Why does my cat pant after vigorous play? Is his heart healthy?

You're right that it can be normal to see short periods of panting after active play or other exercise, especially in young cats. But, this can also be a sign of heart disease or other problems. If your kitten sometimes pants, it would be best to have him examined be a vet to make sure that his heart and lungs are normal. If no problems are found, then you'll know there is no need to worry :)

No, it's not normal for a cat to pant like a dog. Cats typically do not exhibit open mouth breathing, and it's a sign of respiratory distress. It could be Gus may have a heart problem causing this open mouth breathing after he plays, but without seeing him in person I can't say for certain. I would have him seen by a vet for a physical exam, routine blood tests, urinalysis, and chest x-rays. These tests will help the vet identify if the does have a heart condition causing his symptoms. Should one be found, the vet can discuss treatment options with you.

That is concerning. How long ago were those test performed? Sometimes as disease progresses, it becomes easier to see on xrays or echocardiogram, so I am wondering if repeating some tests may help. If its been more than even day, things can change dramatically on Xray. A young cat (he is listed at 7 monhts old) should be able to play and be quite active without panting, certainly panting is abnormal after only mild exertion. I recommend that you take him back to your vet, or take him to a veterinary internal medicine specialist. I'm so sorry he's not feeling well! Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. When cats pant or breathe with their mouths open, this is abnormal and concerning. Given the information you provided about the Merlin's heart murmur, I am worries that he could have significant enough heart disease to cause heart failure, which leads to the build up of fluid in the lungs. This makes it very difficult for cats to breathe, especially after exertion, and can be life-threatening. Alternatively, cats can pant when they are severely overheated, which is also very dangerous. I would recommend keeping Merlin quiet (no running or playing) until he can be seen by a veterinarian. He/she will want to do a full physical exam and take x-rays of Merlin's chest to look for heart enlargement and/or fluid in the lungs. There is a blood test available called an NT-proBNP that can detect heart failure in cats as well. I hope this information is helpful!

If he was really racing around after the toy last night, more than usual, it could explain his exertion, however, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get him in to see your vet for an exam just to be safe. You said Obi is a big cat, so there may be some Maine Coon in his background, and they have a greater risk for some heart conditions.

Sorry to hear Valak seems to have problems when playing. I would recommend taking him in to your veterinarian to have his heart and lungs checked. Some young cats can have an underlying congenital heart or lung problem that can lead to exercise intolerance. We also can see cats develop asthma and present like this too, so he may need x-rays of his chest to see how his lungs look and possibly need medication. Hopefully he is normal, but if he can't seem to play very long, I would recommend getting him checked out.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While panting and open mouth breathing can be due to nervousness to some extent, this most likely signals a respiratory condition such as asthma, heart disease, among many other possibilities. I highly recommend you consider taking Fluffy to your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They will likely recommend starting with an exam and chest radiographs. Hoping for the best! Good luck and have a great day!