Kitten panting after playing

[princess7807]

A few days ago my 7 month old kitten was playing and he suddenly started panting heavily. His eyes were watering and he laid down on his side for a few minutes while he continued to pant. I gave him some water and he was back to normal within a few minutes, so I figured it was just a fluke. But it has happened a few times since then, especially with this one feather that he loves. He'll literally just jump continuously when playing with this toy and he just like 4 feet in the air.

He gets kind of crazy when playing and it can be hard to get him to calm down. Do you think he's just overexerting himself or could this be a sign of a more serious problem?

 

[Alldara]

Hi! My cat Magnus had this and is now a healthy almost 3 years old. But please see below because you'll likely net veterinarian support.

It's my understanding that kittens shouldn't pant with play. It is usually a sign of a congenital heart murmur. It can play up during or after a growth spurt and can be aided with suppliments from the vet.

The vet will want to do a heart specific blood panel to check for heart disease. And probably a follow up in 6 months to ensure it hasn't changed.

They can provide proper taurine vitamins for you to help them to outgrow it.

 

[Alldara]

There are some other conditions that a young cat can develop that can be the cause as well. Always best to have a cat-familiar vet check if one is available to you.

https://www.greencrossvets.com.au/pet-library/articles-of-interest/why-is-my-cat-panting/

 

[NekoM]

Panting is one of the ways cats cool down. Kittens play hard, they take a break by panting and they’re off to do it all over again. Some cats do it more than others - if you notice any unusual breathing, you may want to have that looked at.

 

[Antonio65]

Heavy panting or sudden tiredness when playing or running or chasing toys might be a sign of heart conditions. Might be a murmur or an HCM or an atrium enlargement.
We have a very young cat at the shelter with this latter condition. She was panting even after a few steps.

EDIT: Also, check his gums and see if they are normal pink or pale. It might even be a low RBC.