Why is my cat breathing fast with swollen belly? Vet suggests colitis fasting.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Based on on your description, there could be many possibilities of these symptoms. I would want to rule out any chest or abdominal disease as the cause by taking x-rays to start with. I would also recommend having his blood tested to check for evidence of systemic disease or infection. I am glad to see that you have an appointment tomorrow with the veterinarian so that these tests can be done. I would be concerned about an intestinal foreign body causing an obstruction or something abnormal in the lungs or chest cavity. I saw a case similar to this a couple of weeks ago that ended up being feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), which is caused from a virus and can be fatal and lead to fluid accumulation in the chest or abdomen. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I’m sorry to hear about Lerdi! I too am somewhat concerned but have a few ideas. Least scary is just that he is painful or developing a fever. A fractured rib that is difficult to see on X-ray is also possible- this makes deep breathing quite painful so animals tend to take shallow, frequent breaths. A more scary idea is that he could have a slow leak of air or buildup of fluid into the chest cavity which is compressing the lungs. Keep a close eye on the color of his gums (pale pink in most cats) and that respiration rate. If those guns become white, grey, blue-tinged or that respiration rate keeps climbing, you head to the emergency vet immediately. Otherwise, Call the first vet back and see what they recommend- a repeat X-ray or chest ultrasound might be indicated. Best of luck to you and Lerdi!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Fiorre Flamma! I recommend that she be seen by a Vet as soon as possible due to the heavy breathing. She looks pretty sick in your pictures. Possible causes of a bloated stomach in a kitten are: intestinal parasites, constipation, and feline infectious peritonitis. All of these things are treated differently and have different outcomes. The best thing for Fiorre is to see a Vet for an exam and testing. I hope this helps and I wish Fiorre a speedy recovery!

Hi, and thanks for your question. This is a quite generic but concerning presentation. Differentials are many, from gastrointestinal diseases (infection/inflammations often dietary related) to any disease that can spread systemically (causing lethargy for example) like infection, and anything that can cause pain/discomfort. A check up is needed if this presentation lasts for more than 24hours. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

Given that Tota is not vaccinated, I would be very concerned that his symptoms may be due to something more serious such as FIP. This is a fatal viral disease of cats that causes fluid accumulation in the abdomen. Tota needs to see a vet immediately. His symptoms are very serious and require immediate medical attention.

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I definitely understand your concern. Vomiting and inappetence are concerning symptoms as they could occur with things like a gastrointestinal obstruction, pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, dietary indiscretion, among many other possibilities. The fact that he is also breathing fast is also concerning. I recommend that you have Pedrito evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From the X-rays, I can see that Mara's abdomen appears to be filled with fluid. It is obscuring his liver and intestines from being seen and there may even be a small amount in his lungs. Unfortunately it is impossible to tell what the fluid is from the x-ray alone. His blood work shows some abnormalities with his electrolytes, which may be if he is not eating or from fluid in the abdomen. Mara also has a high white blood cell count, these are the cells that are responsible for fighting off infections and increase if there is one present. Your vet can run some additional diagnostics, and perform a tap and remove the fluid as well as a blood test to determine if Mara is infected with FIP, a mutated form of a common virus that cats are exposed to. I hope this helps!