Cat breathing pattern?

[Cheeseontoast]

My cat is 15/16 years old and is FIV+. He usually eats dry food but over the last few days he hasn't been interested in eating biscuits. He will eat wet food and is interested in most things we eat and as I type he is waiting patiently on the floor while my partner is in the kitchen preparing some food. Not eating biscuits is very unusual for him because he LOVES food and will usually eat anything and he never leaves food! He will nibble at a few of his biscuits but they mostly go untouched, all of the wet food is usually gobbled up quickly. I'm concerned about his breathing, but as I'm worried about him I'm unsure if it's just me! I can see his sides and chest moving when he's breathing - I don't know if we can usually see his chest move so much when he breathes, and I think his breaths are a little faster than usual, we have counted and it averages between 33-40 breaths per minute. He doesn't seem to be struggling to breathe, his nostrils aren't flaring and his mouth isn't open and when he purrs it doesn't sound faster than usual.

He does have a vet appointment booked for Tuesday anyway but I'm wondering if I should try to bring it forward. He's sleeping normally, he's affectionate as normal, he's generally acting the same as usual. He is a nervous cat and we have had a few extra visitors over the last week so I don't know if he's perhaps on edge in case more people turn up. He doesn't seem to be pooing as much as usual but his biscuits were high fibre ones to help control his weight as he's prone to weight gain (he is currently at a normal weight).

Any advice would be appreciated. He's my baby and I'm getting myself a little stressed worrying about him

[Lilith]

Hi and welcome

I don't know if others will agree, but personally, from the way you describe him, I don't think it will do him any harm to wait till Tuesday, if he carries on as he is, cheerful, greedy and taking an interest in life, bless him.

His change to preferring wet food and possibly increased breathing rate are obviously something to discuss with the vet but at present he sounds to be doing well.

Give him a love from me and I do hope the news is good at the vet's - long live our golden oldies! (Got a couple myself about his age.)

Please let us know how he gets on - all the best x

[Ruth B]

Welcome to the forum and like Lilith I don't think you need to bring the appointment forward unless his breathing gets a lot worse, but certainly it is something to mention when you see the vet.

Have you changed either the wet or the dried food recently (or is it possible the manufacturers have changed the recipe) it could just be that he doesn't fancy the dried at the moment, or it could be if his mouth is a bit sore the wet is easier to eat. Again the vet can easily check this for you when you take him on Tuesday.

I know I can normally see a cat's side rise and fall as they breath, one of mine is such a deep sleeper he can be totally unresponsive and there have been times that seeing the breathing was what stopped me from panicking.

Hopefully it will be nothing more serious than him being a bit fussy over his food.

Let us know how he gets on.

[LittlePenBigHeart]

33-40 is high (it should be between 20 and 30) but if your cat isn't obviously struggling to breathe, if there are no wheezing or whining sounds when he breathes and he seems otherwise okay in himself, I don't think you need to rush the appointment yet. One of our previous cats had breathing of 55 regularly when he had heart failure but it was that way daily for months without much we could do about it. Try not to worry just yet.