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My cat is panting, drooling, lethargic, and won't eat. What's wrong?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Female | spayed | 10 years and 10 months old

My cat is lethargic and is not interested in food. Last night she was panting a lot and her breathing was very rapid. She kept drooling and meowing not like usual. Now she is just laying down but she did drink some water. What is wrong with her?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on October 12th, 2019

Poor Precious! It sounds like she's quite sick. Open-mouth breathing or "panting" in cats is not normal, and usually indicates a serious breathing problem or some type of severe stress. Acting lethargic and not eating are very vague symptoms that could be caused by almost any kind of illness, so it's hard to say what might be going on without being able to examine her and run some tests.

It does sound like this may be a life-threatening problem, so I would recommend taking her to the vet today to be seen. If your regular veterinarian doesn't have Saturday hours, I would take her to your nearest emergency clinic. The vet there can do blood work, x-rays, or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what kind of treatment is needed.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Laura Bailey, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on June 2nd, 2018
No, it is not normal for her to be open mouth breathing. She may have an infection and/or dehydration. Make sure she has access to plenty of food and water. Place the bowls close to her. You need to take her into see a veterinarian asap for an exam and antibiotics if needed.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Dayna, DVM, CVA
Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist
Published on January 28th, 2018
Cats do not pant often. When they do it is often a sign of distress. I would highly encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. Based on what they find on a physical exam they may recommend lab work and possibly x-rays to help determine the diagnosis. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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