My old cat is breathing heavily with mouth open. Can I calm her until morning?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Missy. I recommend that you seek emergency veterinary care this evening. Open mouth breathing is a sign of respiratory distress in a cat. The respiratory infection could have spread to her lungs resulting in pneumonia or she could have another problem. Heart disease and fluid in the chest can also cause this breathing pattern. I hope this information helps. Good luck.

It is impossible to answer this accurately without an indication as to what is causing her breathing problems - heart/lung disease, pain, infection, inflammation and swellings in the nose or throat could all be contributing and options for treatment would depend on exactly what is causing her issues. Please seek a full health check for her as soon as possible in order to identify the source of her problem and discuss management options

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.

Even though you have a vet appointment in 12 hours I would encourage you to see an emergency vet if at all possible. Trouble breathing in a cat is very concerning, and can become life threatening quickly. There is nothing to do at home other than trying to minimize stress as much as possible - keep your cat somewhere quiet with little stimulation.

With any cat showing potential signs of respiratory distress this is an immediate emergency. I strongly recommend going to the ER clinic now. I cardiac disease in cats often goes undetected until the point that they have difficulty breathing. Hopefully it's not that serious but it is worth erring on the side of caution and getting her checked as soon as possible. Best of luck to Maud and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

This can be a sign of a respiratory infection, but in a senior cat, it can also be a sign of heart disease. If possible, I'd take Heidi into a vet now. Otherwise, rest her, keep her indoors if she's allowed outside, keep her comfortable, and get her into a vet tomorrow. I hope this 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.