The aim of this study was to determine whether epithelial and endothelial damage develops in the lung of cats with acute respiratory disease (ARD) using some lung-specific damage biomarkers. Fourty cats with ARD and 20 healthy cats were enrolled. Clinical examination, blood gases, complete blood count (CBC) and thoracic radiographic examination were performed at enrollment. Endothelin-1 (ET-1), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), surfactant-D (SP-D), sE-selectin, nitric oxide (NO), growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations were measured in serum using feline specific commericial ELISA kit. Twenty three (57.5%) of the cats with ARD recovered and survived, while 17 (42.5%) died. Serum ET-1, SP-D, sE-selectin, IL-6 and GDF-15 concentrations were significantly higher in cats with ARD (p < 0.01). There was also a significant increase in granulocyte (Gra) and monocyte (Mon) counts in cats with ARD. No difference was observed arterial blood gas value (P ˃.05). Common findings on thoracic radiographs of cats with ARD included bilateral pulmonary infiltrate. In conclusion, serum ET-1, IL-6, sE-selectin, SP-D and GDF-15 concentrations, biomarkers of acute lung and endothelial damage, were significantly increased in cats with ARD. It was determined that ET-1, sE-selectin, SP-D and GDF-15 biomarkers have potential and reliable diagnostic value in determining acute lung damage.