Why is my 9-month-old cat mouth breathing after play and not eating?

I would definitely be concerned about this. Without actually seeing the incident or knowing a little bit more about your kitty, it's difficult for me to tell you what this might be. That being said, what you are describing definitely sounds like episodes of feline asthma or some other inflammatory / obstructive pulmonary condition. If your kitty is an older individual, the chance that this is something more harmful like a respiratory cancer or infectious process would be higher. In very young kittens, I would always suspect upper respiratory infection over any thing else until proven otherwise. An x-ray is usually good enough to diagnose feline asthma though in some cases it can prove challenging. Hope you and your vet can figure things out. In the meantime, I would tune down the playtime.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Missy. I recommend that you seek emergency veterinary care this evening. Open mouth breathing is a sign of respiratory distress in a cat. The respiratory infection could have spread to her lungs resulting in pneumonia or she could have another problem. Heart disease and fluid in the chest can also cause this breathing pattern. I hope this information helps. Good luck.

Poor Pooter! There are a couple of things that can be wrong with him. It is concerning that he becomes stressed out easily and starts open mouth breathing. It is not normal for a cat to open mouth breathe, and it can be a sign of respiratory distress. Because Pooter was bit by another animal, he could have been infected by a disease from that animal. Given the open mouth breathing, it is best that he is seen by a vet, as it's not possible to recommend a treatment without knowing the cause of the symptoms. In addition, breathing problems can be quite serious, and it's important to have the diagnosed and treated. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Usually, No. Most cats will only have their mouths open if they are having trouble breathing. There are some cats that have odd behaviours such as this and it isn't concerning, however if this is a new change for Simba then I would recommend getting him checked right away to make sure there isn't a problem with his lungs or heart. It is concerning he only opens his mouth while playing (increased energy expenditure), because this might mean that his heart can't keep up with the stress of playing. Best of luck with Simba, hopefully it is just behavioural however I would get him checked to be sure.

Poor Mochko. With symptoms of decreased appetite and "hard breathe" which I assume means she is having a hard time breathing, it is possible Mochka has pneumonia or an upper respiratory infection. I would highly recommend getting her seen by your vet again or another vet for a second opinion. They need to listen to her chest (auscultation) to check the lungs for certain sounds. If certain sounds in the chest are detected and Mochko also has a fever (greater than 102.5 degrees F rectal temp), then pneumonia is suspected. Chest x-rays would then be needed to confirm. If the chest is free of any abnormal sounds on expiration, then an upper respiratory infection is suspected, which is a better prognosis for kitty. At that time a short course of antibiotics and anti-viral meds (i.e. Lysine) can be prescribed to treat her condition. At any rate Mochko needs to be re-evaluated and the underlying condition properly identified so that we know exactly what she needs to get better.

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!

You are correct that Jeje's respiratory rate is higher than normal, but it's good that he's breathing with his mouth closed. I would be very concerned if he was opening mouth breathing, as that's a sign of respiratory distress in cats. He may not be feeling well at the moment leading to the increased respiratory rate. Because I can't see him in person, I can't say for certain he will be ok, so it's certainly fine to take him into a vet now for a health check. Otherwise, you can monitor him, and if his respiratory rate is still high in the morning, I would have him seen by a vet.