My cat purrs loudly and opens its mouth when inhaling. Is this normal?

This is a concerning sign for Bear. Cats should not normally breathe or purr with their mouths open. It is possible that Bear has asthma, heart disease, lung disease, or even mouth discomfort causing him to do this. I do recommend that Bear is examined by a vet to evaluate the severity of the situation. I hope that all goes well!

As long as she isn't in any distress and seems comfortable, that may just be her purring. However, if this is a behavior you've never seen in her before, it's worth getting her checked by your vet just to make sure she doesn't have the start of an upper respiratory infection or something similar.

That may be due to a pharyngeal/laryngeal inflammation, potentially due to a viral or bacterial infection. A check up would be needed to have a look inside his mouth and throat and spot any sign of it. Antibiotics may be needed.

Cats can sometimes "lose their voice" as a result of an upper respiratory infection, similar to what happens to people when we get laryngitis. As a result, they will sometimes go through the motions of meowing but little or no sound comes out. If this sounds like what you are seeing, I would recommend having her checked by a vet - she may need antibiotics or other medication if she has an infection. Another possibility based on what you are describing is that your cat is having trouble breathing - cats will sometimes appear to be panting, or breathing with an open mouth if they are having trouble getting their breath. If you see this, it is a medical emergency and the cat needs to be seen by a vet immediately.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is normal for cats to sound more nasally when they are purring. My cat and I have heard other cats sound different in these loving situations. If he is not sneezing, doesn't have nasal discharge and isn't wheezing any other time I wouldn't worry! I hope this helps!

Great question! Each cat has a different purr, just like humans have different voices, so as long as he is eating and drinking normally, using the litter box normally, and is behaving normally, then it is not an issue for his health :-)

Some cats can become so relaxed when they are happy and purring that their mouth relaxes and it leads them to drool. I had a cat who did this whenever she was relaxed and happy. She would also leave a huge wet spot on your lap! It is common that some cats drool when they are happy and it is normal. I would not worry about it if it only happens when Penny purrs :-)