TL;DR: Tachypnea is a rapid breathing rate over 60 breaths per minute in resting cats and is a life-threatening medical emergency requiring immediate veterinary evaluation.
What is tachypnea in cats and what is a normal breathing rate?
Tachypnea is the clinical term for a rapid breathing rate. In a healthy, resting cat, the normal respiratory rate typically ranges from 15 to 30 breaths per minute. When a cat reaches or exceeds 60 breaths per minute while at rest or sleeping, it is an indication that the body is working significantly harder than normal to oxygenate the blood or is experiencing severe internal distress.
Is tachypnea in cats a medical emergency and when should I seek help?
- A resting respiratory rate over 60 breaths per minute often signifies life-threatening conditions such as congestive heart failure, feline asthma, pneumonia, or pleural effusion (fluid around the lungs).
- Seek immediate care if your cat is breathing with an open mouth or panting like a dog.
- Check for a blue or purple tint to the gums, which indicates a critical lack of oxygen.
- Transport your cat to the nearest 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital immediately; do not wait for an appointment.
How can a video of my cat’s breathing help the veterinary triage team?
- Take a short 10-second video of your cat's breathing before you leave or during transport to show the triage staff upon arrival.
- Videos allow the medical team to visualize the 'effort' behind the breathing—such as abdominal breathing or chest wall retractions—which may be masked by the stress of the car ride.
- Providing this visual evidence helps the veterinary team prioritize your cat for immediate life-saving oxygen therapy or stabilization.
Clinical Context (Merck Veterinary Manual)
Compromised breathing in cats manifests as an increased respiratory rate and effort, followed by changes in respiratory pattern. Cats may sit crouched on all four limbs with the sternum slightly elevated. Obvious labored, open-mouth breathing, and changes in mucous membrane color (gray and/or blue [cyanosis]) develop last and indicate significant loss of pulmonary function and impending pulmonary arrest. If oxygen supplementation does not maintain PaO2 >60 mmHg (pulse oximetry or SpO2 >90%), or if PaCO2 >60 mmHg, or if there are moderate to severe increases in work of breathing despite oxygen therapy, then manual or mechanical positive-pressure ventilation is required. If respiratory failure is imminent with pulmonary fluid visible in the mouth or nares, then intubation, airway suctioning, and manual bag-valve-mask ventilation with 100% oxygen are required.
Chapter: Emergency, Respiratory
Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual, 11th Edition (Page 1663)