My cat stopped playing, breathing heavy, and yowling. Is he okay?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Mediumhair | Male | neutered | 7 years and 4 months old | 18 lbs
My cat stopped while playing, began to stare at the floor then laid down and yowled twice. He is breathing heavy but purring. What should we do?
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on November 7th, 2017
Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Heavy breathing is certainly abnormal in cats. It can be seen with conditions like asthma, heart disease, bronchitis, pneumonia, among other possibilities. This is usually concerning in cats and warrants a visit to a veterinarian as soon as possible for further assessment and possible treatment. They will likely going to perform thoracic radiographs, among other diagnostics dependent on the results obtained. Treatment would be dependent on the findings. Good luck and have a good night!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on March 5th, 2018
Hello, so sorry to hear that Mecca is having this issue. Breathing issues in cats can be very serious. I am glad that he is seemingly pretty normal right now but that can change quickly. His symptoms seems a bit perplexing though. My best guess is that he may have asthma which is actually pretty common in indoor cats however, they don't usually exhibit weight loss, increased thirst and an unkempt coat. Those are more commonly signs associated with diabetes in cats. So, my best recommendation is to get him to a vet for an exam and some blood testing/x-rays. Many diseases can be ruled in/out with some simple diagnostics. It is better to be safe than sorry. Hope this helps. Best wishes!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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