Why is my cat struggling to breathe, drooling, not eating or standing?

Poor Precious! It sounds like she's quite sick. Open-mouth breathing or "panting" in cats is not normal, and usually indicates a serious breathing problem or some type of severe stress. Acting lethargic and not eating are very vague symptoms that could be caused by almost any kind of illness, so it's hard to say what might be going on without being able to examine her and run some tests. It does sound like this may be a life-threatening problem, so I would recommend taking her to the vet today to be seen. If your regular veterinarian doesn't have Saturday hours, I would take her to your nearest emergency clinic. The vet there can do blood work, x-rays, or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what kind of treatment is needed.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your cat. If possible, you need to seek veterinary care for him immediately. He appears very sick in your pictures and your description. He will likely need blood work and x-rays of his chest to determine why he is so sick. In the meantime, place karo or maple syrup on his gums. This will help if his blood sugar has dropped too low. It will give him a little energy. He will still need care though. I hope this information helps.

Your cat sounds critically ill and should be seen by a vet ASAP. Open-mouth breathing is always an emergency in cats - it is a sign of respiratory distress. It is difficult to say what the cause is without doing some testing, but possibilities include cancer, pneumonia, asthma, or heart failure.

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I definitely understand your concern. Vomiting and inappetence are concerning symptoms as they could occur with things like a gastrointestinal obstruction, pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, dietary indiscretion, among many other possibilities. The fact that he is also breathing fast is also concerning. I recommend that you have Pedrito evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Poor SoCo sounds extremely ill, and the symptoms you are describing are a medical emergency. As a senior cat, he could have many things wrong with him including dental problems, diabetes, kidney failure, hyperthyroidism, liver failure, or cancer among others. He needs veterinary care now to diagnose what is causing all his symptoms so he can be treated. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.

I'm sorry to hear that Bo is feeling so poorly. A foreign body intestinal and/or stomach obstruction will cause vomiting and nausea (drooling is a sign of nausea), a loss of appetite and lethargy. Foreign body obstructions require surgery and supportive fluids and medications for treatment. Without surgical removal of the foreign material, the intestinal wall will become severely diseased and perforate, causing intestinal contents to leak into the abdomen, causing severe infection (sepsis) which is life-threatening. Since Bo is doing so poorly, I strongly recommend taking him to the emergency vet immediately for evaluation and likely surgery. Do not give additional enemas or squeeze his bladder without direct veterinary guidance. Some over the counter enemas (such as Fleet enemas) are toxic for cats. Squeezing his bladder could also cause an intestinal perforation if the intestines are diseased from the foreign material. I hope that all goes well.

Oh no, poor Ezra! It sounds like this food has made him sick, and it may be causing a toxic reaction. It's not normal at all for a cat to pant, and he really does need veterinary attention now. There's nothing you can do at home for him. I would see if you can borrow money from family and friends to afford an ER visit, and I can give you some resources that may help you afford a vet. 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. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ The Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization that provides financial assistance to cat and kitten guardians who are unable to afford veterinary services to save their companions when life-threatening illness or injury strikes.
 God's Creatures Ministry helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help.
 The Onyx & Breezy Foundation has many programs including helping people with medical bills. They are a good resource for information.
 Brown Dog Foundation provides funding to families with a sick pet that would likely respond to treatment, but due to circumstances, there is not enough money immediately available to pay. IMOM is dedicated to insure that no companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially challenged. I hope this was helpful and one of my resources helps you afford the vet. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.