Question:
Is it true that cats/kittens aren't supposed to pant? My 7 week old kitten pants sometime after playing but also when he hasn't had any physical exertion. The vet said his lungs sound fine, and to try an antihistimine with him if he does it alot. I've talked to a few cat owners here and they say their cats pant, yet a handful of others say that cats should NOT pant like dogs. Any input would be appreciated (Im more familiar with dog care, so I'm just learning kitty care)!

Answer:
I really think you should see another vet. The only time my cats ever panted was under stress... usually a car ride to the vets;they never panted after playing. I'm sure the other members could add to this, but I have had many many cats and I would be worried.

Answer:
hello...
I would also encourage you to see anther vet and have them listen to her heart! All kinds of things can be linked to kitties with panting...not all of them are serious but it would be good to get them ruled out!
Asthma, heart murmers, virus, just plain hot...lots of things..

Good luck, I have 13 week old kitten myself and i know what a worry these things can be!

Kimmee

Answer:
The anti-histamine recommendation worries me as well. Would this be 100% safe for a tiny kitten?

Answer:
I think I remember this little kitty was away from her mom at 4 weeks..could be vulnerable to infections
I have never seen my cats panting and I've had quiet a few,except Rocky once,when he had a seizure-like episode a couple of years ago.
Just a regular examination,listen to heart/lungs etc...don't always tell if something is wrong.
I would go back to the vet,or maybe even go to another vet.
for the little guy!

Answer:
After hard play, our male cat Angus breathes very hard with his mouth open for several minutes, I guess you could liken it to panting, I've never been too concerned with it, just assumed he was catching his breath (this never happens to Finn, the female), perhaps a trip to the vet is in order.

Answer:
Ok now you guys have me worried too....My kittens "pant" after chasing the flies around (and I mean they chase them for a good 1/2 hour of freakish-all-out-head-smashing-into-walls chasing). I've never seen my two pant otherwise.

So far mine seem fine and they've only done it since the weather got warm. My place, while it does have a little window a/c, it doesn't work very well so my place is quite hot too. Mine are eating and drinking fine (they saw ice cubes for the first time the other day...oh that was funny!) and everything else seems peachy. I'll ask my vet next time I'm in (a week or so from now).

That all probably doesn't help at all (and is probably a minor threadjack, sorry) but again the signs are pointing to heat rather than something else (May and June they didn't pant at all unless it was HOT). I guess it would depend on when they do it? What the temperature and humidity is like?

Megan

Answer:
Ok my cats are panting, discretely. It's the heat. This is really tough on the alley cats, better a frigid day in winter than this.

Answer: