My cat is breathing heavily and wheezing. Why is he acting withdrawn?

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!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If Mecia is having trouble breathing, she should be seen by a vet immediately as she may require stabilization such as fluids or supplemental oxygen to make her more comfortable. A vet may recommend euthanasia, but no vet will euthanize Mecia without your consent.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Heavy breathing can be a sign of many conditions such as pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis, heart disease, among many other possibilities. While this could be due to some extent to his weight, I think that it is also possible that he has something going on. I recommend that you have Max evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Likely diagnostics to be performed include thoracic radiographs and bloodwork. Treatment would be dependent on findings. Good luck and have a good day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Open mouth breathing can be a sign of many conditions such as pneumonia, bronchitis, heart disease, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Bruce evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Likely diagnostics to be performed include thoracic radiographs and bloodwork. Treatment would be dependent on findings. Good luck and have a good night!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear Harry is having problems. Breathing problems are always an emergency so I would advise you seek veterinary help right away. Many reasons may exist for breathing problems including lung and heart/chest problems. Cats also get asthma and that can be life threatening. Also, heartworm disease, lung problems including infection, inflammation, different types of fluid in the lungs or chest cavity, heart problems, etc. Again seek vet help immediately so your vet can evaluate Harry and develop a diagnostic and treatment plan. Oxygen, x-rays, blood work may all be indicated, also ultrasound. I hope Harry does well

If he is breathing heavy then he should be examined by a vet for a work-up. Your vet can take an x-ray to evaluate his heart and lungs to look for abnormalities that would cause him to breathe heavy. He could have an infection, heart disease, asthma, trauma from being outside, etc.

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!