency treatment is ineffective, or the diagnosis gives no hope for a positive outcome. In these cases euthanasia will be advised on welfare grounds, as a cat that cannot breath properly is a cat that is suffering.
The good news
Fortunately, with early presentation and careful handling, many causes of shortness of breath are treatable with the right medication and input from their owners.
Summary
Cats like to breathe through their nose wherever possible. A cat who is short of breath is a cat who is short of oxygen, and this is an emergency. There are many possible causes and treatments for this, so early presentation to your vet, as well as keeping your cat calm and stress free, is the best way to get them feeling better again.
Further reading
Asthma and chronic bronchitis in cats – International Cat Care.
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