What does it mean when a cat gasps with its mouth open?

The summer solstice is approaching, the temperature is getting higher and higher, and everyone is accustomed to dogs opening their mouths and panting, but what about kittens? Although they are both furry mammals, there are still differences in behavioral habits and physiology. If the cat opens its mouth to pant, the cat should still pay attention and be vigilant.

Body overheating

Unlike humans who dissipate heat through sweating all over their body, cats dissipate heat through a small number of sweat glands on their paw pads and between their toes. Only when they feel very hot will they pant to expel excess heat. But in daily life, we rarely see cats panting with their mouths open, because they will look for shade and stay still to prevent themselves from overheating.

Upper respiratory tract infection

A variety of respiratory viruses and bacteria (feline herpes virus, feline calicivirus, mycoplasma) can cause cats to open their mouths and pant. Due to congestion or blockage of the nasal mucosa, cats can only breathe through their mouths, and their noses cannot smell odors, and their appetite will be reduced. It has dropped significantly, and the cat should be isolated and treated in time.

Flat face variety

Some cats with flat faces, such as Persian cats, exotic short-haired cats (commonly known as Garfield cats), Chinchillas, etc., are prone to breathing problems due to their flat faces and collapsed noses, and need to rely on their mouths to assist breathing.

Vigorous exercise, overexertion

It is more common after strenuous exercise, running back and forth and playing, especially in kittens. If you find that they are panting, you need to let them calm down and stop playing. They will usually return to normal within a few minutes.

Anemia

This condition is relatively rare in cats. Anemia usually leads to symptoms such as listlessness, lack of appetite, rapid heartbeat, mouth breathing, and physical weakness. Long-term anemia can even cause irreversible damage to the heart.

Which mouth-opening gasping situations are emergencies?

Tongue and lips turn blue or purple
Lying down and not wanting to move
Breath more than 40 times per minute
Abdominal breathing is obvious
Panting with mouth open for more than 5 minutes

If your cat shows one or more of the above symptoms, don’t hesitate to go to the hospital immediately! Because every second counts.

What should I do if my cat is short of breath? urgent?

After a strenuous exercise, the cat will have shortness of breath, so just let it rest for a few minutes. However, you should also be wary of cats suffering from heat stroke, especially when the weather is hot. High temperature and strenuous exercise can easily cause heat stroke in cats. At this time, you need to move the cat to a cool place to rest in time, and then feed it some heat-reducing food. . 
Severe panting in cats is usually a respiratory disease. It usually manifests as a lung infection or bronchial infection, which may be accompanied by symptoms such as runny nose. For Garfield cats, it may be due to abnormalities in the nasal cavity structure, and it is recommended to undergo nasal endoscopy. Shortness of breath and wheezing may be aggravated by heart disease. 
The normal breathing rate of cats is between thirty and forty times. Abnormal breathing occurs when breathing is accelerated. Cats will increase their breathing rate in cases of respiratory tract stenosis, disease, insufficient blood supply, etc. to increase the oxygen saturation in the blood. Relieve breathing difficulties and delay organ failure. If the respiratory rate is disordered, this situation is more complicated and is often one of the clinical manifestations of the disease. You need to go to the hospital as soon as possible. 

Sudden death of a cat from stress is really sudden! It’s hard to accept…

I saw reports on the Internet that cats died suddenly due to stress, but I never took it seriously. I thought stress was just a matter of being frightened, and it would be better to take it slow. I didn’t expect this kind of thing to happen to me, it’s really hard to accept…
Some time ago, a friend took his cat to the hospital for a physical examination. When he first got in the car, the cat opened his mouth and panted. The friend thought the cat was hot, so he turned up the air conditioner. The cat did not get better after that, but instead had shortness of breath. Finally, he started to The cat was convulsing all over. After going to the hospital for rescue, the cat still died. The doctor concluded that due to stress, all functions of the body were too tense, leading to the cat’s eventual sudden death. This post also wants to remind friends who raise cats, Don’t underestimate your cat’s stress anymore! !