# Anyone else have a cat that pants open-mouthed like a dog?



## WhiteKitties (Dec 22, 2008)

We have to be really careful not to overdo it playing with Fergie, because she will go and go and go and go..... I've never seen a cat pant like a dog, but this is a short clip of her after a vigorous play session:



Anyone else have a cat that does this?


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## Tonka (Jul 1, 2009)

I saw my cat do this the other day when he was at the vet. Tonks has a heart murmur so I'm kinda watchful about what he does -- I nervously asked the vet what he was doing/what it meant (I was scared he was too stressed and having a heart attack!) -- she just laughed and said "Oh, he's just panting." She didn't seem concerned at all, poor Tonka was obviously a little exhausted from the vet trip, however - he's fine.


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Nito pants after a good long meowing session. He meows so much that he runs out of breath and has to pant sometimes.

Fergie is so cute! And by her panting you knew she's getting a good, solid workout! Just don't overdo it and always have water available.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Is Fergie in good health, Diana? If the vet says "ok," then let him play.


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## WhiteKitties (Dec 22, 2008)

Jeanie, she's in great health as long as she doesn't eat anything that has to be surgically removed! This is totally normal for her, so we just stop every few minutes and make her take a break. I DO think that if we kept going swinging the toy around, she would keep going until her little heart exploded. 

Rach, that's so cute that Nito meows so much he runs out of breath! And yes, we always have water available - sometimes when her cute little nose is particularly glowing I'll sit down next to her with the water bowl and dribble water into her mouth off my finger if she's worn herself out so much she doesn't want to lift her head and drink. That doesn't happen too often though - only when hubby's playing with her and he forgets that she doesn't know when to quit!


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Whitekitties- You would not believe the level of his meowing sometimes. Once, I tried putting the music on louder and he took it up to the next level. He was just screaming! He has me completely under control- it gets to a point where I can't ignore him, and he's already learned that I respond to his meowing. And in the car.... good lord. 

Chica pants in the car on hot days sometimes, so we'll put the AC on her 8)


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

SuperDanniiiiiiii said:


> My cats pant a lot when they're hot, so IMO that's normal.
> It is pretty funny though.


No, they pant when we're having a good play session with them. I've never seen Midnight, Star, or Lucky pant from being hot.


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## Xanti (Nov 4, 2008)

Monty pants too..but only after a session of 'sprint from one end of the house and up the walls' with his laser pointer.

I force him to rest when he does that, it's like they don't know when to stop! :lol:


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

We can get the cats riled up with the laser light and a feather/string/wand toy, but I have also seen them get *themselves* wound up, racing around the house chasing and wrestling with each other until they lay down, panting to recuperate and oxygenate...and then they're OFF again, zooming in high speed RocketButt mode.

I have mostly only seen cats panting after sustained and prolonged exercise/playing/wresting sessions _and (once) while under extreme medical/health distress, and I lost him. His medical problems were severe, so I know that was not normal for him, or for most cats._ I would say that 99% of the time, cats panting are only doing so due to overexertion with possibly heat/temperature being a factor.


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

Sam (R.I.P. :angel) used to pant near the end of a long play/exercise session, and for a minute or so after. He was a large, strong, very healthy, Bengal mix kitty, who always had lots of energy. This is a healthy reaction, and it's good for a cat to sometimes play till panting sets in. Sam loved to play till he got out of breath, which often exhausted me. :lol: 

I was starting to become concerned for Arianwen, because it had been a while since she played till panting. But I was happy and relieved to see her panting after a bout of extended RocketButt play.  
I was on the verge of bringing her to the vet to see if something was sapping her energy.


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