Normal values

Normal Temperature, Heart Rate & Respiratory Rate of Cats

Q: What is a normal heart rate for a cat?

120–140 beats per minute at rest in the MSD table; 100–140 in the UC Davis chart.

Q: What is the normal respiratory rate of a cat?

16–40 breaths per minute in the MSD table; 20–30 in the UC Davis chart.

Updated 1 Nov 20265 sources

Reference ranges for the vital signs of the cat from the MSD Veterinary Manual tables, adapted from Dukes' Physiology of Domestic Animals ^[1]^[2]^[3], compared with the UC Davis California Veterinary Emergency Team chart ^[4].

Reference ranges

Parameter	Cat	Source
Rectal temperature	38.1–39.2 °C (100.5–102.5 °F)	^[1]
Resting heart rate	120–140 beats/min	^[2]
Resting respiratory rate	16–40 breaths/min	^[3]
Estimated blood volume (used in transfusion calculations)	40–60 mL/kg	^[5]

How the references compare

Published reference ranges differ between sources. Each range below is printed as its source gives it; °C values marked * are converted from the source's °F.

Parameter	MSD Veterinary Manual ^[1]^[2]^[3]	UC Davis CVET ^[4]
Temperature	38.1–39.2 °C (100.5–102.5 °F)	100.0–102.5 °F (37.8–39.2 °C*)
Heart rate (beats/min)	120–140	100–140
Respiratory rate (breaths/min)	16–40	20–30

Other findings in a healthy cat

The UC Davis chart lists as normal: pink, moist mucous membranes; a capillary refill time under 2 seconds; and a bright, alert, responsive (BAR) demeanour ^[4].

Frequently asked questions

What is the normal temperature of a cat?

The MSD Veterinary Manual table gives 38.1–39.2 °C (100.5–102.5 °F) ^[1]; the UC Davis chart lists 100.0–102.5 °F ^[4].

What is a normal heart rate for a cat?

120–140 beats per minute at rest in the MSD table ^[2]; 100–140 in the UC Davis chart ^[4].

What is the normal respiratory rate of a cat?

16–40 breaths per minute in the MSD table ^[3]; 20–30 in the UC Davis chart ^[4].

Related tools and references

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References

Normal Rectal Temperature Ranges (table)MSD Veterinary Manual · Adapted from Robertshaw D (temperature regulation chapter) in Reece WO (ed.), Dukes' Physiology of Domestic Animals, 12th ed., Cornell University Press, 2004
Resting Heart Rates (table)MSD Veterinary Manual · Adapted from Detweiler DK, Erickson HH (heart regulation chapter) in Reece WO (ed.), Dukes' Physiology of Domestic Animals, 12th ed., Cornell University Press, 2004
Resting Respiratory Rates (table)MSD Veterinary Manual · Adapted from Reece WO (respiration chapter) in Reece WO (ed.), Dukes' Physiology of Domestic Animals, 12th ed., Cornell University Press, 2004
Normal Vital Signs (vitals chart)California Veterinary Emergency Team (CVET), University of California, Davis · June 2024
Blood Transfusions in Dogs and CatsBlois S — Merck Veterinary Manual · reviewed 2024

For veterinary professionals. Information supports — never replaces — clinical judgement; always check the current product label and local regulations.