Why is my cat breathing heavy, lethargic, and has pale gums?

No, I recommend to have Harlem examined immediately. This could be an emergency situation. When pets suddenly develop a change in their breathing pattern, they need to be examined immediately. This is especially true for cats who can hide signs of heart disease and not have any murmurs or other clues on physical examine. Other causes include infection, asthma or fluid in the lungs. Have him examined right away. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I would worry that Charlie has an upper respiratory infection. Viral disease is most common, and a secondary bacterial infection could occur as well. I’d recommend having Charlie examined by your veterinarian. If you think he is having enough difficulty breathing that he is in distress you should see an emergency veterinarian.

While lethargy and heavy breathing after exercise are possible clinical signs of both these diseases, the only way to know for sure if Tesla has one of these diseases is to have your veterinarian test her. Both are a simple blood test that can usually be done in the clinic. Mycoplasma haemofelis (formerly Haemobartonella felis) can cause inflammation of the gums, however it is not commonly transmitted by fleas. There are also many other infectious diseases of cats that can cause heavy breathing as can other diseases including feline asthma, heartworms or even congenital heart defects. A red line on the gums can be due to dental disease (less likely in a young cat) or stomatitis. Your veterinarian will be able to examine Tesla for any additional clinical signs, perform testing to rule out infectious disease processes and prescribe necessary treatment.

Hello, sorry to hear about Pancake. I am most concerned that he may have had a urinary obstruction. This can be a deadly medical emergency which should be evaluated by a veterinarian immediately. Alternatively, given his rapid breathing, other causes of this may include heart failure or a clot in his aorta. All of these are medical emergencies and it sounds like Pancake needs to be seen immediately. Please have him evaluated tonight. Hope this helps and best of luck.

If she has pale gums then she needs to be examined by a vet immediately to determine the cause and treat, especially if she also has abnormal breathing. Please call your vet or go to an emergency clinic. She could have an infection, parasite, clotting/bleeding problem, hemolytic anemia, mass, etc. and may need immediate treatment.

Oh no. Poor guy. If he has unclear lungs and labored breathing, then that means that he likely has either fluid or blood in his lungs. Also a mass in the lungs is also possible depending on what the x-rays looked like. If his gums are pale it either means he is losing blood internally, his red blood cells are being destroyed by an immune mediated condition, or he is in shock. This sounds serious unfortunately and your pet is considered to be highly unstable. I would recommend taking Harvey back in to a vet right away for overnight supportive care (i.e. oxygen, fluid therapy, etct) until the rest of his bloodwork comes back in. Also an ER vet will be able to run tests right away in house to quickly assess his condition so that we can decide on further treatment/care for Harvey. I am so sorry your pet Harvey is so ill and hope that you can diagnose his problem quickly so that you can decide on what needs to be done next. Best of luck and take care.

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.