Is my obese cat in pain? Heavy breathing, not eating dry food.

I really think you should video tape her "heavy breathing" so your vet can see it. When you take her in for an exam she is likely not doing the behavior so your vet just sees her as normal. I think the vet seeing the behavior on video will help a lot with diagnosis/recommendations. X-rays of her heart and lungs would be a good idea as any problems with either of those organs can cause breathing issues. Sometimes the problem is not evident with just a physical exam. Finding out the underlying cause for her abnormal breathing is best. Heavy breathing as you have described in not normal in cats. As for helping with weight loss I would say she should be on prescription weight loss diet like Hill's r/d or w/d; you need a prescription from your vet. That being said, if she is 10 pounds as you stated above, then that is a normal weight for most cats. I personally would not be worried about a cat being overweight until the weight is over 13-14#. A cat that is 10# would not have breathing issues due to weight. Are you sure you are not just seeing the flap of skin on the belly that happens after they are spayed? Many people see that and think their cat is overweight. I think you need to discuss this more with your vet.

The excess fat can make breathing harder, and due to that, the cat may breath faster to get sufficient oxygen around the body. The cat's lungs are struggling to inflate with fresh oxygen due to the excess weight, and if the cat doesn't have enough oxygen, they can breath faster to get it. Certainly weight loss can help with breathing problems, but the breathing problems can be caused by heart or lung problems. Only your vet who sees Sofia in person can make this determination. I hope this helps.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Heavy breathing is certainly abnormal in cats. It can be seen with conditions like asthma, heart disease, bronchitis, pneumonia, among other possibilities. This is usually concerning in cats and warrants a visit to a veterinarian as soon as possible for further assessment and possible treatment. They will likely going to perform thoracic radiographs, among other diagnostics dependent on the results obtained. Treatment would be dependent on the findings. Good luck and have a good night!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If Mecia is having trouble breathing, she should be seen by a vet immediately as she may require stabilization such as fluids or supplemental oxygen to make her more comfortable. A vet may recommend euthanasia, but no vet will euthanize Mecia without your consent.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Open mouth breathing can be a sign of many conditions such as pneumonia, bronchitis, heart disease, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Bruce evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Likely diagnostics to be performed include thoracic radiographs and bloodwork. Treatment would be dependent on findings. Good luck and have a good night!

If he is breathing heavy then he should be examined by a vet for a work-up. Your vet can take an x-ray to evaluate his heart and lungs to look for abnormalities that would cause him to breathe heavy. He could have an infection, heart disease, asthma, trauma from being outside, etc.

I'm sorry to hear that Midnight is doing so poorly. As Dr. Darvishian mentioned, breathing changes are a medical emergency and should be addressed by an emergency vet right away. It's possible that Midnight's breathing changes, coughing, weight loss, weakness, appetite and drinking changes, and lethargy could be due to congestive heart failure, asthma, cancer, or many other issues. She's likely experiencing restlessness and a loss of appetite because she can't breathe well enough to comfortably lay down or swallow. I strongly recommend taking Midnight to an emergency vet right away. This is not a situation that can be managed at home. I hope that everything goes well.