My kitten is breathing rapidly and sounds muffled. What should I do?

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.

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! 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!

It could be that Serenity has a respiratory infection, but what really concerns me is that she is having a hard time breathing. That could easily lead to respiratory distress and potentially death. Because of this, I think she needs to see a vet now to be safe. Please take her 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. Best of luck.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Kida. I recommend that she sees a veterinarian. Respiratory issues can be very serious. If she is breathing with her mouth open at all, then you need to seek emergency care right away as this indicates respiratory distress. I hope this information helps!

Open mouth breathing is a sign of respiratory distress in cats, and is a medical emergency. Kenway needs to see a vet now. 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. 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/ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/ Have your friend check out these resources, and have him take the kitten into a vet now.

rapid breathing is not uncommon in kittens but if he is breathing fast with an open mouth it is definitely not normal, at this age it is usually caused by aspiration pneumonia (milk aspiration to the lungs). in such a case you would need to take them to the vet in order to get it checked and treated ASAP.