Is it normal for my 4-month-old kitten to pant and hack after playing?

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 :)

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.

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.

rapid breathing is not uncommon in kittens but if he is breathing fast with an open mouth it is definitely not normal, at this age it is usually caused by aspiration pneumonia (milk aspiration to the lungs). in such a case you would need to take them to the vet in order to get it checked and treated ASAP.

It sounds like Keeda has had a pretty thorough workup. With the bronchial pattern being seen on x-rays and a normal echo, it sounds like primary respiratory disease might be the cause. If an infectious disease panel has not been performed to look for toxoplasmosis or parasites like lungworms or heartworm you may want to ask about ruling these diseases out although Keeda's symptoms certainly don't seem typical. If your veterinary team feels like all avenues have been exhausted you may want to consider a second opinion at a university hospital if there is one near you - sometimes learning institutions see the rare cases or have access to other testing.

Yes, this is a concern so I do recommend having Walter seen by a vet for it. While it could be the heat, I can't rule out a medical condition causing the panting without seeing him in person. Give his vet a call today to make him an appointment. Best of luck.

Respiratory issues in kittens can be quite serious and I would definitely have a vet see your kitten. Smoking around your kitten can also be very damaging and it would be ideal if you smoked outside. Many animals develop lung cancer when they have owners who smoke and this unfortunately isn't widely known. This issue probably has more to do with an underlying condition and I would have your kitten seen ASAP. I hope Fuji feels better soon!