Why is my kitten breathing fast and struggling to pee after spay?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would say that occasional episodes of rapid breathing are not necessarily a cause to panic. Do take note of the timing though. Does it seem to be when the pain medication is wearing off or has it started since stopping pain medication? If so, talk to your vet. Some cats just need a few extra days of pain medication. Certain medications are also ok to give more often but ALWAYS ask your vet first as some of them are very UNSAFE to give more often. Of course, always watch attitude and appetite and if anything else seems amiss (coughing, difficulty breathing, etc), head to the vet right away. Best of luck to you and Sophie!

Hi there, and thank you for posting this question. I am concerned as you are about that high respiratory rate. I would also be concerned about other lung problems and would recommend an x-ray. Kittens can develop an infection called FIP that causes fluid to build up in the chest and/or belly. I would want to make sure this isn’t what is happening. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

IT could still be due to the intubation, some damage might have been caused and what you see might be the complications. as long as she does not seem to be breathing abnormally fast i would probably not worry as long as you do talk to your vet tomorrow of course.

Hi. The tube that go down the throat for anesthesia can cause irritation to the throat area for a few days, but not this bad. It may be something totally unrelated. She could have an upper respiratory infection, allergies, hair ball, cardiac disease, and more. If it has been 4 days, i recommend that you see your veterinarian as soon as you can. If they aren't open, I would recommend the ER

Some animals can have increased respiratory noise after anesthesia from the endotracheal tube. However if the noise does not go away, she seems to have difficulty breathing, has an increased breathing rate or effort or seems lifeless/lethargic then your cat needs to be seen by veterinarian as soon as possible because this could indicate serious complications such as pneumonia.

If your cat is breathing with an increased respiratory effort while on IV fluids, she is likely accumulating extra fluid in her lungs. Not urinating for 5 hours while on IV fluids is not always a reason for concern depending on the level of dehydration at the start of fluid therapy. Since your cat is receiving fluids intravenously through an intravenous catheter, I assume that she is being hospitalized in a veterinary hospital. Her vet should be able to examine her and determine if her fluid rate needs to be decreased and if she needs to receive diuretics if she is fluid overloaded. If for some reason she is not in a hospital setting, she needs to be taken to an ER immediately.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Fast respiration is a common finding in nursing cats, particularly with the first litter. If Lily is nursing the kittens well, is eating and drinking and acting as normal, you should just monitor her at home. However, if she goes off food and becomes lethargic you should take her to your local vets for an appointment. In that case, she should be checked for fever, mastitis, uterine infection, which could cause increase in respiratory rate in feeding cats.