Cats panting causes and solutions

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Cats panting causes and solutions

Sometimes pets owners notice cats panting much more often than usual and ask why. Fearing that they may have diseases or symptoms that stand behind them.

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Often, cats panting a lot and exhaling fast and haughty breaths is a red sign or an indication of a health problem that needs to be seen by a vet as soon as possible.

Let’s explore the reasons a cat might resort to when it’s normal, and how to tell when it’s a symptom of a health problem.

Cats pant normally

Cats can overcome themselves during a grueling play session with their housemates – especially lively kittens – and then experience a short episode of lethargy before returning to normal breathing.

Stressful events such as vet visits, car rides, or changes in your cat’s environment may trigger a bout of complacency, and if it ends quickly and does not recur consistently without hindrance, complacency is probably not an issue.

Cats that are outdoors in hot weather may cool off if they become overheated. The best place for any pet on a hot day is inside an air-conditioned house. If your cat is still panting when it cools off indoors, it may be a sign that he is not feeling well.

Health problems that lead to cats panting

When panting is continuous or sudden and unrelenting, seek veterinary care as soon as possible. These problems usually include:

  • congestive heart failure


Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the most common form of heart disease in cats, causes congestive heart failure, which occurs when a cat’s heart cannot pump enough blood to the body and fluid flows into the lungs.

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The walls of the heart and ventricles become thickened or enlarged, and this condition is more prevalent in some breeds, including Maine Coon, Ragdoll, British shorthair, sphynx, Chartreux, and Persian cat, suggesting genetics play a role.

Surprisingly, many cats with HCM do not appear to be ill or have no symptoms, while others display classic symptoms of congestive heart failure such as difficult or rapid breathing, known as panting, as a result of fluid buildup in or around the lungs.

  • Asthma in cats

Asthma in cats is a common condition, in which there is frequent inflammation and constriction of the air passages to the lungs, and panting is one of the main symptoms that you will notice if your cat has asthma.

During an asthma attack, your cat will have a dry, hacking cough that feels like gagging or grogginess, he may breathe through his mouth or gasp due to lack of oxygen, his lips and tongue may turn blue.

  • Hyperthermia

A cat panting in a hot, humid and poorly ventilated environment is a cry for help and an alert for you to take action, and the panting only increases as heatstroke progresses.

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