Cats having difficulty breathing

Several of my cats are having this problem. The youngest one seems to be getting better but my two senior cats are getting worse. They are coughing, sneezing, have runny noses, not eating, losing weight, and are having trouble breathing. They shudder with each breath. One breathes only through her mouth, and not very well. I cannot afford a vet. What is wrong with them? Is there anything I can do? Will they die?

They really do need to see a vet and soon as it sounds like they have some kind of respiratory infection.    None of us are vets so we can't diagnose or recommend treatments.    However, we can give you some ideas for getting low/no cost vet care.

 If you are in the United States:

Check out VCA Animal Hospitals.  They are located in locations around the country and offer a free first exam.  It is pretty basic, but you would only have to pay for medication.  http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/offer

The Humane Society of the United States:  http://www.humanesociety.org/animal...ry_care.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/    Has a list of national resources as well as resources broken down by state.

Prince Chunk Foundation: Provides help with food and vet care.   856-302-6373  http://www.princechunkfoundation.org/veterinary-care-assistance.php

Best Friends  Provides help with vet care:   http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets

The Pet Fund:  Provides help with vet care:   http://thepetfund.com/   

Red Rover:  Provides small grants for vet care:    https://redrover.org/      https://redrover.org/redrover-relief-grants

Modest needs:  Funds a wide variety of small emergency needs,including vet care:    https://www.modestneeds.org/    

Ask the vet about a payment plan.  If he or she declines, CareCap is an organization that works with vets to try and set up a plan:    http://www.carecap.com/thepetfund/for-pet-owners

Go Fund Me:  a personal request for help:  https://www.gofundme.com/lp/welcome-4?pc=fb_pp_ga_120115_atconq_w22&gclid=CN6YqfrP2coCFcwWHwodg4YOsA

CareCredit:  A health care credit card that covers vet   http://www.carecredit.com/faqs/basics/

Another possibility is to call a free on-line vet and ask about availability and dosage of over the counter antibiotics.  I actually don't know if an on-line vet will give you this information, but it is worth a try.  Below are a few that I found in a google search:

http://www.petcoach.co/

http://web-dvm.net/askthevet.html

http://www.vetlive.com/free-veterinary-advice-ask-an-online-vet-for-free/

Check out the following article for some more ideas for no/low cost vet care:
[article="32915"]No Money For Vet Care How To Find Help And Save Your Cats Life  [/article]
One thing you can do for your cats at home is to get a humidifier and put it near them.  Also, sit with them in a steamy bathroom with the hot shower running.  Both of these will help your kitties breathe better.

Below is some information on URIs that you might find helpful.

http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pe...ealth/feline-upper-respiratory-infection/4102

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/feline-herpes-and-rhinotracheitis

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/85513/upper-respiratory-infection

The advice above about finding affordable care is great. I wanted to add my hope that you will take them to a vet, as I don't think they will get better on their own. They need medication. It is possible that they will die without.

Thank you both so very much, I will do all I can for them

You can take them in a bathroom with a hot shower running that is making steam. It may help their breathing temporarily, but is not a cure. Your cats are very ill. Perhaps the vet can let you pay in installments. It's an office visit and meds initially. If they are not eating they may need fluids. You can offer Gerber plain turkey baby food - it's mushy and smells strongly, but they are not eating because they are ill and cannot breathe properly.

Best of luck - let us know what the vet says!