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Cat Panting

11K views 45 replies 20 participants last post by  catloverami 
#1 ·
I'm writing this tonight as a very worried, saddened, but wiser pet owner.

So as I'm watching Ninja grow up and do things that kittens do, like chase and play. I'm noticing that he has this quirky behavior...he pants, like a dog, after exercise.

Now, I've seen cats pant before, but normally they are stressed and ill and arriving at our clinic in distress. I've never known a cat to pant as a matter of course, like a dog would. But, I felt silly mentioning it. I mean, I SHOULD know whether or not its normal for kittens to pant during rough play. Just because I've never seen it before.... but in the back of my mind, I knew it wasn't normal. I thought several times over the past several weeks to ask this simple question, of a vet at work, or even on here, but my stupid pride prevented me from doing so.

I don't want anyone to make the same mistake I did. It may have cost my kitten precious time, or even his life. Ninja has a heart defect. This is why he has been panting with exertion. It is NOT normal for a cat to pant. They don't do this to cool down like a dog would. They are doing it because they aren't getting enough oxygen to meet their physical needs.

My vet will be referring us to a specialist tomorrow. Meanwhile, I've sat on this symptom for weeks and I feel so guilty. It may be that there is nothing that can be done, but it may also be that taking action three weeks ago could have made all the difference.

If you are worried that something is wrong with your pet, ASK! There is no such thing as a stupid question. It may save your pets life.
 
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#2 ·
Oh, Rachael! I'm so sorry. :patback

So kind of you to share with us, though, so we'll know in the future.

There are so many things we just blow off as not weather-related, mood, cats-being-cats, etc. Don't beat yourself up, I wouldn't have taken any of my girls in, either.
 
#3 ·
:patback

At least you know now, rather than totally ignoring it!

The only time I've seen cats pant, is when it's really hot or when they're stressed. Nebbie used to hyperventilate when she was in the cage on adoption days at Petco. She'd also turn really mean! So eventually I just quit taking her, because I felt bad... had her on Petfinder for a while, and then finally just adopted her myself.

When I play with the laser pointer, Nebbie gets tuckered out physically even if she still seems rarin' to go, after just a few minutes. So I'm nice and switch to "calm" play and don't make her chase anymore, and keep the red dot near her paws so she doesn't need to actually get up and move around. I do that for Paizly too, but because she's crippled and can't really run/jump (and now she's getting old, anyway).

I'm sure you'll learn what your cat can and can't do, after a while. I have a bad heart, and I do like to go out and do stuff like bike ride, hiking and fishing...but I know how to pace myself and quit before I get too worn out. So don't think the cat will have to just sit around now, just be careful about how much/often activity is done.
 
#4 ·
I hope Ninja will be ok and that the three-week delay turns out to be of no consequence. But, I agree with Marie. You can't beat yourself up...it's always difficult to know what symptoms you should and should not treat seriously. Let's hope the specialist has good news.
 
#5 ·
Rachael, believe me, you're not the only one who has gone through this very same thing. When my Theodora was a young lass, she 'played so hard' (or so I thought) that she panted. She was 6 months old when I took her to the vet, who almost convinced me that it was because she wore herself out! When she started open-mouth breathing on the x-ray table, the vet realized it certainly was abnormal. More x-rays and an echocardiogram later, she was diagnosed with HCM. She'll be two years old next month, and she's finally not quite as playful (but, oh, how she misses her laser toy......). The vet said to "keep her calm" (impossible), but all I can do is interrupt her when she gets too active. I will let her enjoy her life and, for myself, I'll cherish every single moment I have with Her Orneryness. I can't imagine my life without her; all I hope is that if the good do, indeed, die young, then Bad Girl Theo will live forever.
 
#8 ·
I have had several cats that pant when playing hard and have never thought a thing about it. My new little guy Gabe pants, my sons cat pants, before Pepper got too fat to play hard she used to pant, Tucker and Buzzy were panters and some of the cats I had when growing up would pant. With so many cats that routinely pant could they all be doing so because of heart problems? I will be very interested to hear what your specialist says.
 
#11 ·
I should have been more clear. Unusually vigorous extended play that ends in a few moments of panting, are probably not a big deal. Ninja pants with minimal exertion and it takes him over half an hour to recover. Kittens should recovery quickly from exertion. and a normally very active cat shouldn't get winded at all. There are other things that can cause the abnormal panting. Asthma and other lung problems, cardiac disease, neurological disease being the most common. But Hypertrophic CardioMyopathy is by far the most common.

HCM is a silent killer in cats. Most cats who die for "no known reason" when necropsied will be found to have HCM. They can show no symptoms what so ever, then just die out of the blue. I read a paper today I wish I hadn't that said, "Often the story heard by vets is that the cat died out of the blue with no symptoms, but when questions most owners will recall the cat panting sometimes for the first time within a week of death"

Really don't need this. Vet apt is tomorrow at 2pm. Should know more then.
 
#15 ·
Thanks for bringing HCM to light. One time I did have this happen to one of my cats, just dropped dead out of the blue. I was devastated at the time as there was no forewarning that I noticed. I hope all the best for Ninja.
In my experience I've observed that cats can pant for generally 4 reasons: fright/stress (car ride, vet appt.), heat, overexertion, queen in labour. One of my cats has a grade 2 heart murmur since she was a kitten. I keep a careful watch on her, and although she's 6 y.o. now, she's still active though not quite as much as she was in her earlier years. She doesn't pant after playing, but I'm always on the lookout to see if there are any signs of heart problem after, as you say minimal exertion---like running up the stairs. So far, so good. Will be following your experience with Ninja closely...thanks for sharing it.
 
#21 ·
Oh Rachel I hope everything works out well for Ninja. When Razzle was diagnosed with stage 1 CRF the vet made it seem like there was nothing to worry about. Then I took Razzle in for a vet check a year later and he was in stage 3. I was mad at the vet and at myself. I was beating myself up. I wish I had asked the vet questions when first diagnosed and had looked it up on the internet. The trouble with CRF is that in the beginning you don't notice the weight lose for a while and that he was drinking a lot then all of a sudden you notice it. Geets has CRF and a heart murmur. I don't know if that means he has HCM. I'll have to ask the vet. Geets is on one aspirin a week but I worry he might have a stroke.

Kathy
 
#22 ·
Kathy, HCM is one of the heart diseases that presents with no murmur. So geets likely doesn't have HCM.
So I went in for my second opinion today. Exercise intolerance with cyanosis is an unusual symptom in a 6 month old kitten. HCM fits, but its rare in such a young cat (but its does happen, and if its wierd, it happens to me) So she's putting the case out to be discussed by some specialist. The cariologist from Oklahoma State is going to be in my area mid november and can do a complete workup as a teaching case (which would be greatly appreciated by my pocket book).

The only other possibility thats been mentioned so far is tranient intasucception, which is when the intestines cramp up and fold over on themselves. If it happens when he gets worked up, it would cause pain, which could cause panting. But he's not had any diarrhea, in fact, he typically tends toward constipation, and always has, even as a kitten. So its just something we are considering.

Anyway, continue to send good thoughts and prayers to Ninja. He's loving all the attention.
 
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