Why is my 7-week-old kitten breathing 90 bpm but still active?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Kittens can breathe quite rapidly, even when they are sleeping, especially if they are dreaming. As long as his breathing rate is able to slow to a more normal rate, like 30-50 breaths per minute, and he is otherwise acting normally (eating/drinking well with a good energy level), he will likely be just fine! If he even seems distressed with his breathing, or he is coughing or sneezing a lot, he should be seen by a veterinarian. I hope this is helpful!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is considered very abnormal in a cat. Abnormal breathing in a cat can occur from conditions such as pneumonia, heart failure, asthma, bronchitis, among other possibilities. If her pulse (not respiratory rate) really is 70 bpm as you pointed out that is very abnormal for a cat and at the same time even if it was her respiratory rate it would also be abnormal. For that reason, I highly recommend that you have Marciella evaluated by your local emergency clinic or your veterinarian if open as soon as possible for further assessment and treatment. Likely diagnostics include chest radiographs. Treatment would be dependent on findings. Good luck!

A kitten's normal respiratory rate is between 20 to 40 breaths per minute, but it can be higher if they are awake and playing. The best time to measure Sadie's respiratory rate is while she is sleeping. Any other time, breathing can be confused with her purring or increased breathing from activity and play. Watch her while she is sound asleep, and count her respiratory rate then. If there is no increased effort while breathing, the rate is between 20-40 breaths per minute, her breathing is not noisy, and her eating, drinking, and activity is normal, then there likely is no problem. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Yes, you should be worried about his breath i'm afraid, upper respiratory infections are very common in young kittens and can be fatal if left untreated. his breathing rate is way to high and he is most likely suffering from an infection, you need to take him to the vet ASAP in order to get him an antibiotic course.

Any animal, particularly this young and presumably not fully vaccinated, with respiratory signs, should be seen my a veterinarian. If your Kitkat appears to be in true respiratory distress, this should be considered and emergency and should be seen right away. Signs of true respiratory distress in a cat would be open mouth breathing, pale white to blue mucous membranes (open mouth and look at gums), fainting episodes, or resting respiration of more than 30-40.

Yes it is normal for you to be able to see her chest rise and fall as she breathes but she shouldn't be breathing fast. Usually when resting they will have a respiratory rate of less that 20 breaths per minute. You can count this by counting each rise in her chest over a minute. If she is breathing rapidly or open mouth breathing then there is likely something seriously wrong like a respiratory infection or heart problem. And I would advise you to seek medical attention as soon as possible. I hope this helps.

Tachypnea can be normal after activity as long as it doesn't seem like Benji is having difficulty breathing after exercise. It seems a little unusual to be tachypneic during cuddling, but sometimes purring can change the respiratory rate. If it seems like Benji seems tired after exercise, if he breathes with his mouth open, or if he is tachypneic when he is sleeping I would recommend checking in with your vet.