Why is my cat's stomach moving fast? Could it be labored breathing?

Increased respiratory rate can have several causes, including anemia, pain, heart disease, or lung disease. If you can see the abdomen moving when she breathes, I would be very worried. I would recommend that you have Kiku examined by a vet. They may need to diagnostics such as blood work or x-rays, depending on what the exam reveals.

Coco is adorable and I'm sorry to hear that she has been having so many changes to her breathing. Heavy breathing with abdominal effort/movement is a sign for concern and can be related to congenital heart defects causing congestive heart failure, pneumonia, pain, infectious conditions, among others. Any breathing changes are an emergent cause for concern and should be addressed by a vet immediately to assure that Coco seems to be stable. I hope that all goes well!

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Based on on your description, there could be many possibilities of these symptoms. I would want to rule out any chest or abdominal disease as the cause by taking x-rays to start with. I would also recommend having his blood tested to check for evidence of systemic disease or infection. I am glad to see that you have an appointment tomorrow with the veterinarian so that these tests can be done. I would be concerned about an intestinal foreign body causing an obstruction or something abnormal in the lungs or chest cavity. I saw a case similar to this a couple of weeks ago that ended up being feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), which is caused from a virus and can be fatal and lead to fluid accumulation in the chest or abdomen. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I’m sorry to hear about Lerdi! I too am somewhat concerned but have a few ideas. Least scary is just that he is painful or developing a fever. A fractured rib that is difficult to see on X-ray is also possible- this makes deep breathing quite painful so animals tend to take shallow, frequent breaths. A more scary idea is that he could have a slow leak of air or buildup of fluid into the chest cavity which is compressing the lungs. Keep a close eye on the color of his gums (pale pink in most cats) and that respiration rate. If those guns become white, grey, blue-tinged or that respiration rate keeps climbing, you head to the emergency vet immediately. Otherwise, Call the first vet back and see what they recommend- a repeat X-ray or chest ultrasound might be indicated. Best of luck to you and Lerdi!

I would recommend that you have your cat evaluated by a vet. Abnormal chest and abdomen movements can indicate trouble breathing or extreme stress, and chronic vomiting can have many physical and medical causes. The vet will do an exam and may recommend blood work or x-rays to determine what is going on.

This could be a normal respiratory rate for Bella, but I’m concerned that she seems to have labored breathing. I would recommend having her examined by an emergency vet as soon as possible - respiratory disease in cats can quickly get worse and a prompt exam and treatment is important.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to flatulence or sometimes you can see that when breathing with an abdominal component for instance which you can see in cases of respiratory distress. Hopefully it is not anything serious when they evaluate Simba on Thursday. Good luck and have a great day!