Does my cat have a flat face? Could that be causing his breathing issues?

bunhearts

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Hi all,

I made a previous post about my cats breathing issues, and upon further research, discovered Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome, which is common in flat faced cats and which also has every symptom my cat has as well. Upon a closer look, my cat seems to have a shorter face! I’m not sure if im seeing things though and would love a second opinion. I’m still taking him to the vet for a general checkup soon, but this seems very close to what it could be! His heart rate is normal, breathing a bit high, but normal, and he doesn’t have signs of a uri, but this fits the bill very well so far. Let me know what you think if you can.


Thank you!
 

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LizaS33

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Hi Bunhearts,

Your kitty is adorable!

I have had a few of the extreme flat-faced Exotic Shorthairs in my life, and as a result, I do not think that your cat's face fits the bill of 'Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome particularly well. His face is short (and cute!), but I do not see any evidence of 'crimped nostrils'.

My dear little Annie had the most extreme flat face of all my cats. This is what she looked like (the nose was actually indented into the face):

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She developed laboured breathing at 8 years of age. My local vet told me that the laboured breathing was due to her crimped nostrils, and that she needed an operation to widen the nostrils.

I then took Annie on a 200km road trip to a specialist to do the operation. Unfortunately, Annie died unexpectedly in the waiting room in her little carrier whilst I was filling in the forms. The specialist was kind enough to do a scan for me afterwards - they determined that she had an abnormally large heart, which was most likely congenital in nature, and the stress of the trip was too much for her to bear.

The moral of the story is that in Annie's case, her brachycephalic face was not the reason for her passing - it was an undiagnosed heart condition. Had I had a better and more experienced vet examine her before, I could have managed it and she would've lived longer. Another guilt-trip that will weigh on me for life...

I am not telling you this to stress you out... your kitty's symptoms do not match that of Annie's as far as I can tell, and he looks very healthy. Panting after exercise can be normal behavior for a kitty. However, it will be wise just to have a vet have a look at his heart function just to be double sure - it is far more likely for your kitty to have a long and healthy life if something like this is caught early.

All my best wishes!
 

crystal dawn

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Your cat and mine look similar, and he has some breathing issues as well. He has a small nose which makes it harder for him to breathe, especially during allergy seasons. If your concerned discussed them with a vet to see what you can do to help your kitty. An Air purifier may help with allergy related breathing issues.
 
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bunhearts

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Hi Bunhearts,

Your kitty is adorable!

I have had a few of the extreme flat-faced Exotic Shorthairs in my life, and as a result, I do not think that your cat's face fits the bill of 'Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome particularly well. His face is short (and cute!), but I do not see any evidence of 'crimped nostrils'.

My dear little Annie had the most extreme flat face of all my cats. This is what she looked like (the nose was actually indented into the face):

View attachment 395372 View attachment 395373
She developed laboured breathing at 8 years of age. My local vet told me that the laboured breathing was due to her crimped nostrils, and that she needed an operation to widen the nostrils.

I then took Annie on a 200km road trip to a specialist to do the operation. Unfortunately, Annie died unexpectedly in the waiting room in her little carrier whilst I was filling in the forms. The specialist was kind enough to do a scan for me afterwards - they determined that she had an abnormally large heart, which was most likely congenital in nature, and the stress of the trip was too much for her to bear.

The moral of the story is that in Annie's case, her brachycephalic face was not the reason for her passing - it was an undiagnosed heart condition. Had I had a better and more experienced vet examine her before, I could have managed it and she would've lived longer. Another guilt-trip that will weigh on me for life...

I am not telling you this to stress you out... your kitty's symptoms do not match that of Annie's as far as I can tell, and he looks very healthy. Panting after exercise can be normal behavior for a kitty. However, it will be wise just to have a vet have a look at his heart function just to be double sure - it is far more likely for your kitty to have a long and healthy life if something like this is caught early.

All my best wishes!
That was my worry too, that he has some heart issue! I'm gong to get him checked out! Thanks so much for the in depth reply and I'm sorry for your loss, Annie seemed like such a cute and loving kitty ;u;)
 

fionasmom

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It is a good idea to discuss your concerns with the vet. I have never had a cat with a flatter face and am more familiar with the condition in dogs like pugs. In some cases, there is no doubt that the facial characteristics of the dog are causing distressed breathing. The profile of your cat, who is very cute, seems a little flatter than some, but not extensively...more like it is just how he is. Bring up your concerns about his heart to the vet as well, as heart conditions do not necessarily manifest themselves in any sort of unusual breathing. I do have a 4 year old with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and the diagnosis was a shock to all of us.
 
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