My 12-year-old cat sits with her mouth open. Should I worry?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Missy. I recommend that you seek emergency veterinary care this evening. Open mouth breathing is a sign of respiratory distress in a cat. The respiratory infection could have spread to her lungs resulting in pneumonia or she could have another problem. Heart disease and fluid in the chest can also cause this breathing pattern. I hope this information helps. Good luck.

Oh dear! Open-mouth breathing in cats is a serious issue, as this is not normal behavior for them and usually indicates a breathing problem of some kind. I would recommend taking Felix to the vet right away to be seen. Your veterinarian can listen to his heart and lungs to check for any obvious abnormalities, and may recommend chest x-rays or other testing if needed to help determine what's wrong.

Bumble is a great name! It is good you have noticed these subtle changes. Sometimes I have cats who open mouth breath when playing or exercising and it turns out to be nothing to be concerned about... however it always warrants further investigation because lung disease, hernias, asthma, and cardiac conditions can all cause the signs you are describing. I recommend an x-ray to make sure we are not dealing with these conditions. If she is not feeling well today it may be related or could not be... an exam would help rule out other concerns! Unfortunately I do not see a picture attached but please feel free to submit another question. I hope this helps!

Unfortunately there is no over the counter product to help with this issue. We don't know the cause of her respiratory distress and it could include anything ranging from infection, spread of cancer to lungs, or heart disease. If she is in respiratory distress I would recommend taking her the the emergency vet closest to your area. It looks like there is one near you according to your zip code http://www.wvrc.com/about/locations/racine-wi-pet-hospital/

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.

That sounds odd. Cats don't normally act like this. I am concerned she is distressed, is experiencing pain in her mouth or is experienced altered mentation. Since she can't talk and tell you what is happening, I recommend to have her examined right away. An exam is needed to begin narrowing down the potential causes. I hope this helps.

I am sorry to hear this! I know how worrisome it is to have vague signs with no other hints! If not done already, I would recommend having bloodwork and an x-ray done. Some things I would want to rule out- heart/lung disease, signs of infection, and parasites. If this all appears normal I would also consider a sedated exam to see if there are any abnormalities in his ears or mouth- like a polyp. If the behavior worsens and you do not find any answers on the other tests I would also consider advanced imaging like a CT. I hope it is nothing serious but it is good to know your options!