One year old kitty breathes incredibly fast (like 80+ breaths per minute)

[Moogmom]

Hello all! I’m asking questions for my little baby Maple today. We’ve had her since she was two months old and she’s about a year old now. She’s always been an incredibly anxious/skittish kitty and has always been a fast breather. Despite her anxiety she’s always playful and affectionate but just bolts when the wind blows the wrong way or the water sounds different today. Because she’s so anxious I always chalked her fast breathing up to that.

However lately as she’s come out of her shell (slightly) I noticed she still breathes super fast. Like laying on me at night relaxing she’ll breathe 80 breaths or more per minute and they’re definitely visible through her abdomen most of all. I’m a very paranoid cat mom and that got me googling and now I’m convinced she’s dying. I’m calling my vet tomorrow to make an appointment for next week but does anyone have any experience with cats who breathe this fast and exhibit no other symptoms? She eats, drinks, plays, potties, and gives lovin’ to us, plus no labored breathing at all. Just… super fast.

Included is a photo of her giving her best “blep”. She’s the cutest

 

[heatherwillard0614]

First i want to say i dont know what could be causing her to have rapid breaths while resting.. Hopefully someone will be along with some advice from experience..

I did want to recommend that you get a video of her rapid breathing. With her being an anxious kitty already and in general going to a vet causes some anxiety you will want to show the vet exactly how her breathing is while she is home and relaxed.

She is absolutely adorable BTW I love her little blep!! Kitty bleps are the best!
I hope your girl is ok please update after her appointment..

 

[BeccaCat]

Your kitty is adorable!!
My kitty has asthma and she sometimes breathes over 60 breaths per minute. Check your kitty’s respiratory rate again when she’s sound asleep. Tessa will sometimes breathe fast even at rest, and even when she’s just dozing. But when her asthma is under control and she’s sound asleep, her breaths are “normal”.
Dont panic snd don’t over Google. You are doing the right thing by taking her for a checkup. Keep us posted

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi. She is very cute. You got some good advice already. Take video to show vet.
Cats respirations can seem fast when they are purring but it sounds like this is all the time

My cat I got at 4 months. She was feral, so always anxious and fearful. Took X-rays at 4 months because she had been trapped in a dried up water well for 3 days.

The X-rays showed some patterns of inflammation in the lungs but the specialist told me it was probably due to the all the dirt and dust in the well.

My cat, Cheetah, continued to breathe fast. Multiple vets later, specialists included determined she had harsh lung sounds but none thought treatment was needed unless there were issues.chest X-rays continued to show a pattern in her lungs but nothing they felt needed treatment.


When Cheetah was about 8 she was diagnosed with asthma and was prescribed inhaled steroids and albuterol when she had coughing fits which she started to have. I also got an injection of terbutaline to keep on hand for an emergency.
When Cheetah was about 11 she was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and by then her lungs looked worse but she was doing ok.
When she was 12 she was diagnosed with intestinal lymphoma and now takes Prednisolone and Chlorambucil.
I had her chest X-rays about 18 months ago and a different vet said her lungs looked fine. She occasionally has coughing fits but it is quickly resolved with her albuterol.

Anyway, that is what my cat who has always had super fast respirations happened. I don’t know about your cat, but it should be investigated with a good vet. I hope your cats situation is less complicated.

I forgot to mention that I also had her tested for Heartworms with a special feline specific test, did a Cryptococcus titer, and full fungal panel that all came up negative, as well as all the cat viruses were negative multiple times.