Cat Panting: Causes of Cat Panting
Cat Panting; Usually, the behavior of panting is mostly carried out by large dogs. However, there are times when cats can also experience it.
This is surprising because basically cats do not pant to regulate their temperature like dogs do.
Knowing whether you should be worried or not, take a look at the following review!
Is Panting Normal for a Cat?
The cat’s respiratory rate will appear stable at 15-30 breaths per minute at the cat’s activity level.
When they sleep, their breathing rate will be lower. Meanwhile, panting or heavy breathing with the mouth open in cats will remain normal.
This occurs after a big play session or zoomies (a sudden burst of energy the animal feels). Because, the respiratory rate will be high.
Apart from that, there are other things that make cats pant. Reporting from Petmd, heat exchange in cats is not the same as in humans.
Cats sweat not through pores all over their bodies, but through the pads on the underside of their feet.
Therefore, cats need to pant to release heat from their bodies because they are not sweating enough.
However, it’s not uncommon for cats to pant or pant all the time while walking like dogs.
Causes of Cat Panting
Cats can pant can also occur for various reasons. Reporting from the Daily Paws, here are 5 common causes of cat panting.
1. Play and Exercise
According to Theresa Entriken, DVM, a veterinary consultant based in Leawood, Kan., cats will pant briefly when they are aroused by excitement and play hard, such as running and jumping.
With this strenuous activity, the cat will pant from exhaustion. Be sure to let your cat rest and recuperate after this strenuous activity.
Also, make sure to provide games that match the cat’s activity level.
2. The Air is Too Hot
Cats can be prone to overheating, which can make them dehydrated and tired.
Therefore, during the day, cats like to hide in dark and cold places.
Maybe because they are also looking for cool places, such as bedrooms, kitchen floors, and bathrooms.
In this situation, you should also pay attention to other suspicious symptoms such as restlessness, lethargy, fast heartbeat, drooling, vocalizations, not eating or drinking, nausea, and graying of the gums.
If cats show any of these signs, they should be checked by a veterinarian immediately.
3. Stress
Cats are very susceptible to fear, stress, and anxiety which they often express through body language.
When cats are overly stressed, they will take deep, shallow breaths with their mouths open (panting). It’s almost like a panic attack.
Pay attention to whether this happens during certain times when your cat is stressed, such as visiting the veterinary hospital, meeting strangers, and so on.
The fix, try to give them space and freedom from unwanted interactions, offer toys, keep quiet in the house, and keep them away from meeting strangers.
4. Pain
When cats are in pain, they may develop unusual behavior. For example, making noises, mood swings, not eating, hiding, excessive licking of certain body parts, or gasping for air. If you can’t deal with this on your own or can’t find the cause at all, you may need to ask your vet for help. If this happened to a female cat who was in her late pregnancy, she might give birth.
5. Other Medical Conditions
A cat who starts panting suddenly, without any cause for strenuous activity, may be feeling unwell and has a medical problem that requires immediate examination.
Especially when this behavior occurs with some symptoms of a suspicious health condition.
You also need to know that cats can also have asthma or infections in their lungs.
Cats with asthma can be caused by heartworm disease or by inflammation and allergies.
