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My cat is panting. Is it an emergency or just normal behavior?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 11 months and 6 days old

My cat started panting a few min ago. She has water and food, it's hot but i have the air conditioner on. She has never done this before. Should i take her to an emergency cat clinic or is this normal

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on June 14th, 2017

Oh no, poor Midnight! You are correct that her panting can be due to the heat, but she could also be in respiratory distress, or in a lot of pain. It's not normal for a cat to pant, and if it continues for more than five minutes, then yes I would take her into an emergency cat clinic right away.
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