Kitten Breathing Rate: Normal Ranges, Why Kittens Breathe Fast, and When to Worry
Kittens breathe faster than adult cats. If you've just brought a kitten home and noticed their tiny sides moving rapidly while they nap, your instinct to check is good — but in most cases, what you're seeing is perfectly normal. Kittens have small lungs and high metabolic demands from growth, so they compensate with faster breathing. Knowing what's normal and what's not helps you relax when things are fine and respond quickly when they're not.
What Is a Normal Breathing Rate for Kittens?
| Age | Normal Resting Rate (breaths/min) | Monitor Closely | Contact Your Vet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newborn (0–2 weeks) | 15–35 | Above 40 | Above 50 or with distress |
| Young kitten (2–12 weeks) | 20–40 | Above 40 | Above 50 or with distress |
| Older kitten (3–6 months) | 20–30 | 30–40 | Above 40 at rest |
| Junior cat (6–12 months) | 20–30 | 30–40 | Above 40 at rest |
| Adult cat (1+ year) | 20–30 | 30–40 | Above 40 or open-mouth breathing |
Key point: A sleeping kitten breathing 35 times per minute during a dream is normal. A kitten breathing 35 times per minute while sitting still and awake deserves a closer look.
Why Do Kittens Breathe Faster Than Adult Cats?
Several normal factors explain rapid kitten breathing:
- Small lungs. A kitten's lungs hold very little air. More breath cycles are needed to deliver enough oxygen to support their body.
- Rapid growth. Kittens can double their weight in a matter of weeks. Growth demands energy, energy demands oxygen, and oxygen demands faster breathing.
- Dream sleep (REM). Like puppies, kittens spend a significant portion of their sleep in REM. During REM, you may see rapid breathing, paw twitching, whisker movement, and small sounds. This is healthy brain development.
- Higher body temperature. Kittens run slightly warmer than adult cats, which contributes to a faster metabolic rate and breathing rate.
- Play and excitement. After a burst of kitten zoomies, breathing rate will be elevated for several minutes. This is expected.
How to Count Your Kitten's Breathing Rate
The most useful measurement is the resting or sleeping respiratory rate — counted when your kitten is calm.
- Wait until your kitten is resting or asleep. A kitten curled up in a quiet spot is ideal. Avoid measuring right after play.
- Watch the chest or belly. In kittens, abdominal movement is often easier to see than chest movement. Each rise-and-fall cycle is one breath.
- Count for 60 seconds. Kitten breathing can be irregular, so a full minute gives a more reliable result than counting 15 seconds and multiplying.
- Record it. Tracking over time is far more valuable than any single measurement.
The Challenge with Kittens
Kittens are light sleepers and incredibly curious. Getting close enough to count breaths often wakes them up — and once awake, they're immediately playing, eating, or climbing something. Timing, counting, and recording while a kitten stays still is harder than it sounds.
Use an App to Make It Simple
Breaths Per Minute solves this. Settle in where you can see your kitten breathing, open the app, and tap the screen once per breath. The app handles the timing, calculates the rate, and saves every measurement automatically. Over time, you build a breathing rate history that shows your kitten's personal baseline — invaluable for detecting changes early.
Kitten Breathing Fast While Sleeping: When It's Normal
This is the most common concern kitten owners search for. Here's the short answer: fast breathing during sleep is almost always normal in kittens.
During REM sleep, kittens often:
- Breathe rapidly (sometimes 40+ breaths per minute)
- Twitch their paws, whiskers, ears, or tail
- Make small chirping or squeaking sounds
- Move their eyes rapidly under closed eyelids
This is your kitten dreaming. It's a sign of healthy neurological development and is especially common in very young kittens who spend most of their day asleep.
When to actually worry during sleep:
- Breathing stays fast even during deep, still sleep (no twitching or eye movement)
- You hear wheezing, crackling, or wet sounds
- Your kitten's gums or tongue look pale, white, or bluish
- Breathing rate exceeds 50 consistently during quiet rest
- Belly heaves visibly with effort
Warning Signs: When Kitten Breathing Needs a Vet
Contact your veterinarian if you observe:
- Resting rate consistently above 40 breaths per minute when calm and not recently active.
- Open-mouth breathing. This is the single most important red flag. Cats — including kittens — are obligate nasal breathers. A kitten breathing through its mouth at rest is almost always in respiratory distress and needs immediate veterinary attention. This is not normal panting like dogs.
- Visible effort when breathing. The ribs pull inward, the belly heaves, or the nostrils flare with each breath.
- Blue, pale, or white gums. Check by gently lifting your kitten's lip. Gums should be pink. Any color change indicates insufficient oxygen — this is an emergency.
- Persistent sneezing or nasal discharge combined with elevated breathing rate.
- Loss of appetite paired with fast breathing. A kitten that stops eating and breathes fast is likely unwell.
- Breathing rate elevated above your kitten's personal baseline. If your kitten normally rests at 24 and suddenly reads 38–40 for consecutive measurements, something has changed — even if 38 is technically within some "normal" ranges.
Conditions That Affect Kitten Breathing
- Upper respiratory infections (URI). Extremely common in kittens, especially those from shelters or multi-cat environments. Caused by feline herpesvirus (FHV-1) or calicivirus. Symptoms include sneezing, nasal discharge, eye discharge, and elevated respiratory rate.
- Pneumonia. Can develop as a complication of URI or from aspiration (inhaling milk or food). More dangerous in very young kittens with immature immune systems.
- Congenital heart defects. Some kittens are born with heart conditions that cause fluid buildup in the lungs. Elevated resting respiratory rate is often the earliest sign.
- FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis). The wet form can cause fluid accumulation in the chest, leading to labored breathing.
- Parasites. Lungworm and other parasites can affect respiratory function in kittens.
- Asthma. While more common in adult cats, feline asthma can occasionally present in older kittens.
- Flat-chested kitten syndrome. A condition where the chest is flattened, compressing the lungs. Usually identified by the breeder or vet early on.
Open-Mouth Breathing in Kittens: Take It Seriously
This deserves its own section because it's the single most misunderstood warning sign.
Dogs pant with their mouths open regularly — after exercise, when hot, when excited. This is normal for dogs.
Cats and kittens do not normally breathe through their mouths. If your kitten is sitting with its mouth open, breathing through its mouth, this is a sign of significant respiratory distress, not normal behavior. The only exceptions are brief moments during extreme play or if a kitten is very overheated — and even then, it should resolve within a minute or two.
If your kitten is open-mouth breathing at rest, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Tracking Matters: Building Your Kitten's Baseline
Kittens grow fast, and their normal respiratory rate decreases as they mature. A 6-week-old kitten with a resting rate of 35 is normal. That same rate in a 6-month-old kitten is elevated.
By tracking your kitten's breathing rate from the time you bring them home, you create a personal health record that:
- Shows the natural decrease as they grow
- Establishes their individual baseline
- Makes it immediately obvious if something changes
- Gives your vet concrete data instead of "I think the kitten has been breathing fast"
Breaths Per Minute stores every measurement automatically, so you don't need to maintain a spreadsheet or remember numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
A resting kitten typically breathes 20 to 40 times per minute, depending on age. Young kittens (under 12 weeks) tend toward the higher end. By 6–12 months, most kittens settle into the adult range of 20–30.
Most likely, your kitten is in REM (dream) sleep. Rapid breathing during REM — especially with twitching paws and whiskers — is completely normal. The rate should slow during deep sleep phases.
Yes. Kittens have smaller lungs and higher metabolic rates due to rapid growth. Faster breathing is how their body compensates. The rate gradually decreases as the kitten matures.
Purring alone doesn't indicate a problem. Cats purr when content but also sometimes when stressed or unwell. If the fast breathing is only during purring and the kitten is otherwise active, eating, and playful, it's likely fine. If fast breathing persists when the kitten is quiet and not purring, monitor more closely.
No. Waking a kitten changes their breathing pattern immediately. The most useful measurement is taken while they sleep naturally. If you're concerned, position yourself where you can observe without disturbing them.
Most kittens reach adult respiratory rates (20–30 breaths per minute at rest) by 6 to 12 months of age. The transition is gradual — you won't notice a sudden change, but tracking over time will show the trend clearly.
Brief panting for 30–60 seconds immediately after intense play can happen in kittens. It should resolve quickly. If panting continues for more than a couple of minutes after the kitten has stopped playing, or occurs without any activity, consult your vet.