Why is my cat's chest moving fast when she's resting? Is it normal?

A kitten's normal respiratory rate is between 20 to 40 breaths per minute, but it can be higher if they are awake and playing. The best time to measure Sadie's respiratory rate is while she is sleeping. Any other time, breathing can be confused with her purring or increased breathing from activity and play. Watch her while she is sound asleep, and count her respiratory rate then. If there is no increased effort while breathing, the rate is between 20-40 breaths per minute, her breathing is not noisy, and her eating, drinking, and activity is normal, then there likely is no problem. Good luck, I hope this helps!

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!

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.

Hi there. A sleeping respiratory rate of less than 25 breaths per minute is considered normal in cats, so this is definitely a good sign :) If she's not showing any symptoms of illness and her breathing rate is normal, then she may be fully recovered. If you're not sure, I would recommend taking her in to your vet for a recheck to be safe :)

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Fast respiration is a common finding in nursing cats, particularly with the first litter. If Lily is nursing the kittens well, is eating and drinking and acting as normal, you should just monitor her at home. However, if she goes off food and becomes lethargic you should take her to your local vets for an appointment. In that case, she should be checked for fever, mastitis, uterine infection, which could cause increase in respiratory rate in feeding cats.

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!

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.