How do I count my dog's or cat's resting breathing rate at home, and what number is normal?
Last updated: 8 October 2026
Wait until your dog or cat is asleep or resting calmly. Watch the chest for 30 seconds, count each rise and fall as one breath, then double the count. That is breaths per minute. VCA Animal Hospitals gives 15 to 30 breaths per minute as the normal resting or sleeping range for normal dogs and cats. Your vet decides what is normal for your own pet.
This guide is not veterinary advice. Ask a licensed vet about your pet.
How to count
- Wait until your pet is asleep. Resting quietly also works.
- If it is a cat, make sure it is not purring.
- Watch the chest. One rise and fall is one breath.
- Time 30 seconds and count the breaths. Multiply by 2. Or count for a full 60 seconds and skip the sum.
- Write the number down with the date.
Do not count when your pet is panting, hot, stressed or has just exercised. All of these raise the rate, so the number tells you nothing.
Count once a day for a week. That shows you your pet's own normal, and gives your vet a record to read.
What number is normal?
Only your vet can say for your pet. Here is what three vet sources say.
- VCA Animal Hospitals: a normal resting or sleeping rate is 15 to 30 breaths per minute for normal dogs and cats. Rates that stay over 30 are increased. Ask your vet what rate is abnormal for your pet. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/home-breathing-rate-evaluation
- Cardiac Education Group: count the breaths in 30 seconds and multiply by 2. Vets often ask owners to count once a day for a week while they learn. https://cardiaceducationgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/CEG-Monitoring-Your-Pets-Respiratory-Rate.pdf
- Tufts Cummings School, for pets treated for heart disease: rapid breathing at rest (more than 35 per minute) or labored breathing may need a change of medication, so contact your vet. https://vet.tufts.edu/foster-hospital-small-animals/specialty-services/cardiology/heartsmart/heart-disease-treatments/monitoring-heart-disease-treatment-home
Labored breathing, blue or pale gums, or a cat breathing with its mouth open is an emergency. Call a vet now.
How PetChronicle does it
PetChronicle, a pet health record app, has a free breath counter in Observations. Choose 15, 30 or 60 seconds (30 is the default). Tap once for each breath, and the app shows breaths per minute. Save the result as a resting breathing rate observation.
PetChronicle does not say whether a number is normal. It does not diagnose anything. Your vet decides the number for your pet. The app keeps your counts in one place so you can show them at the next visit.
Trends are a Pro feature. They mark a value "higher than usual" or "lower than usual" when it is compared with your pet's own logged values. That is a comparison with your own entries, not a medical opinion.
PetChronicle has no account. Records are kept on the device, and you choose when to export or back up. Purchases go through Apple or Google Play. Crash diagnostics are on by default and can be turned off in Settings under Diagnostics.
PetChronicle is live on Google Play. iPhone, iPad and Mac are submitted and waiting for App Store review.
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Related questions
- Should I count while my pet is panting or after a walk?
- No. Panting, heat, stress and exercise raise the rate. Wait until your pet is asleep or resting calmly.
- Can a cat be counted while purring?
- No. Wait until the purring stops, then count.
- Does PetChronicle tell me if my pet's breathing is normal?
- No. It records the count and shows it back to you. Ask your vet what rate is normal for your pet.
PetChronicle is a Trueframe Digital app. No account, and your records stay on your device unless you back up or export them. See the PetChronicle page for screenshots, the full feature list, prices and privacy details.