What are the causes of shortness of breath in cats? Shortness of breath in cats should not be underestimated! If the cat panteth quickly in a normal and calm state, has a high respiratory rate, and the overall condition of the cat is average, then you should go to the hospital to check the cardiopulmonary function. Take an X-ray to see if there is fluid in the chest, such as empyema, chylothorax or pleurisy, which may cause rapid breathing.

Check whether the lung images are normal, whether there is pneumonia or pulmonary edema, which are mostly related to heart diseases. Do cardiac biochemical examinations, electrocardiograms, BNP tests, cardiac color ultrasound, and blood pressure tests to see if there is hypertrophic myocardium. disease, valve disease or heart failure. If you have heart disease, you should also check whether the thyroid function is normal to determine what kind of heart problem it is and intervene with medication in time. You should pay more attention to the cat's breathing rate at home, which is usually about 20 times a minute. If the breathing rate is relatively high in a calm state, please contact the doctor in time to avoid delaying the condition.

Why do cats breathe rapidly?

The first thing to say is that normal pet cats do not pant all the time.

The body temperature of a healthy cat is about 38-39.5°C, the number of respirations is 20-30 times/min, and the heartbeat is 120-140 times/min.

If the cat keeps panting for a long time and breathes through its mouth, similar to dogs, the following reasons may be considered: the weather environment is high and the cat has signs of heatstroke.

After strenuous exercise, the body temperature rises due to the tense and exciting stress state. Pneumonia or bronchitis, pulmonary edema and other lung diseases. Pleural effusion or empyema, mediastinal problems, pleural disease. Cardiogenic diseases, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats, heart valve disease, precursors to heart failure, etc.

What to do if your cat is short of breath?

If the owner cannot determine the cause, it is recommended to seek professional veterinary diagnosis and treatment.