Labored breathing

Hello!  This is Potbelly:


(That's how he likes to sit down)

He's always had a potbelly.  I've wormed him many times, but I don't think that stuff from walmart works very well.  Anyway, he never seemed anything but happy in the last 2 years of his life.




(He likes watching bugs)

Potbelly has never had any trouble eating.  He would eat anything.  He always had a shiny coat and seemed very healthy.  Then one day, like overnight, he had a rough coat and appeared beat-up by another cat.  He had a fever and very labored breathing... and by that I mean he wasn't taking shallow breaths or fast/slow breaths, just labored as in his whole midsection squeezes very hard, but at a normal pace.  I can't explain it, but that day I also noticed he had an abrasion on his scrotum... like he had sat on a belt-sander.  I can't imagine how that happened, but worried about infection due to a seemingly weakened state, I started him on cephalexin.

The treatment only lasted a few days because he began eating less and less.  The only way I know to give him less than 500mg is to open the capsule and sprinkle on food.  So I stopped the treatment and figured it was better that he eat something than to not eat food tainted by antibiotic-taste.  The abrasion has since healed without issue.

All this time he never acted sick.  His behavior was consistent with a happy cat.  But now his appetite is gone, he's skinny, and chooses to lay in safe locations.

He will eat, but I have to hand feed him small bits of lunchmeat.  He seems somewhat interested in food on a plate, but licks it and seemingly gives up in frustration and walks away.  It takes me 5-10 min to get one slice of turkey in him.  I tried injecting egg down his throat, but that's such traumatic experience for him that I feel he's burning more calories freaking out than I'm able to get into his belly.

I would go to a vet, but honestly I don't think they could do much except traumatize him even more and then tell me to take him home and do what I'm doing.

But I'm wondering what is causing this.  What causes labored breathing very suddenly?  Why would he not be able to lick food from a plate, but take it from my hand?

My course of action will be to hand-feed him cooked chicken, lunchmeat, eggs, and anything I think he might eat.  I will also have to squirt water down his throat periodically and hope his immune system can fight whatever is attacking him or that his liver and kidneys can remove whatever poison he got into.  I don't know what else to do.

Any advise is appreciated!

I do think going to the vet is pretty much your only choice

Vet. Labored breathing needs to been seen by a professional. It could be anything from an URI to FIV or FELV if he was in a fight . If my cat goes 24 hours without eating I have him seen immediately.

go to the vet

KittyMomma1122 said:

 
Vet. Labored breathing needs to been seen by a professional. It could be anything from an URI to FIV or FELV if he was in a fight . If my cat goes 24 hours without eating I have him seen immediately.

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Thanks for the reply, but I'm doubting URI.  Eyes are bright and clear.  Nose is wet.

I doubt FIV or FELV would display such symptoms 12 hrs after a fight (ie infection).  From what I've read, it takes months to years for symptoms to develop.

What are the signs of disease caused by FeLV? 
During the early stages of infection, it is common for cats to exhibit no signs of disease at all. However, over time—weeks, months, or even years—the cat's health may progressively deteriorate or be characterized by recurrent illness interspersed with periods of relative health.  http://www.vet.cornell.edu/FHC/health_resources/brochure_felv.cfm

What are the signs of disease caused by FIV? 
Early in the course of infection, the virus is carried to nearby lymph nodes, where it reproduces in white blood cells known as T-lymphocytes. The virus then spreads to other lymph nodes throughout the body, resulting in a generalized but usually temporary enlargement of the lymph nodes, often accompanied by fever. This stage of infection may pass unnoticed unless the lymph nodes are greatly enlarged.  An infected cat's health may deteriorate progressively or be characterized by recurrent illness interspersed with periods of relative health. Sometimes not appearing for years after infection, signs of immunodeficiency can appear anywhere throughout the body.  http://www.vet.cornell.edu/FHC/health_resources/brochure_fiv.cfm

What are the symptoms of FIP?

Cats that have been initially exposed to the feline coronavirus usually show no obvious symptoms. Some cats may show mild upper respiratory symptoms such as sneezing, watery eyes, and nasal discharge. Other cats may experience a mild intestinal disease and show symptoms such as diarrhea. Only a small percentage of cats that are exposed to the feline coronavirus develop FIP-and this can occur weeks, months, or even years after initial exposure.  http://www.vet.cornell.edu/FHC/health_resources/brochure_ftp.cfm

He has no diarrhea, no sneezing, no nasal discharge, no watery eyes and none of these diseases seem to go from peak health to death's door overnight.

Please see a vet, there nothing you can do besides hoping or bringing him to a vet, some vets will go to your home so maybe check and see if your will

mwallace056 said:

Please see a vet, there nothing you can do besides hoping or bringing him to a vet, some vets will go to your home so maybe check and see if your will

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I appreciate the advice, but what is the purpose of this forum if not to ask questions and receive answers?

I'm a senior member on a motosport forum where I help people repair their atvs and motorcycles.  What would be the purpose of the forum if I simply said "You need to see a qualified mechanic who has the knowledge and tools to both diagnose and repair your vehicle."?

I was hoping to find someone who can help me discover what is wrong or offer ideas on caring for potbelly apart from what I've already mentioned.

I appreciate the reiterated advice to see a vet, but I can't imagine what a vet could do (for a price I'm willing to pay) that I can't do myself.  The most likely outcome ( based on many previous vet visits) will be that it's some incurable disease and my options at that point will be to return home to give supportive care with a lighter wallet or else leave him at the vet for supportive care and further lighten my wallet.  Or else the diagnosis would be poisoning in which case the treatment would be the same.  It's highly unlikely I will walk in and they will hand me a magic pill that cures him.  Most likely they will poke, prod, and otherwise torture him and I figure a cat that's having a hard time breathing doesn't need to be subjected to such excitement (including the car ride and sitting in the lobby with a room full of dogs).

If he needed stitches, yes, I'd see a vet.  If he needed vaccinations, yes, I'd see a vet.  But in this case and in my judgement, a trip to the vet seems counterproductive... though I may call some vets tomorrow and fall on their good mercy to dispense advice over the phone.  Sometimes they do that.

I am sorry you feel that way but there some things we can't answer and this is one of them. We have no idea what is causing his labor breathing without doing a exam which the vet can do and he will be able to see what could be causing it. Yes please call them, they most likely will tell you to bring him in because they would have to do a exam to see what is causing and go from there. Kinda repeated myself there

Also cats and a motorcycles are two dfferent things.

mwallace056 said:

Also cats and a motorcycles are two dfferent things.

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Yes but forums are forums and help is help.

I agree that what forums are here for, to help and offer advice. That what this forum does, if you look at other threads you will see that but what you are asking is little more difficulr to answer without examing him. Life is far more complex then some motocycle

He could have congestive heart failure, and thst just one

When my cat had breathing problem, he had collapsed lungs. It could be that your cat had some impact and air escaped from his lungs into his chest cavity. It's an emergency and life threatening condition. Please go to a vet. 

mwallace056 said:

I agree that what forums are here for, to help and offer advice. That what this forum does, if you look at other threads you will see that but what you are asking is little more difficulr to answer without examing him. Life is far more complex then some motocycle

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If I wanted to go to a vet, I would not have signed up here and posted.  I would have gone to the vet instead.

All I want is the most likely thing that could be wrong.  If you tell me your engine is hard to start when cold, I will give you a list of things that could be wrong.  Why can't this be the same?

Potbelly said:

If I wanted to go to a vet, I would not have signed up here and posted.  I would have gone to the vet instead.

All I want is the most likely thing that could be wrong.  If you tell me your engine is hard to start when cold, I will give you a list of things that could be wrong.  Why can't this be the same?

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i agree and i do apologize. I edited my post saying it could be heart failure

ankitty said:

 
When my cat had breathing problem, he had collapsed lungs. It could be that your cat had some impact and air escaped from his lungs into his chest cavity. It's an emergency and life threatening condition. Please go to a vet. 

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Thanks for that!  Yes, I did just notice he had a puncture wound on his side where the rib cage is, but this has been going on for more than a week.  The wound is nearly healed and the hair is growing back on his backside where the abrasion used to be.  What did the vet do for your cat with the collapsed lung?

They would listen to the lungs first and possibly x-ray. Then, sedate him and tap the chest to get rid of the air in the cavity. Otherwise the air cannot escape and lungs cannot inflate. If this is the case, oxygen level can get too low, and also it's really hard on his heart. It can cause anemia, brain damage or/and death. It won't be resolved by itself. 

mwallace056 said:

i agree and i do apologize. I edited my post saying it could be heart failure

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Thanks!  It's hard to communicate in text sometimes.  I thought of heart failure, but he is a young cat and even in his condition, he still has decent energy.  I took him out to the garage where he normally resides and he ate a few bits of dry food, used the litterbox and took a lap of water... then shoved his nose up the female's butt.  I brought him back in and now he's sleeping on a pillow.  There appears to be a small amount of progress.  Maybe he just needed some rest away from the other cats.

I'm kinda thinking poisoning.  All the other cats are fat n happy, so I'm wanting to rule out disease for that reason.  The cat he got into a fight with seems very healthy as well.  Whatever happened, happened suddenly.

ankitty said:

 
They would listen to the lungs first and possibly x-ray. Then, sedate him and tap the chest to get rid of the air in the cavity. Otherwise the air cannot escape and lungs cannot inflate. If this is the case, oxygen level can get too low, and also it's really hard on his heart. It can cause anemia, brain damage or/and death. It won't be resolved by itself. 

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Would he be able to survive over a week in that condition?  And all that time continuing his normal routine?

He could, but he might be slowly dying. 

It cannot heal itself. It's emergency.

Potbelly said:

Thanks!  It's hard to communicate in text sometimes.  I thought of heart failure, but he is a young cat and even in his condition, he still has decent energy.  I took him out to the garage where he normally resides and he ate a few bits of dry food, used the litterbox and took a lap of water... then shoved his nose up the female's butt.  I brought him back in and now he's sleeping on a pillow.  There appears to be a small amount of progress.  Maybe he just needed some rest away from the other cats.

I'm kinda thinking poisoning.  All the other cats are fat n happy, so I'm wanting to rule out disease for that reason.  The cat he got into a fight with seems very healthy as well.  Whatever happened, happened suddenly.

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well whatever it may be, i do hope you talk to the vet