My cat is purring excessively and acting lethargic. What's wrong?

This is an emergency and you need to take your kitty to a veterinarian or PetER right away. Respiratory distress is very serious and your cat will need a thorough exam, possibly oxygen, and supportive care. He is purring because he is ill and is trying to appease everyone around him. The signs of illness are very unspecific so please take your cat to the ER now.

Kittens can purr both because they are happy, but also because they are sick. It sounds like Milo has had a fairly dramatic change in his attitude and energy. Kittens can become very sick very quickly and will require medical attention to improve, so I would recommend having Milo examined by a veterinarian ASAP. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Milo feels better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Breathing more heavily than normal is often an early sign of illness in cats, so I would definitely encourage you to take Prince to the vet for a check up as soon as you are able to. Often, we see this in cats with heart disease, fluid in the chest cavity, or even certain types of cancer. They may not show any other symptoms of a problem until their illness gets much worse, so it's always best to have this checked sooner rather than later. Your vet can listen to Prince's heart and lungs to check for any obvious abnormalities, and may also recommend chest x-rays to look for some of the problems I mentioned above.

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.

I understand your concerns for Scuff! Fortunately, from the signs that you describe, a foreign body obstruction from plastic is unlikely, as significant vomiting and anorexia would be expected. Wheezy breathing and changes in purring can be caused by asthma, heart disease, hyperthyroidism, among others. While I understand Scuff's fear of the vet, in this case, that is the only way that he's going to be diagnosed and treated appropriately. Consider looking into mobile vets in your area to see if they can make house calls and also have a portable x-ray machine. It sounds as though Scuff will likely need to have chest x-rays to get to the bottom of his problem. I hope that all goes well!

Poor kitty! If you were noticing a sensitivity with his mouth, that could indicate a tooth infection, a foreign body stuck in the gums or jaw pain in general. I recommend to try to get him seen today if possible by his veterinarian. It is very important to address bad teeth as they can lead to bone loss and other forms of permanent damage. Offer him kibble that has been soaked in warm water or canned food as the softer food will be easier to eat until his issue is resolved. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

What a gorgeous cat! I am sorry he is not feeling well. Licking his lips is a sign of nausea. Even though he may not be vomiting today he is showing signs that he is still not feeling well. If he is eating (even small amounts) and drinking water as well as interacting with you, urinating, and defecating than he may be able to wait until Wednesday. However, if Michaleto's breathing continues to be abnormal at all to you this may be a sign that he is in pain or has some sort of disease of his heart or lungs. Any abnormal breathing - whether fast or hard - should be seen as soon as possible by a veterinarian. I hope he is feeling better soon.