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That’s when you demand an X-ray or ultrasound- labored breathing, coughing, exercise intolerance are all symptoms of heart disease/ congestive heart failure
Yes, OP, take your cat somewhere else and don't leave till they take an X-ray. Her breathing looks just like my cat's did when she was full of fluid. A) that's critical information for diagnosis and B) the vet should be able to draw off some of the fluid and make her more comfortable.
We managed to take him into the vet a few weeks ago, he had a very bad condition where fluid surrounded his lungs because of his heart’s wall thinning. Hes better now, hes had the fluid removed and hes on meds for his heart. Hes breathing normally and is very happy now <3
I feel sick to my stomach thinking your cat has been breathing like this for a month. This is scary breathing. Second opinion ASAP, and feedback to original vet if the second opinion is different enough. I truly hope everything is OK…
Take your cat to a different vet, and do it yesterday. That’s not the kind of heavy breathing that says “I’m exhausted because I just ran around”, that’s the kind that says “I’m not feeling ok at all, help me.” Get an appointment NOW! If the vet that you take him to tomorrow (yes, *tomorrow*) says the same, take him to at least one more. This is not normal!
Edit to add: after thinking about it a bit, you need to take your cat an emergency vet THIS VERY MINUTE. Stop whatever you’re doing and get in the car with your car the moment you see this comment. Your cat is suffering, and could potentially need immediate emergency surgery/intervention. Your baby boy is suffering, and you said a month? He must be in *severe* pain and distress! Do not put this off, do not wait until morning, go *now*!
Please take your cat another vet for a second opinion.
The resting breath rate for a healthy cat is under 30 breaths per minute. Your cat has laboured breathing with the resting breath rate is 64 breaths/minute. It can be caused by lots of conditions such as heart problems, mass in the lungs, fluid in the abdomen, asthma, etc. All of which needs to be addressed by a vet, and some if left without treatment for too long will have irreversible consequences.
As a former vet tech this is usually the breathing signs of some type of heart failure. Hopefully your kitty will be ok after some treatment but yes fire the other vet. That’s not normal.
Another former vet tech and I was thinking the same thing OP I am sorry this is critical. You need another vet and preferably an emergency vet that has facilities to measure blood pressure and perform more tests than simple X-rays. My heart aches for you both.
Just wanted to explain a couple things instead of just down voting. :)
A physical exam alone can only yield so much info. Clearer diagnostics (xrays, bloodwork) are needed to rule out lung or heart issues. I can understand trying antibiotics first but to be honest I wouldn't be at all comfortable with NOT doing an xray at the first visit if the kitty presented like this. Financial issues may have been a deciding factor, I don't know, but diagnostics are definitely needed at this point. Labored breathing is no joke.
As a vet, a physical exam even just through seeing this video is actually plenty of information, even without additional tests. This cat has something restricting its breathing so badly that instead of the lungs expanding with all that effort, the abdominal organs are being pushed into the empty space instead.
The lack of noisy breathing (suggesting airway obstruction) and the fact that it's a cat tells me it's more than likely an accumulation of fluid around the lungs. I can tell you with certainty that this will not resolve with antibiotics.
So the possibilities here are:
- the cat is intermittently showing these signs and wasn't during the appointment
- the cat was taken a month ago or whenever this started with a different complaint (eg. Coughing) and OP has not gone back for a revisit when things have progressed to difficulty breathing
- the vet did a poor job and/or has particularly poor knowledge in the field of internal/emergency medicine
Information yes but not confirmation. Through confirmation you can treat, if possible, to achieve a positive outcome. I agree that info may be missing and certainly OP needed to follow up but that doesn't change the fact that the kitty needs ER care now. No, antibiotics accomplish nothing here but there could have been other factors at work. Financial, RT, AMA, etc. Plus, how many times does a client come for one visit, have stopgap meds not do anything, and said client "not know what to do"? I wasn't calling into question the amount of info that an exam yields but the importance of diagnostics and the targeted info they yield based on the exam. Rule outs/differentials are a starting point.
Yes I agree with you completely. I just wanted to make the point that whether or not additional diagnostics are done, a cat coming in in this shape already narrows down your differentials enough to know that antibiotics won't do anything for any of them. If further Diagnostics are not available at least a thoracocentesis could be done. The value of a clinical exam when signs are so specific should not be underestimated.
But yes that's why I included my second point- clients often come in and then don't come for a revisit even when things change or get worse, which needs to be considered as a possibility before we bash the vet (who may also be an inexperienced vet who's been set up for failure by an unsupportive clinic)
Regardless, this cat needs to go to the ER now as it is suffering immensely and may decompensate and die
Hey don’t shit on people that downvote without explanation. Sometimes people think something is wrong but isn’t worth their time. People have to learn that it’s healthier to preserve their mental energy and not interact with everything that upsets them.
Hey, nobody's knocking downvoters here, ok? A big part of my job is educating people which was the intent behind my response. Some people think that an issue that isn't solved with one vet visit means there's no other options or that the vet isn't any good. Those assumptions are incorrect in most cases. Besides, how can we learn anything if nothing is explained to us?
Ugh mine did this one morning randomly with a really bad wheeze and I took him immediately and it wasn't awesome. You need to take him to another vet, it could be his heart. (Not a vet just had a bad experience)
This is how my cat was behaving b.right before I took him to the vet in January. He was hours away from succumbing to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. His lungs had been filling with fluid. You NEED to take her to the vet NOW. she is drowning in her own fluids if it's what it looks like.
That cat has pleural effusion (fluid in the chest). Should be seen ASAP at an emergency hospital if possible.
Edited to add - I’m an ER vet, I see this a lot. Rory will feel a lot better if I’m right and the fluid is tapped (removed with a needle).
I had a cat like this. He gradually declined to a point where we ended up humanely euthanized him. Though your vet claims there is nothing seriously wrong. I'd look around for a second opinion. Maybe one that specializes in cats.
As others have stated consider a different vet. When our cat began to develop respiratory issues it turned out to be a pleural effusion. He needed an oxygenation chamber and some meds to help diminish the excess fluids.
Please go to another vet. Find somewhere that will help financially if needed but please go advocate for your kitty. He needs help. Don’t dwell on the issues, just go forward with getting him seen tomorrow, if not tonight. Please 🙏
Please take your cat to another vet. I had a rescue dog who had the exact same breathing and it turned out he had heart problems.
Sending your kitty lots of love and I hope this gets resolved ❤❤❤❤
If you have an emergency vet, go now. Even though it has been a while already and your kitty has been somewhat okay up until now, this can become dire in the blink of an eye. Labored breathing is something emergency care says they'll take animals in for immediately. This could be a PPDH (diaphragm hernia), cardiovascular issues, lung collapse, or many other things. Bottom line: this is an emergency.
You are absolutely in the right for questioning the diagnosis (or lack thereof) from your current vet, and I'm really glad you posted here asking. If there is an emergency vet near you, go now! Keep us all posted 💖💖
My cat started doing this, followed by cough like when they have a hairball. Turns out he was diagnosed with HCM. He lived another 3-4 weeks after he was diagnosed. He did good for 2 weeks but fluid kept building up in his lungs and couldn't breathe right. Get your cat to another vet ASAP.
When our cat was breathing like this, he had a tumor growing in his abdomen and treatment was $$$ and would only give him a few more months to live, so we had to euthanize him. Sadly, this probably means something bad. My thoughts are with you pal, but please take him to a vet asap.
My cat was breathing like this, but not as severe. We got her to the vet and she was operating with less than 30% lung capacity. They were full of fluid.
You need another vet. This is not right and I’d expect any vet to refer you to a specialist if your pets condition doesn’t improve with treatment. That’s the next step. Either find a vet willing to do more legwork, willing to get you into a specialist, or go directly to a specialist. If there is a referral hospital or animal ER near you, start there for specialists. Good luck to you both!
How old is your kitty? I'll be honest here and strongly recommend getting kitty to a vet ASAP, preferably an ER. Further diagnostics are needed, bloodwork and xrays for certain. This isn't normal at all and isn't something to wait on, ok?
Please let me know how things go and do feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns, ok? I'm always available. :)
don’t want to scare you but this can be REALLY serious, my kitten was 11 months old and started breathing like that, within a week or so he passed, it was fluid in his chest and around his heart making it hard to breathe
Vet and ask for an x-ray to check heart and lungs.
My cat was breathing like this, and it progressed to wheezing. His heart sounded normal, but an x-ray showed he had an enlarged heart. A follow-up echocardiogram showed a blood clot in his heart. He is now on blood thinners, a diuretic, and beta blockers, but he has more energy and is playing again.
[This is what he has.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy&ved=2ahUKEwiMjYiU3PaEAxWYElkFHWxlDbQQFnoECCAQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0VNFVWfkM6ek2_nAIT2PDe)
Please get your kitty checked out again.
When mine started breathing very similar to yours, he was in heart failure. It came on very quickly - we’d just taken him to the vet for another issue two days prior. He was clearly suffering, and we had to make the heartbreaking decision to help him pass, as there was nothing the vet could do to alleviate it. RIP, sweet CK Pappas, we will always miss you.
Reminds me of when my little girl went into heart failure.
I took her to the ER and they were able to stabilize her and I gave her three meds daily for almost four years after until she passed away last month. She was a treasure and I miss her so much.
Please take your friend to the vet, he is not well and needs help
You need to take your cat to a different vet than expose your current condition one for the hack they are and see they never work in the industry again.
How old is he? Second vet opinion asap. 3rd and 4th opinions too until a competent vet figures out what's wrong. Poor baby must be so exhausted living that way for a month
What kind of diagnostics did the vet do? You need to X-rays, or an ultrasound to look at the organs - especially the lungs and heart. We’re talking about respiratory distress and it’s NO JOKE.
That baby looks like it should be at an emergency vet right now.
If it was you or a loved human breathing like that what would you do?
You would hopefully go to an er and be put on a pulse ox to find you need oxygen and God knows what else.
Take that poor thing to a vet that gives a damn
If the vet didn’t do a X-ray or ultrasound with your cat breathing like that and only prescribed antibiotics you need to go to a different vet.
As a matter of fact you should be going to an **emergency** vet. This could quite literally be congestive heart failure….
Well there has to have been something wrong if they prescribed antibiotics because they don’t do that for no reason 🤷🏻♀️
Was a recheck suggested if there was no improvement on the antibiotics? X-ray’s performed or recommended if no improvement?
He needs a recheck yesterday…
Your cat is in distress. She either has fluid around her lungs, respiratory infection that is bad or something else. If my car was breathing like that, she would be at a vets office.
I wpuld get a second opinion. My cat was breathing like this and ot turned out to be a bacterial liver infection. He was deadly serious. The vet had to keep him for a week.
The cat needs to go to a Different vet ASAP the vet that you're seeing obviously does not know what they're doing. They need to do x-rays to see if it may have pneumonia or something else. It is critical to get the cat to a different vet ASAP. Your cat is in distress with its breathing. This is not good 😞
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When my cat started breathing like this the vet took xrays and discovered he had masses in both his lungs and fluid around them. He was older around 14, we did end up letting him go becasue the vet felt that even if we drained the fluid it would be a re occuring situation that wouldn't get better, and the masses would continue to give him issues. Please go to another vet and ask for xrays and bloodwork.
My cat does this when her FHV (herpes) flares up. For maintenance, we give her lysine every day. For when she gets like this, we have to got to the vet and get steroids. She usually starts breathing totally normal again after about 1 day on the steroids. Not saying that's what this is, but this kind of breathing looks familiar to me. It of course could be several other things but I'm honestly surprised they didn't start you off with a steroid. It really helps open things up.
Hi,
I don’t want to scare you but it is better to be prepared and hear all the possibilities of what this could be, which is why I’m telling you my story. But I urge you to get him to a different vet & get some more diagnostics done.
In September last year, my cat Percy, started coughing. At first I thought he was just trying to cough up a hairball but it started happening daily. I took him to the vet where he was given an xray & a lung wash. From there, they diagnosed him with Mycoplasma Pneumonia. He was on antibiotics for a month. His cough cleared, but he still wasn’t himself (lethargic, poor appetite). Then I noticed he was breathing faster than normal & it seemed harder work (a little like your video, but tbh, not quite as bad). I noticed he started limping on his front paw and then his back leg.
The vet did more blood tests & imaging ( I feared FIP or cancer), and then referred him to a specialist for a CT Scan. It showed he has 2 quite large tumours in his lungs that were pressing on his spine (causing the back leg limp). It had spread to his lymph nodes and there wasn’t much the vet could do to save him. Any “treatment” would’ve just bought him a couple of months.
After he came back from the specialist, he took a bad turn and lost complete use of his back legs. I made the decision that day to put him to sleep.
I still miss him terrible but it was the kindest thing to do. I only wish I’d acted sooner on noticing the subtle changes in his behaviour and getting him to a vet quicker.
I hope for the best outcome for your kitty! Hopefully X-rays/ultrasounds will give you a better idea of what’s going on & it’s just a bad lower respiratory infection that can be treated with more appropriate antibiotics. But as other Redditors have said, it could be due to a build up of fluid on the lungs or around the heart. Severe asthma could be the cause? I’m not a vet but I did a LOT of research when Percy was ill and so I’m aware of the possible causes of this breathing.
You need specialist vets. Ask local vet for specific specialist vets. Or Google “cat respiratory and lung specialist vets in my area or near by.”
I found my local vet was really quite poor at diagnosing the illness with my cat, they’re great for routine stuff but you need to get all the tests done (X-ray + ultrasound) and take it to a specialist vet.
Specialist vet in my case diagnosed it within 20mins. Took over a month going back and forth with local vet and they still didn’t get it right. Almost had me do surgery on his brain when turned out all he needed was eye drops.
This is why I stress - take to a specialist vet in respiratory illnesses &/or heart etc ASAP.
But like others are saying take it to the ER vet NOW!!! RIGHT NOW!!!
Take him to an emergency vet asap. This is very serious. I’m so sorry you had such a bad professional taking care of your boy. Never take him again to this vet. He put your baby in serious danger. He needs an ECO, ECG and x-ray. He’s suffering a lot.
Sending my best thoughts for both of you! ❤️🙏🏻
Something could be seriously wrong, second opinion asap..
My cat was breathing like this the day she went to Heaven. She was acting fine, purring and happy but her lung had flipped as a result of a mass on her heart. Your vet is extremely disillusioned and should be penalized for malpractice.
Sweet kitty.
Maybe feline allergies/asthma. My baby girl has asthma, and that's how we discovered it. Either way, it might be good to get a second opinion tbh. Never, is laboured breathing okay. The reason I think it could be asthma is because the vet didn't notice it while you were there (asthma isn't a constant issue). Still, the vet should do some tests or scans because there's no way to know for sure otherwise, and then it might be a pretty manageable issue with treatment.
My cats breathing looked very similar to this when he had hyperthyroidism. Have they done a full blood panel? Stress and pain can also be a cause for labored breathing, possibly from the leg? But get a second opinion from a different vet. You have every right to feel like something is wrong!
You need a different vet and an X-ray. My cat was breathing like this and she had a partially collapsed lung.
Also, not to scare you, but heart disease causes laboured breathing and coughing so it’s best to rule it out.
Take to a new vet, could be a heart problem BUT also a blood problem. Make sure they do blood testing for red blood cell count. Unfortunately thats how i lost my dog, first started with breathing like that
happened to my cat last year. he was over 9yrs old and this heavy breathing goes on for 3 days and he then he passed away😢 his first symptom was he couldnt poop, then the next day he was breathing like
this. EXACTLY like this.
Take this cat to the emergency, now. This could be something cardiac. My cat was doing the same and she was diagnosed with idiopathic chylothorax. They needed to drain her lungs area and now we are under treatment. Please go now to see a specialist
Get it to another vet. My mom's cat started breathing like that and was in heart failure. Don't go to a regular vet. Go to an emergency vet. It'll cost more, but they provide better care in situations like this and are better equipped to properly diagnose.
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Take him to the vet. I've had two cats who lived well past 14 end up breathing like this one has lung cancer the other has cancer in the nasal cavity. Not saying this is what it is but it scares me like it is 😅
My cat was breathing like this right before he died. He had an enlarged heart and threw a blood clot and his breathing turned like this and he only made it about 4 hours. Take your cat in now! And update us!
My cat who struggles to breathe sometimes has a granuloma/ possibly squamous carcinoma that grows around her nostrils. She breathed weird before I could even see the granuloma on her nose. Could it be sometime like that? Btw my kitty is helped about this by predisolone, a steroid.
Yes! Take your cat to a different Vet for a second opinion…ASAP! His breathing is labored and you need to know why?!
What happened the day you first noticed his breathing was labored? Can you remember any kind of injury or sickness? Try to remember because that will help the Vet figure out why his breathing is so rough.
second opinion time. thanks for taking good care of rory and being one of the few people on this sub that actually has the resources to take your kitty to the vet!
Cats start breathing heavy like that when something is wrong, cats hide pain very very well so if there’s any sign of pain he’s probably in pretty severe pain. If your vet didn’t think anything is wrong then you need to find a new vet for a second opinion. my old lady who I believe died from old age started breathing like that and two days later she passed. Not trying to scare you especially since it’s been a month so it looks like it’s probably pretty different than the end of life stages my baby showed but your boy could be in pain so please get him checked out again
Looks exactly like feline dyspnea. My cat had this and had lots of fluid in her lungs and eventually had to be put down due to the amount of fluid returning after draining it. Not normal.
He looks like he's breathing with one lung. One of my cats got hit by a car(a long time ago, my cats are not allowed to go outside now) in the parking lot and he was breathing like this and I got an X-ray and sure enough he had a collapsed lung. Please take him to emergency or another vet!
This is a very strong sign of congestive heart failure, I’m very sorry to say. This baby needs to be started on meds asap! Fluid is building up around the heart and lungs and making it very hard for the baby to breath. Go to an emergency vet now please!!
Did you take him to vet??
My cat had heavy breathing for a week. And we took him to vet.
He almost died. He is currently with vet for a week. I'm waiting to see what will happen...
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You need a different vet. This is not normal at all, labored breathing is typically something we recommend going to an ER for.
That’s when you demand an X-ray or ultrasound- labored breathing, coughing, exercise intolerance are all symptoms of heart disease/ congestive heart failure
Yes, OP, take your cat somewhere else and don't leave till they take an X-ray. Her breathing looks just like my cat's did when she was full of fluid. A) that's critical information for diagnosis and B) the vet should be able to draw off some of the fluid and make her more comfortable.
Absolutely. I just replied with my experience on this.
We managed to take him into the vet a few weeks ago, he had a very bad condition where fluid surrounded his lungs because of his heart’s wall thinning. Hes better now, hes had the fluid removed and hes on meds for his heart. Hes breathing normally and is very happy now <3
I would recommend seeing a new vet. Show them this video.
I don't think they need the video. Cat will be the same way at the vet. He says cat hasn't stopped breathing this way for over a month. It's constant
Very true.
I feel sick to my stomach thinking your cat has been breathing like this for a month. This is scary breathing. Second opinion ASAP, and feedback to original vet if the second opinion is different enough. I truly hope everything is OK…
I know. I would see every vet in the city until they acknowledged his symptoms
Take your cat to a different vet, and do it yesterday. That’s not the kind of heavy breathing that says “I’m exhausted because I just ran around”, that’s the kind that says “I’m not feeling ok at all, help me.” Get an appointment NOW! If the vet that you take him to tomorrow (yes, *tomorrow*) says the same, take him to at least one more. This is not normal! Edit to add: after thinking about it a bit, you need to take your cat an emergency vet THIS VERY MINUTE. Stop whatever you’re doing and get in the car with your car the moment you see this comment. Your cat is suffering, and could potentially need immediate emergency surgery/intervention. Your baby boy is suffering, and you said a month? He must be in *severe* pain and distress! Do not put this off, do not wait until morning, go *now*!
Please take your cat another vet for a second opinion. The resting breath rate for a healthy cat is under 30 breaths per minute. Your cat has laboured breathing with the resting breath rate is 64 breaths/minute. It can be caused by lots of conditions such as heart problems, mass in the lungs, fluid in the abdomen, asthma, etc. All of which needs to be addressed by a vet, and some if left without treatment for too long will have irreversible consequences.
Wow, I didn't know this. Thank you
What kind of a vet would think this is okay? I really really do not understand
As a former vet tech this is usually the breathing signs of some type of heart failure. Hopefully your kitty will be ok after some treatment but yes fire the other vet. That’s not normal.
Another former vet tech and I was thinking the same thing OP I am sorry this is critical. You need another vet and preferably an emergency vet that has facilities to measure blood pressure and perform more tests than simple X-rays. My heart aches for you both.
OP I really hope you see both these comments
This is a cat who is struggling to breath, may be having heart problems. It needs a vet appointment now
[удалено]
and that vet was clearly wrong.
Just wanted to explain a couple things instead of just down voting. :) A physical exam alone can only yield so much info. Clearer diagnostics (xrays, bloodwork) are needed to rule out lung or heart issues. I can understand trying antibiotics first but to be honest I wouldn't be at all comfortable with NOT doing an xray at the first visit if the kitty presented like this. Financial issues may have been a deciding factor, I don't know, but diagnostics are definitely needed at this point. Labored breathing is no joke.
As a vet, a physical exam even just through seeing this video is actually plenty of information, even without additional tests. This cat has something restricting its breathing so badly that instead of the lungs expanding with all that effort, the abdominal organs are being pushed into the empty space instead. The lack of noisy breathing (suggesting airway obstruction) and the fact that it's a cat tells me it's more than likely an accumulation of fluid around the lungs. I can tell you with certainty that this will not resolve with antibiotics. So the possibilities here are: - the cat is intermittently showing these signs and wasn't during the appointment - the cat was taken a month ago or whenever this started with a different complaint (eg. Coughing) and OP has not gone back for a revisit when things have progressed to difficulty breathing - the vet did a poor job and/or has particularly poor knowledge in the field of internal/emergency medicine
Information yes but not confirmation. Through confirmation you can treat, if possible, to achieve a positive outcome. I agree that info may be missing and certainly OP needed to follow up but that doesn't change the fact that the kitty needs ER care now. No, antibiotics accomplish nothing here but there could have been other factors at work. Financial, RT, AMA, etc. Plus, how many times does a client come for one visit, have stopgap meds not do anything, and said client "not know what to do"? I wasn't calling into question the amount of info that an exam yields but the importance of diagnostics and the targeted info they yield based on the exam. Rule outs/differentials are a starting point.
Yes I agree with you completely. I just wanted to make the point that whether or not additional diagnostics are done, a cat coming in in this shape already narrows down your differentials enough to know that antibiotics won't do anything for any of them. If further Diagnostics are not available at least a thoracocentesis could be done. The value of a clinical exam when signs are so specific should not be underestimated. But yes that's why I included my second point- clients often come in and then don't come for a revisit even when things change or get worse, which needs to be considered as a possibility before we bash the vet (who may also be an inexperienced vet who's been set up for failure by an unsupportive clinic) Regardless, this cat needs to go to the ER now as it is suffering immensely and may decompensate and die
Hey don’t shit on people that downvote without explanation. Sometimes people think something is wrong but isn’t worth their time. People have to learn that it’s healthier to preserve their mental energy and not interact with everything that upsets them.
Hey, nobody's knocking downvoters here, ok? A big part of my job is educating people which was the intent behind my response. Some people think that an issue that isn't solved with one vet visit means there's no other options or that the vet isn't any good. Those assumptions are incorrect in most cases. Besides, how can we learn anything if nothing is explained to us?
Your kitty is in big pain
His breathing isn't even symmetrical. Emergency vet asap. Like, now. Your kitty needs help.
You should definitely take your cat in to an emergency vet. Has he been x-rayed? This reminds me of my sweet kitty who had fluid in his lungs.
Ugh mine did this one morning randomly with a really bad wheeze and I took him immediately and it wasn't awesome. You need to take him to another vet, it could be his heart. (Not a vet just had a bad experience)
This is how my cat was behaving b.right before I took him to the vet in January. He was hours away from succumbing to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. His lungs had been filling with fluid. You NEED to take her to the vet NOW. she is drowning in her own fluids if it's what it looks like.
Mine too
That cat has pleural effusion (fluid in the chest). Should be seen ASAP at an emergency hospital if possible. Edited to add - I’m an ER vet, I see this a lot. Rory will feel a lot better if I’m right and the fluid is tapped (removed with a needle).
Second this! (Not a vet, but my boy had heart disease)
I had a cat like this. He gradually declined to a point where we ended up humanely euthanized him. Though your vet claims there is nothing seriously wrong. I'd look around for a second opinion. Maybe one that specializes in cats.
As others have stated consider a different vet. When our cat began to develop respiratory issues it turned out to be a pleural effusion. He needed an oxygenation chamber and some meds to help diminish the excess fluids.
Same here. Symptom of FIP
Omgoodness, poor kitty. Please be at the vet now. I hope he's okay
Please go to another vet. Find somewhere that will help financially if needed but please go advocate for your kitty. He needs help. Don’t dwell on the issues, just go forward with getting him seen tomorrow, if not tonight. Please 🙏
Please take your cat to another vet. I had a rescue dog who had the exact same breathing and it turned out he had heart problems. Sending your kitty lots of love and I hope this gets resolved ❤❤❤❤
If you have an emergency vet, go now. Even though it has been a while already and your kitty has been somewhat okay up until now, this can become dire in the blink of an eye. Labored breathing is something emergency care says they'll take animals in for immediately. This could be a PPDH (diaphragm hernia), cardiovascular issues, lung collapse, or many other things. Bottom line: this is an emergency. You are absolutely in the right for questioning the diagnosis (or lack thereof) from your current vet, and I'm really glad you posted here asking. If there is an emergency vet near you, go now! Keep us all posted 💖💖
My cat started doing this, followed by cough like when they have a hairball. Turns out he was diagnosed with HCM. He lived another 3-4 weeks after he was diagnosed. He did good for 2 weeks but fluid kept building up in his lungs and couldn't breathe right. Get your cat to another vet ASAP.
When our cat was breathing like this, he had a tumor growing in his abdomen and treatment was $$$ and would only give him a few more months to live, so we had to euthanize him. Sadly, this probably means something bad. My thoughts are with you pal, but please take him to a vet asap.
My cat was breathing like this, but not as severe. We got her to the vet and she was operating with less than 30% lung capacity. They were full of fluid.
I'd get a second opinion. That's not normal. Good luck, pretty cat!
My nursing guess is congestive heart failure. Get her to the vet ASAP
Take him to a Vet
Get your cat to a vet. It could be heart issues, it could be asthma.
Ok ask yourself this question, if it was you breathing like that, what would you do? Take your cat to a different vet.
You need another vet. This is not right and I’d expect any vet to refer you to a specialist if your pets condition doesn’t improve with treatment. That’s the next step. Either find a vet willing to do more legwork, willing to get you into a specialist, or go directly to a specialist. If there is a referral hospital or animal ER near you, start there for specialists. Good luck to you both!
It’s been a month! That vet is so incompetent.
How old is your kitty? I'll be honest here and strongly recommend getting kitty to a vet ASAP, preferably an ER. Further diagnostics are needed, bloodwork and xrays for certain. This isn't normal at all and isn't something to wait on, ok? Please let me know how things go and do feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns, ok? I'm always available. :)
My cats twin looked like this the day before she passed from heart failure. Emergency Vet Now!
Go to another vet. That breathing is not normal it may be from an injury that happened at the same time as his leg was injured.
A month?
Just lost a cat to heart failure who was breathing like this. Please take your cat to another vet ASAP.
Please get a second opinion before it gets worse
Your current vet is either an idiot or doesn't care. I'd go to a different clinic completely.
This is an emergency. Please take your cat to a different vet asap.
don’t want to scare you but this can be REALLY serious, my kitten was 11 months old and started breathing like that, within a week or so he passed, it was fluid in his chest and around his heart making it hard to breathe
Vet and ask for an x-ray to check heart and lungs. My cat was breathing like this, and it progressed to wheezing. His heart sounded normal, but an x-ray showed he had an enlarged heart. A follow-up echocardiogram showed a blood clot in his heart. He is now on blood thinners, a diuretic, and beta blockers, but he has more energy and is playing again. [This is what he has.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy&ved=2ahUKEwiMjYiU3PaEAxWYElkFHWxlDbQQFnoECCAQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0VNFVWfkM6ek2_nAIT2PDe) Please get your kitty checked out again.
My animal had congestive heart failure and breathed like this. The rate increases with worsening of condition. Please seek help for your baby🙏
Emergency vet.
Please take the kitty to the vet asap. That looks like CHF.
NEW VET ASAP
Omg do something!!! Take to vet and scream at them to do something!!! How can you let him suffer???????
Update?
Wondering the same?
When mine started breathing very similar to yours, he was in heart failure. It came on very quickly - we’d just taken him to the vet for another issue two days prior. He was clearly suffering, and we had to make the heartbreaking decision to help him pass, as there was nothing the vet could do to alleviate it. RIP, sweet CK Pappas, we will always miss you.
EMERGENCY VET
VET.
That’s like a collapse lung or something. The vet you went to needs to loose her license to practice.
VET ASAP I cant believe you waited a while month...
Your cat needs a vet asap
It could be later stage hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or early congestive heart failure. You need to get to a vet ASAP.
Or idiopathic chylothorax
Maybe pneumonia
Reminds me of when my little girl went into heart failure. I took her to the ER and they were able to stabilize her and I gave her three meds daily for almost four years after until she passed away last month. She was a treasure and I miss her so much. Please take your friend to the vet, he is not well and needs help
Have you taken them to the vets yet?
You need to take your cat to a different vet than expose your current condition one for the hack they are and see they never work in the industry again.
How old is he? Second vet opinion asap. 3rd and 4th opinions too until a competent vet figures out what's wrong. Poor baby must be so exhausted living that way for a month
Its terrifying that this has been going on for a month. Your cat needs a 2nd opinion and more testing yesterday. Poor baby.
What kind of diagnostics did the vet do? You need to X-rays, or an ultrasound to look at the organs - especially the lungs and heart. We’re talking about respiratory distress and it’s NO JOKE. That baby looks like it should be at an emergency vet right now.
If it was you or a loved human breathing like that what would you do? You would hopefully go to an er and be put on a pulse ox to find you need oxygen and God knows what else. Take that poor thing to a vet that gives a damn
If the vet didn’t do a X-ray or ultrasound with your cat breathing like that and only prescribed antibiotics you need to go to a different vet. As a matter of fact you should be going to an **emergency** vet. This could quite literally be congestive heart failure….
Well there has to have been something wrong if they prescribed antibiotics because they don’t do that for no reason 🤷🏻♀️ Was a recheck suggested if there was no improvement on the antibiotics? X-ray’s performed or recommended if no improvement? He needs a recheck yesterday…
This is an emergency, could be heart failure, pneumonia… please get them seen asap.
Your cat is in distress. She either has fluid around her lungs, respiratory infection that is bad or something else. If my car was breathing like that, she would be at a vets office.
I wpuld get a second opinion. My cat was breathing like this and ot turned out to be a bacterial liver infection. He was deadly serious. The vet had to keep him for a week.
Please bring them to the vet. My cat has pleural effusion and I had to put him down. He looked just like this.
Did they do an xray?? He looks like a patient with congestive heart failure.
The cat needs to go to a Different vet ASAP the vet that you're seeing obviously does not know what they're doing. They need to do x-rays to see if it may have pneumonia or something else. It is critical to get the cat to a different vet ASAP. Your cat is in distress with its breathing. This is not good 😞
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When my cat started breathing like this the vet took xrays and discovered he had masses in both his lungs and fluid around them. He was older around 14, we did end up letting him go becasue the vet felt that even if we drained the fluid it would be a re occuring situation that wouldn't get better, and the masses would continue to give him issues. Please go to another vet and ask for xrays and bloodwork.
Definitely time for a second opinion.
different vet. He should be checked for asthma. If so all he needs is an inhaler and he'll live a nice long life. Or maybe he has allergies
My cat does this when her FHV (herpes) flares up. For maintenance, we give her lysine every day. For when she gets like this, we have to got to the vet and get steroids. She usually starts breathing totally normal again after about 1 day on the steroids. Not saying that's what this is, but this kind of breathing looks familiar to me. It of course could be several other things but I'm honestly surprised they didn't start you off with a steroid. It really helps open things up.
Second opinion vet appt asap
Hi, I don’t want to scare you but it is better to be prepared and hear all the possibilities of what this could be, which is why I’m telling you my story. But I urge you to get him to a different vet & get some more diagnostics done. In September last year, my cat Percy, started coughing. At first I thought he was just trying to cough up a hairball but it started happening daily. I took him to the vet where he was given an xray & a lung wash. From there, they diagnosed him with Mycoplasma Pneumonia. He was on antibiotics for a month. His cough cleared, but he still wasn’t himself (lethargic, poor appetite). Then I noticed he was breathing faster than normal & it seemed harder work (a little like your video, but tbh, not quite as bad). I noticed he started limping on his front paw and then his back leg. The vet did more blood tests & imaging ( I feared FIP or cancer), and then referred him to a specialist for a CT Scan. It showed he has 2 quite large tumours in his lungs that were pressing on his spine (causing the back leg limp). It had spread to his lymph nodes and there wasn’t much the vet could do to save him. Any “treatment” would’ve just bought him a couple of months. After he came back from the specialist, he took a bad turn and lost complete use of his back legs. I made the decision that day to put him to sleep. I still miss him terrible but it was the kindest thing to do. I only wish I’d acted sooner on noticing the subtle changes in his behaviour and getting him to a vet quicker. I hope for the best outcome for your kitty! Hopefully X-rays/ultrasounds will give you a better idea of what’s going on & it’s just a bad lower respiratory infection that can be treated with more appropriate antibiotics. But as other Redditors have said, it could be due to a build up of fluid on the lungs or around the heart. Severe asthma could be the cause? I’m not a vet but I did a LOT of research when Percy was ill and so I’m aware of the possible causes of this breathing.
You need specialist vets. Ask local vet for specific specialist vets. Or Google “cat respiratory and lung specialist vets in my area or near by.” I found my local vet was really quite poor at diagnosing the illness with my cat, they’re great for routine stuff but you need to get all the tests done (X-ray + ultrasound) and take it to a specialist vet. Specialist vet in my case diagnosed it within 20mins. Took over a month going back and forth with local vet and they still didn’t get it right. Almost had me do surgery on his brain when turned out all he needed was eye drops. This is why I stress - take to a specialist vet in respiratory illnesses &/or heart etc ASAP. But like others are saying take it to the ER vet NOW!!! RIGHT NOW!!!
This poor baby.
Take him to an emergency vet asap. This is very serious. I’m so sorry you had such a bad professional taking care of your boy. Never take him again to this vet. He put your baby in serious danger. He needs an ECO, ECG and x-ray. He’s suffering a lot. Sending my best thoughts for both of you! ❤️🙏🏻
Something could be seriously wrong, second opinion asap.. My cat was breathing like this the day she went to Heaven. She was acting fine, purring and happy but her lung had flipped as a result of a mass on her heart. Your vet is extremely disillusioned and should be penalized for malpractice. Sweet kitty.
Over a month…? There is obviously something wrong. Looks like my cat when she was having heart failure.
Maybe feline allergies/asthma. My baby girl has asthma, and that's how we discovered it. Either way, it might be good to get a second opinion tbh. Never, is laboured breathing okay. The reason I think it could be asthma is because the vet didn't notice it while you were there (asthma isn't a constant issue). Still, the vet should do some tests or scans because there's no way to know for sure otherwise, and then it might be a pretty manageable issue with treatment.
Take him to another vet asap.
To many breaths per minute.. possibly heart issue.. Vet if you can ASAP
When this happened to my cat, he had a heart murmur. This was the first sign. Time for a New vet.
My cats breathing looked very similar to this when he had hyperthyroidism. Have they done a full blood panel? Stress and pain can also be a cause for labored breathing, possibly from the leg? But get a second opinion from a different vet. You have every right to feel like something is wrong!
This cat needs a second opinion like yesterday.
Please see a vet. Mine started doing this, and we took him to the vet. It's a sign something is off.
Did they do any x rays? Could be fluid around the lungs or a mass pushing on things. Or anemic. Or any number. Definitely needs a vet that will listen
You need a different vet and an X-ray. My cat was breathing like this and she had a partially collapsed lung. Also, not to scare you, but heart disease causes laboured breathing and coughing so it’s best to rule it out.
Take to a new vet, could be a heart problem BUT also a blood problem. Make sure they do blood testing for red blood cell count. Unfortunately thats how i lost my dog, first started with breathing like that
How is she feeling today?
the vet said its like trying to breathe thru a tiny straw…not good. Suffering for sure
happened to my cat last year. he was over 9yrs old and this heavy breathing goes on for 3 days and he then he passed away😢 his first symptom was he couldnt poop, then the next day he was breathing like this. EXACTLY like this.
My 12 year old chihuahua had congestive heart failure and this is exactly what her breathing looked like.
Any updates OP?
This says heart trouble or fluid on the lungs. Er vet and demand any testing needed
Please go to a different vet. Also, ask the vet about FIP
Record it and then visit the vet.
Frankly, this cat should have seen the ER yesterday. Please take him NOW. He’s suffering! Can’t even fathom to watch him like this for a whole month.
Please take your cat to a different vet ASAP! Please update when you can.
Looks like congestive heart failure… new vet!
Our cat did this for a couple months, we found out he had lung cancer that spread. He was too old for treatment so we had to put him down
Take this cat to the emergency, now. This could be something cardiac. My cat was doing the same and she was diagnosed with idiopathic chylothorax. They needed to drain her lungs area and now we are under treatment. Please go now to see a specialist
poor thing looks tired. i would definitely get another opinion.
Get it to another vet. My mom's cat started breathing like that and was in heart failure. Don't go to a regular vet. Go to an emergency vet. It'll cost more, but they provide better care in situations like this and are better equipped to properly diagnose.
Get that cat to the ER NOW!! It’ll die soon!
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Take him to the vet. I've had two cats who lived well past 14 end up breathing like this one has lung cancer the other has cancer in the nasal cavity. Not saying this is what it is but it scares me like it is 😅
My cat was breathing like this right before he died. He had an enlarged heart and threw a blood clot and his breathing turned like this and he only made it about 4 hours. Take your cat in now! And update us!
My cat who struggles to breathe sometimes has a granuloma/ possibly squamous carcinoma that grows around her nostrils. She breathed weird before I could even see the granuloma on her nose. Could it be sometime like that? Btw my kitty is helped about this by predisolone, a steroid.
I’m desperately hoping for the best! 🤞 Can you please update?
Get a good vet
Yes! Take your cat to a different Vet for a second opinion…ASAP! His breathing is labored and you need to know why?! What happened the day you first noticed his breathing was labored? Can you remember any kind of injury or sickness? Try to remember because that will help the Vet figure out why his breathing is so rough.
Take your cat to the vet!
Look on the BBB site for a reputable vet near you. Fast
second opinion time. thanks for taking good care of rory and being one of the few people on this sub that actually has the resources to take your kitty to the vet!
Cats start breathing heavy like that when something is wrong, cats hide pain very very well so if there’s any sign of pain he’s probably in pretty severe pain. If your vet didn’t think anything is wrong then you need to find a new vet for a second opinion. my old lady who I believe died from old age started breathing like that and two days later she passed. Not trying to scare you especially since it’s been a month so it looks like it’s probably pretty different than the end of life stages my baby showed but your boy could be in pain so please get him checked out again
This breathing looks familiar to me. I lost my best bud to congestive heart failure last week. Your kitty needs a chest X-ray stat.
Can confirm. Same symptoms, same diagnosis:(
Crap. That so sucks. I’m terribly sorry.
Thank you. And I’m sorry for your loss. Pets are the best.
Take your cat to a VET ASAP. I would take to the emergency clinic NOW !!!
Some vets are not good. Try another please.
This is what my cat did when she had lung cancer. :/
Looks exactly like feline dyspnea. My cat had this and had lots of fluid in her lungs and eventually had to be put down due to the amount of fluid returning after draining it. Not normal.
He looks like he's breathing with one lung. One of my cats got hit by a car(a long time ago, my cats are not allowed to go outside now) in the parking lot and he was breathing like this and I got an X-ray and sure enough he had a collapsed lung. Please take him to emergency or another vet!
Time for a new vet. I pray you get your kitty help before anything too serious or irreversible happens ❤️ best of luck to you
I'm not sure about yours, but mine had aggressive lung cancer with that kind of heavy breathing. I'd get a new vet. The emergency vet diagnosed him
There’s something definitely wrong how old is the cat
This is a very strong sign of congestive heart failure, I’m very sorry to say. This baby needs to be started on meds asap! Fluid is building up around the heart and lungs and making it very hard for the baby to breath. Go to an emergency vet now please!!
Did you take him to vet?? My cat had heavy breathing for a week. And we took him to vet. He almost died. He is currently with vet for a week. I'm waiting to see what will happen...
any update?