Why is my cat breathing heavily while lying down, but still purring?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Heavy breathing is certainly abnormal in cats. It can be seen with conditions like asthma, heart disease, bronchitis, pneumonia, among other possibilities. This is usually concerning in cats and warrants a visit to a veterinarian as soon as possible for further assessment and possible treatment. They will likely going to perform thoracic radiographs, among other diagnostics dependent on the results obtained. Treatment would be dependent on the findings. Good luck and have a good night!

Hi there! It's possible that this could be allergy related, especially if Perry sounds congested when he breathes or if he is having any sneezing or nasal discharge. The breathing changes could also be due to a respiratory infection, bronchitis, feline asthma, or even a more serious problem such as heart disease or a tumor in his chest. Since some of these problems can be quite serious, I would recommend taking Perry to the vet for an exam as soon as you are able to. The vet can listen to his heart and lungs, and may recommend chest x-rays or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem.

Upper and lower respiratory issues in cats are very worrisome. Cats are prone to getting asthma (causes wheezes), pneumonia (crackles heard in the lungs), and upper respiratory infections (crackles in the nasal passage). They can also get heart problems that lead to fluid build up in the lungs. I would highly recommend taking Prince to your local vet to get examined thoroughly, potential bloodwork and x-rays of his chest. We need more information on what is actually going on internally so that we can select the proper course of treatment for Prince to hopefuly get him back on his feet. I would try to get him in as soon as possible, because it often is a sign of a serious illness whenever a cat decides to refuse food. Cats are masters at hiding illness, so we must take these symptoms that Prince is showing right now, very seriously and get him treated right away. Best wishes with Prince and I hope that he feels better soon.

As long as she isn't in any distress and seems comfortable, that may just be her purring. However, if this is a behavior you've never seen in her before, it's worth getting her checked by your vet just to make sure she doesn't have the start of an upper respiratory infection or something similar.

Good for you for noticing that Simba is breathing more heavily than normal! This is a fairly subtle symptom that many cat owners don't notice until the problem is severe. Increased respiratory effort like this is not normal, and definitely warrants a vet visit. Some possible causes could include heart disease, a severe respiratory infection, fluid in the chest, or even lung cancer. Your veterinarian can listen to Simba's heart and lungs, and may also take chest x-rays to help diagnose the problem. Many of these issues are treatable once a diagnosis is made, so it's definitely worth trying to determine what's wrong before things get worse.

Oh dear! Poor Prince. I'm afraid these are very concerning symptoms. This does sound like a life-threatening problem, so I would recommend taking him to an emergency vet tonight to be seen. If this isn't possible, then he needs to see your regular veterinarian first thing in the morning. He will likely need blood work and x-rays to help diagnose the problem and see what can be done to help.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Kida. I recommend that she sees a veterinarian. Respiratory issues can be very serious. If she is breathing with her mouth open at all, then you need to seek emergency care right away as this indicates respiratory distress. I hope this information helps!