My cat is breathing fast while nursing kittens. Should I worry?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Kittens can breathe quite rapidly, even when they are sleeping, especially if they are dreaming. As long as his breathing rate is able to slow to a more normal rate, like 30-50 breaths per minute, and he is otherwise acting normally (eating/drinking well with a good energy level), he will likely be just fine! If he even seems distressed with his breathing, or he is coughing or sneezing a lot, he should be seen by a veterinarian. I hope this is helpful!

As kittens grow and take up more of the abdomen it can make it a little harder to expand the lungs so it can be normal. If you think Sannu is having trouble breathing or if her appetite is not normal I’d recommend having a vet examine her to make sure there’s nothing more serious going on.

Panting can be normal after giving birth. Lactation will stimulate the uterus to contract during the first two weeks after giving birth, thus leading to the panting. Make sure Twitch is eating and drinking normally, has a normal vagina discharge, and has a normal temperature (between 101-102.5F). If this panting increasing, she stops nursing her kittens, she has a fever, or has any other concerning signs, take Twitch and her kittens into a vet immediately.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! At 4 months old the kitten should be weaned and he shouldn't be nursing anymore. If Minnie is having trouble breathing from a medical reason, mother's milk will not help. Unfortunately having trouble breathing is a life threatening emergency. Minnie should be examined by a Vet so they can listen to her lungs. Causes of trouble breathing in a young cat are: upper respiratory tract infection, pneumonia, asthma, heart disease, fluid around the lungs. I wish you and Minnie the best!

Yes it is normal for you to be able to see her chest rise and fall as she breathes but she shouldn't be breathing fast. Usually when resting they will have a respiratory rate of less that 20 breaths per minute. You can count this by counting each rise in her chest over a minute. If she is breathing rapidly or open mouth breathing then there is likely something seriously wrong like a respiratory infection or heart problem. And I would advise you to seek medical attention as soon as possible. I hope this helps.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is considered very abnormal in a cat. Abnormal breathing in a cat can occur from conditions such as pneumonia, heart failure, asthma, bronchitis, among other possibilities. If her pulse (not respiratory rate) really is 70 bpm as you pointed out that is very abnormal for a cat and at the same time even if it was her respiratory rate it would also be abnormal. For that reason, I highly recommend that you have Marciella evaluated by your local emergency clinic or your veterinarian if open as soon as possible for further assessment and treatment. Likely diagnostics include chest radiographs. Treatment would be dependent on findings. Good luck!

I would make sure she is not purring while she is breathing fast since sometimes purring can make it seem like they are breathing fast when they are in reality not. If you are concerned with how Rosebud is breathing I would start with X-rays to rule out lung disease. If the X-rays are clear and it is not lung related the next step is an ultrasound of her heart. Cats can have heart problems without having a heart murmur. If everything is clear then I wouldn't worry to much but without diagnostics it is hard to say if it is something to be concerned about or not. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.