Panting.

[marblesmom]

Have any of you ever seen your cats – especially kittens – pant if they are healthy? I had cats my whole childhood and my brother and mother have cats and none of us ever have seen a cat pant before.

Marbles, who is now seven months old, has been panting sometimes since her spay (and vaccine, incidentally) at the beginning of April. Initially it was just when she was running wild. The first time, I called the vets office and was told don't worry, sometimes they'll do that when they're playing hard.

But now we are noticing it more often when playing, and also when she's upstairs in our house where it's much warmer – we've seen her two or three times pant a little while just lying there.this morning I had her chasing a wand for maybe two minutes and she laid down and panted for a minute or so.

Everything I read says it's very rare for cats to pant and abnormal. I placed a call this morning to the vet again and I am waiting for a reply. But I'm afraid I'll be brushed off again.

She had panleukopenia at 10 weeks old and up till now had been fine since. I am reading conflicting things about whether cardiac disease can be a late effect.

I didn't worry much initially because she is a very active kitten – and eating and growing fine – but then, it doesn't make sense why she'd be panting now while playing when she never used to before.

 

[LTS3]

Many cats do pant if they overexert themselves through play Active kittens often do pant because they get excited and wound up playing and running around. If your kitten is otherwise fine and recovers from panting quickly, I wouldn't worry about.

Is your house very warm? Cats can pant if they get too warm for comfort. Put the AC or a fan on and provide dark cool areas for a cat to hide in.

 

[marblesmom]

Thanks. Helps to hear from actual cat-experienced people rather than just internet articles about it.

Our downstairs is NOT that warm. It was 75 today when she was panting while playing. But it IS humid- we didn't have the AC on at the moment, though I was comfortable. The upstairs *is* awfully hot- the central air does nothing up there. I just had never heard of a cat panting at rest from heat alone like she has a few times up there. But if others tell me their cats have done that I will feel better!

It's hard to keep her cool when we are upstairs, because she wants to be where we are if we are up there (bedrooms). We have fans on us at night, but not during day.

 

[IndyJones]

Is it possible she may have asthma? Does she stretch her neck and weeze ever?

 

[marblesmom]

Is it possible she may have asthma? Does she stretch her neck and weeze ever?

No – she's never done that at all with these panting times. And when she had panleukopenia, she also had calicivirus and had some respiratory distress during that – so I have seen what that looks like, and this is not like that.

She just flops on her side and pants- super rapid breathing, like a dog, mouth wide open. Longest she's done it is maybe 30 seconds? Then she's off and running again. (At the times that it happens when she's playing, that is.)

Oh also: shortly before the first time I saw her pant, she also started licking her lips all the time. She seems to be doing this more and more too. It seemed to start right after her spay… All I could attribute it to was maybe anxiety? Being that she's been at the vet so many times. I know they lick their lips when they're nauseated, but she doesn't seem nauseated – she eats just fine these days.

 

[marblesmom]

Heard from vet. He suggested X-ray chest and then referral for echocardiogram of her heart if symptoms persist. Said call him back next week after the upcoming cooler weather here and update him how she's doing.
I don't personally see how that is entirely reassuring if she does stop it during cooler weather though. Cardiac disease is more symptomatic in warm weather.
Does *anyone's* cat just pant at rest in very warm inside temps? Is that by any chance not abnormal?

 

[IndyJones]

I've never had a cat do that. I do know they lick themselves and lie on the cold floor to cool off.

 

[marblesmom]

One more question: If your cats are running around playing, do you see their sides heaving when they breathe?

I think she's always breathed visibly like that when she gets running crazy- yet, what you read says sides heaving when breathing is a sign of distress.

 

[CookieJoL]

Have any of you ever seen your cats – especially kittens – pant if they are healthy? I had cats my whole childhood and my brother and mother have cats and none of us ever have seen a cat pant before.

Marbles, who is now seven months old, has been panting sometimes since her spay (and vaccine, incidentally) at the beginning of April. Initially it was just when she was running wild. The first time, I called the vets office and was told don't worry, sometimes they'll do that when they're playing hard.

But now we are noticing it more often when playing, and also when she's upstairs in our house where it's much warmer – we've seen her two or three times pant a little while just lying there.this morning I had her chasing a wand for maybe two minutes and she laid down and panted for a minute or so.

Everything I read says it's very rare for cats to pant and abnormal. I placed a call this morning to the vet again and I am waiting for a reply. But I'm afraid I'll be brushed off again.

She had panleukopenia at 10 weeks old and up till now had been fine since. I am reading conflicting things about whether cardiac disease can be a late effect.

I didn't worry much initially because she is a very active kitten – and eating and growing fine – but then, it doesn't make sense why she'd be panting now while playing when she never used to before.

My adult male cat panted OFTEN as a kitten- largely when he played too hard, but also in the heat. He's now 4 and perfectly healthy. My female kitten will sometimes pant when she plays too hard.

 

[marblesmom]

My adult male cat panted OFTEN as a kitten- largely when he played too hard, but also in the heat. He's now 4 and perfectly healthy. My female kitten will sometimes pant when she plays too hard.

Often, really? Was there a point in time where he just started doing it? His is new since 5/9 (I thought it had been longer than it has). But then, we got her in December at 10 weeks old; it hasn't been warm weather til just lately.

 

[NewYork1303]

Our cat Ruby will lay around and pant after playing hard. Angua had done this on occasion as well.

A cat I had growing up would pant in the heat. She would come inside and get a drink of water and lay around to cool down. She did it from when she was around 7 months old and lived to be 17 so it wasn't any kind of heart problem.

 

[CookieJoL]

Often, really? Was there a point in time where he just started doing it? His is new since 5/9 (I thought it had been longer than it has). But then, we got her in December at 10 weeks old; it hasn't been warm weather til just lately.

Yes, I have tons of pictures of him with his tongue hanging out. It started happening hmmm maybe when he was 4 months old. He would play so hard for so long and it would happen then. As he grew bigger, he also seemed to run warmer than my other cat (he still does) so it would happen in the heat. It went away as he got older and slowed down comparatively. (He still plays as much as my current kittens.)

For my female kitten it happens when she plays too hard, particularly jumping to reach toys.

It scared me too, at first, but he passed every check at the vet with nary an issue.

 

[marblesmom]

Yes, I have tons of pictures of him with his tongue hanging out. It started happening hmmm maybe when he was 4 months old. He would play so hard for so long and it would happen then. As he grew bigger, he also seemed to run warmer than my other cat (he still does) so it would happen in the heat. It went away as he got older and slowed down comparatively. (He still plays as much as my current kittens.)

For my female kitten it happens when she plays too hard, particularly jumping to reach toys.

It scared me too, at first, but he passed every check at the vet with nary an issue.

That is all good to know. Thank you...

She has done it when playing for just literally 2 or 3 minutes chasing a wand, though...not necessarily for a long time.

I should check exactly how hot it gets in my upstairs.

I'm so conflicted. I want to believe it is normal. I DON'T want to bring her to the vet again and have her go through X-rays and echocardiograms. She has been through sooooo much medically. But I don't want to ignore a potential life-threatening issue either.

Guess nothing to do for it but wait and see this week as the vet said to.