Active discussions

Help end medical misogyny. Sign our petition.

Help end medical misogyny.
Sign our petition.

Sign the petition

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Cat panting?

23 replies

ChatterMonkey · 05/09/2022 14:40

How concerned should i be if my cat is panting..?

She is 5 months old and has been venturing into the outdoors for the last two days, and she is absolutely loving it. Today she was out for about half an hour and i went out to check on her and she was laying down chilling, but noticed she was panting. Took her inside and locked the cat flap, she has stopped panting but seems quite tired?

Is it jusy the excitement of the outdoors as its all so new and she will recover herself? I looked online and it said check gums, hers are ok, and pinky in xolour.

Just checked on her now and shes having a big drink. Was she just thirsty? Its quite warm outside here.

Its so stressful being a first time cat mum!

OP posts:
Original poster
ChatterMonkey · 05/09/2022 14:53

Bump please, shes calmed down a bit, but is now desperate to go back outside...! Im too scared to let her out!

OP posts:
Unforgettablefire · 05/09/2022 14:59

Keep a close eye on her, panting isn't a good sign in cats.
I'd take her to the vet if it happens again. What breed is she? Any chance she's eaten anything she shouldn't have?

Unforgettablefire · 05/09/2022 15:01

Ps
Sorry meant to say she could just be hot but keep an eye on her.

dancemom · 05/09/2022 15:03

Panting can be a sign of struggling to get oxygen in

Pinkpeony2 · 05/09/2022 15:07

My cat pants all the time. She 2 and has done it ever since she was a small kitten.
Too much running around fast and she’s panting- not with tongue out just an open mouth. It did surprise me as I thought cats could run for ages without getting out of breath.

Pinkpeony2 · 05/09/2022 15:08

My cat it a moggy btw and no heath problems that I know of- never needed the vet

Original poster
ChatterMonkey · 05/09/2022 15:09

She was proper panting with tongue out. Seems well in herself though, purring when petting, although shes a bit tired, still jumped up for her toy etc. She isnt panting any more, i noticed it twice outside before i took her in.

She very possibly could have eaten an insect of some sort, she spends most of her time outside 'hunting' them. Could that be the cause?

I read online that its not a good sign and was ready to take her straight to the vet until she had a big drink of water and seemed a bit better.

OP posts:
watcherintherye · 05/09/2022 15:10

I’ve only ever experienced my cat panting when he’s really stressed (and that was because I’d taken him to the vet for a routine appt. Vet said it was a common stress reaction).
I suppose it could be over-exertion/hot and thirsty. I’m not sure if that happens with cats? If he seems ok now, maybe let him out but keep an eye on him. If it seems to be happening frequently, then I’d check with a vet.

Original poster
ChatterMonkey · 05/09/2022 15:13

Heres a photo of her panting, thats how i noticed it, i went to take a photo of her enjoying the outdoors and noticed then.

She looks chilled enough, nothing seems to be distressing her, its just the panting! Im a bit more reassured that other peoples cats do the same, I'll keep them in until dp comes back from work (its too stressful to deal with on my own!)

Cat panting?
OP posts:
Surtsey · 05/09/2022 15:15

Do you have any lilies in your garden? The pollen from them can be fatal for cats if they get it on their fur and lick it off. Easily done if they are bounding about in the garden catching insects.

watcherintherye · 05/09/2022 15:16

Have just seen the pp whose cat does pant after exertion, so it’s a thing!

Unforgettablefire · 05/09/2022 15:18

Get your vet to listen to to her lungs and heart next time you go. Could just be a one off with heat or stress but I'd definitely keep an eye on her and mention it.

Original poster
ChatterMonkey · 05/09/2022 15:22

Surtsey · 05/09/2022 15:15

Do you have any lilies in your garden? The pollen from them can be fatal for cats if they get it on their fur and lick it off. Easily done if they are bounding about in the garden catching insects.

No Lillies in the garden or any neighbouring gardens. She seems totally fine now, just very set on getting back outside...!

At what point do you just let them out and trust that they will be ok...?? I dont think I'm ever going to get there!!

OP posts:
Fiveinthebed22 · 05/09/2022 15:28

When ours was a kitten and just starting to go outdoors around 7 months she panted a few times and had us panicking! Was always after exertion which they’re not ‘supposed’ to do. She only did it 2-3 times, and only lasted a few minutes each time.

I had convinced myself she had asthma but think she’s just a weirdo

Original poster
ChatterMonkey · 05/09/2022 15:40

Fiveinthebed22 · 05/09/2022 15:28

When ours was a kitten and just starting to go outdoors around 7 months she panted a few times and had us panicking! Was always after exertion which they’re not ‘supposed’ to do. She only did it 2-3 times, and only lasted a few minutes each time.

I had convinced myself she had asthma but think she’s just a weirdo

Omg your post has summed up all my concerns..! Ive just been looking at cat asthma and convinced it could have been that.

Im hoping that its the same as yours where its just the excertion of playing outside with all new smells, noises etc around that tired her out and she'll get used to it.

Only thing that worries me a bit is when she was at the vets both at health check leaving the cat shelter, and with us for 2nd dose vaccinations, the vet has struggled to get her heart rate as she was purring (she loves being picked up and held...!) So now im paranoid that she has a heart issue thats not been picked up.

OP posts:
Original poster
ChatterMonkey · 05/09/2022 16:43

The other thing that maybe caused it was when i unlocked the cat flap to let them out, they both dashed at the same time and got stuck🤣 maybe she got winded or something when they got jammed and took a bit of time to recover?

OP posts:
BuggerationFlavouredCrisps · 05/09/2022 16:48

My cat used to start panting before having an asthma attack. He was hospitalised at the Vet hospital and put in an oxygen tank thingy on several occasions.

Turned out that he was allergic to the grains used in the more common brands of cat food so I now buy grain free cat food for all my cats.

lljkk · 05/09/2022 16:52

Ours pant on hot days.

cathol · 05/09/2022 21:45

My lovely boy started panting. It was heart disease, which was heart failure by the time it was picked up.

Please get someone to check.

mountainsunsets · 06/09/2022 08:19

It can be normal but it can also be the start of heart problems so please get it checked out.

Same for all the other posters on the thread who haven't had it checked.

Hakunamatata91 · 07/09/2022 01:28

Its worth getting it checked, but just to set your mind at rest meantime, my cat pants like a dog (tongue out!) if he's been playing a while. Asked the vet about it and she said as long as it was just after exertion and not when he's sitting doing nothing its nothing to worry about.

Original poster
ChatterMonkey · 07/09/2022 06:55

Thank you for the reassurance! I'll get a vet appointment for her to get checked out, but am i ok in the meantime to carry on letting her out? Ive been too scared to let her out but it feels a bit cruel as she loved being outside so much.

As much as i would love to keep them as inside cats, they have such strong instinct for being outdoors it feels cruel to keep her inside! Her brother is less bothered, he seems just as happy to chill inside, but she is built for the outdoors.

OP posts:
Leafy3 · 07/09/2022 07:02

the vet has struggled to get her heart rate as she was purring (she loves being picked up and held...!

Well, that's adorable.

Vet check up is a good idea and I'd definitely recommend the same but don't panic too much.

Cats can detect scent through their mouths so sometimes breathe mouth open - its typically a stress reaction but as she's very young and seems otherwise fine, she might just be over stimulated.

In many years of cat ownership, I've only ever seen cats do this when theyre ill or (rescue cats) do this when they're stressed. But given your description of the incidences, her age and personality I think she could just be getting over excited.

A check up should put your mind at ease and hopefully there's nothing wrong with her :)

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread