Why is my overweight cat breathing fast? Is it serious or just weight?

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Heavy breathing can be a sign of many conditions such as pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis, heart disease, among many other possibilities. While this could be due to some extent to his weight, I think that it is also possible that he has something going on. I recommend that you have Max evaluated by your 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 day!

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!

Poor Ora! She needs to be examined by a vet as soon as possible to determine the cause and treat. She could have an infection, asthma, heart disease, etc. and your vet can take an x-ray, if needed, to help diagnose and then determine the best treatment plan. IF she is having trouble breathing then you should take her to an emergency clinic tonight so treatment can be started. Hope she feels better soon!

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 would recommend getting her in sooner than February. Weight loss usually means something more than just not liking a new food, such as intestinal parasites, endocrine disorder (such as hyperthyroidism), kidney disease, etc. The greasy coat could be from the lack of grooming (either because she doesn't feel well or it is too painful to do so - oral pain or arthritis), but could also be cause by hyperthyroidism. Here is some helpful info on hyperthryoidism in cats: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=516

You are correct that Jeje's respiratory rate is higher than normal, but it's good that he's breathing with his mouth closed. I would be very concerned if he was opening mouth breathing, as that's a sign of respiratory distress in cats. He may not be feeling well at the moment leading to the increased respiratory rate. Because I can't see him in person, I can't say for certain he will be ok, so it's certainly fine to take him into a vet now for a health check. Otherwise, you can monitor him, and if his respiratory rate is still high in the morning, I would have him seen by a vet.