Panting Cats

[Ben E Gas]

I read in another post that someone's cat was panting after a play session. Zezu does that too, when I gather all his toys and just start throwing them around. He chases them til I stop throwing. Then he sits up on the window sill panting. Is this normal?

[nsweezie]

My cat Clyde does the same thing, he plays so hard that he pants just like a dog would when he is done.
I asked my vet about this, and he said that it certainly isn't unheard of, it may just mean that the cat has tired themselves out. If the cat is otherwise healthy and active it isn't a problem

[Fuzzy317]

I think I heard once that panting is how dogs help to regulate their body temperature. Cats panting after play may have the same effect.

[4 feline house]

Black cats will pant in the sun, too, because they heat up more quickly. As long as it's just from play or exertion, and not from heat or no identifiable source, I wouldn't worry.

[Ben E Gas]

Thanks, I think it was on an 80 degree day. Also during play.

[wolflady]

Fuzzy is absolutely right. It's not often that I see my cats pant, but when I have it has been after lots of exertion or from a fever (Marius's reaction to some shots recently). Since cats and dogs do not have sweat glands (aside from those on their feet), they cannot perspire to cool their bodies down like we do. Instead, they take in air harder (pant) to cool themselves. By panting, the warm air in their bodies is exchanged by the cooler outside air.

[aly]

Shiloh pants but not after playing hard. She'll pant when she's extremely nervous. She did this the first 4-5 times she had to take a ride in the car. Also when she smells something weird, she will breathe with her mouth open. Its sort of funny to watch now but when she first started doing it, I FREAKEd out thinking something was really wrong.

[Troy]

...Also when she smells something weird, she will breathe with her mouth open...

I have sometimes noticed mine doing this, he has his mouth just slighty open and seems to breath the air in over his tongue making a slight noise (I have managed to replicate this sound by making quick gentle breaths through my mouth whilst my tongue is touching the roof of my mouth - why did I do this? I don't know I just put it down to "cat owner" behaviour)...anyway, apparently cats have extra "smelling glands" inside their mouth that they sometimes use to further analyse smells they might encounter...

[Gio]

Troy,

mine do the same.

[Maresche]

I think the through the mouth smelling in called Phleming (spelling?). It sounds terrible, but cats do have an extra scent organ in the roof of their mouth. Males do this a lot when they're trying to track down a female in heat.
I've only ever had one cat that panted and that too was only in car rides (usually on the way to the vet's). Tabis would just sit in my lap and pant and drool all over me.

[Ben E Gas]

Poor Zezu. Last night, It was so hot in my apartment. I started to play with him. Throwing his toys back and forth. Not even five minutes into it. He jumped up to the window and began panting. Then He jumped down and began hacking like he was going to lose his dinner. He held it back though. I brought him some water and he seemed fine. Luckily it began to cool down just a bit at night with the fan in the window. The owner of my building hasn't turned on the central A/C yet. Poor Z, is in the apartment right now. I can't wait to get home to comfort him. Thank god it's only supposed to be in the 60's tomorrow.

The turtles love this hot, humid weather. I know Zezu hates it.

My fishtank is over 86 degrees now and the airator is broken. So I'm sure the fish aren't too comfy.

I'm not sure if the birds like it or not. I think their original habitat is in Vietnam. So they may be OK.

My poor friends are suffering at home while I'm in a nice airconditioned office.

I'll be home soon guys!! Stay Strong!!

------------------

Igor Inc. (c)2001

[nsweezie]

I noticed the same thing today, it is really hot here in Nova Scotia for this time of the year. (30C- not sure what that is in farenhight, but it usually never gets hotter than 35 in summer)
Clyde was once again running around, and got overheated, and started panting.

[LuvCatz]

The panting could be a sign of serious dehydration. Make sure your cat gets plenty of liquids and if you find the cat is not drinking then you will need to have the vet inject liquids intraveniously. We had to do this with our kitty who was shriveling up to skin and bones right before our eyes. We only had to do it twice before we discovered ''cat sip'' a milk product that she loves and drinks all the time now.

[4 feline house]

Gee, I thought those of us in Hell - I mean, TEXAS were the only ones that have to run the A/C this early. Actually, it's been unseasonably cool here, and not nearly as muggy as our springs usually are. We've barely hit the low 80's so far, and by now it's usually at least in the upper 80's, if not low 90's. Three years ago on my birthday it got up to 100!

[Pam]

Ben...Sure hope all of your pets were OK today. We actually started running the a/c a little early this year for the pets' comfort while we're away! How's that for being spoiled? Actually we have just had 2 record breaking days here....92 yesterday and 90 today. A little early for this type of weather here in the Philadelphia area.