Cat Breathing With Mouth Open: What It Means and When to Worry
Seeing your cat breathing with its mouth open is bound to send you into a frenzy, and for a good reason at that, given that it’s more often than not a red flag that says: get your cat to a vet immediately. Cats don’t pant like dogs do. However, there are instances, such as after an exercise, that a cat can pant and breathe with its mouth open, leaving you wondering when it’s an emergency and when it’s something completely normal. This article will help you understand all the circumstances and the tools that can help you make the right decision for your feline friend.
Key Takeaways:
- Cats are nasal breathers, so open-mouth breathing is usually abnormal.
- Brief panting may occur after a stressful event or exposure to heat, but it should stop quickly.
- Respiratory disease and heart problems are leading medical causes.
- Emergency signs include blue gums, collapse, or noisy breathing.
- Health trackers like Maven help monitor breathing and alert you early.
Is Open Mouth Breathing in Cats Ever Normal?
Open-mouth breathing in cats is rarely considered normal, since cats are obligate nasal breathers, which means they rely almost entirely on breathing through their noses. That said, there can be a couple of situations where it can happen without indicating a disease or a condition:
- After intense play or exertion: A cat may briefly pant after playtime, but that should settle within minutes.
- During extreme heat: If the temperature is sky high, cats may pant to try to cool down, much like dogs, but this too should be very short-lived.
- In stressful situations, sudden noises or scary situations can cause open-mouth breathing in cats, but this too should come to an end quickly.
Even in these “normal-looking” cases, a cat breathing with its mouth open is very uncommon and should not be taken lightly, especially if it appears alongside some other symptoms.
Why Is My Cat Breathing With Its Mouth Open?
When your cat breathes with an open mouth, it usually means that something is wrong with it. It’s a red flag that your cat may be overstressed, overheated, or simply struggling to get oxygen.
Picture this. Your cat just finished a frantic zoomie session, darting from sofa to windowsill. Faster than a rocket. You love to see, and it’s not unusual for your cat to collapse on the floor, sides heaving, and panting. If it stops quickly and the cat is otherwise acting normal, that could just be exertion.
However, if your cat is sitting quietly and suddenly starts breathing with his mouth open, or it continues for more than a minute or two, that’s not normal.
Is Maven right for your pet?
Take the quiz and see how Maven can support your pet’s wellness journey.
Medical Causes of Open-Mouth Breathing in Cats
Here are the main medical causes for open-mouth breathing in cats:
- Respiratory diseases: A cat will try to breathe through its mouth if the nasal airways are blocked, and diseases like asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, or upper respiratory infections will force a cat to breathe through its mouth.
- Heart problems: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the most common heart disease in cats, can cause fluids to build up around the lungs and impede the oxygen exchange, making it difficult for cats to breathe, as they would be struggling for air. It’s a painful thing for them and a painful one to witness as well.
- Shock or stress: A sudden fright can cause your cat to start breathing through their mouth. Any type of shock to them can also cause this, so ensuring a safe and stress-free environment is a must.
- Heatstroke (Overheating): It’s peak summer, so some cats may pant in an attempt to cool down when their body temperature rises too high. They are nowhere near as good at this as dogs, and if they continue to do so while in warm surroundings, it can indicate heatstroke.
Emergency Signs That Require Immediate Vet Care
If your cat is breathing with an open mouth and shows any of the following symptoms, it’s a veterinary emergency for sure:
- Breathing looks hard or fast and doesn’t settle after a minute or two
- Gums or tongue look blue, gray, or very pale, which usually means oxygen isn’t getting through
- Sudden collapse or extreme weakness where your cat just can’t get up
- Ongoing coughing or wheezing along with open-mouth breathing
- Neck stretched out, head held low as if trying to gulp in more air
- Lots of drooling or foaming you wouldn’t normally see
- Noisy, raspy, or strained breaths that sound very different from usual
- Happens after an accident or choking episode. Think falls, trauma, or swallowing something they shouldn’t
When cats breathe this way and show any of these warning signs, it usually means they’re already in serious trouble, so you shouldn’t dally. Take them straight to the vet. ASAP.
How Vets Diagnose Breathing Problems
When you rush your cat to the vet for open-mouth breathing, the first thing they’ll do is look and listen closely. They’ll watch how your cat is breathing, check gum color to see if it isn’t turning blue, and use a stethoscope to hear what’s going on in the chest. This helps them quickly identify clues such as a heart murmur, wheezing, or fluid in the lungs. In many cases, your cat might also get oxygen right away to help them breathe easier while the vet works on figuring out the cause.
After that, the vet may suggest tests to dig deeper. Chest X-rays can reveal fluid, infection, or even tumors, while blood work shows how well the body is getting oxygen. If a heart issue is suspected, an ultrasound or echocardiogram can give clear answers.
“Unlike dogs, cats should rarely breathe with their mouths open. If you see this happening, especially at rest, it’s a red flag that your cat needs veterinary attention.” – Carolina Domingues, DVM at Maven Pet
Why Monitoring Respiratory Rate at Home Matters
A cat’s respiratory rate can tell you if there are early signs of trouble; however, tracking it is not easy. You can’t count their breaths other than while they are awake. It’s too tricky. This is where pet health trackers can come in handy.
These wearables continuously measure your cat’s respiratory rate, heart rate, and activity so that they can catch any sudden changes. Plus. You get reliable data you can share with your vet.
Maven Pet
Health Monitor
#1 Vet-recommended pet monitor! Tracks activity, rest, respiratory rate, water intake, scratching and other health indicators 24/7
Maven Pet
Health Monitor
#1 Vet-recommended pet monitor! Tracks activity, rest, respiratory rate, water intake, scratching and other health indicators 24/7
How the Maven Pet Health Monitor Helps Track Breathing and Detect Trouble Early
Maven isn’t your typical cat health tracker. It’s more like having a little vet assistant keeping an eye on your cat 24/7. You just clip the Maven Sensor onto your cat’s regular collar, and suddenly it becomes a smart collar that quietly tracks their health in the background.
What makes Maven special is how it focuses on early warning signs. It keeps track of your cat’s respiratory rate (one of the first things to change with heart or lung problems), watches for unusual scratching, and even records rest and activity levels. Every day, you get a simple report, and if something seems off, Maven sends you an alert so you can act before it turns into a bigger issue.
Conclusion
Mouth breathing in cats is not normal and almost always warrants concern. It can be caused by vigorous play, but also heat or lung disease, so you need to be on alert for these things. Your biggest ally in that fight is health tools like Maven’s health monitor, which can help you catch problems early and keep your feline friend safe, comfortable, and healthy.
Maven Pet focuses on improving the quality of life of our pets with technology, using artificial intelligence (AI) to enable proactive pet care. By accurately collecting and monitoring pet data 24/7 and flagging any irregularities, Maven Pet empowers pet parents and veterinarians to stay ahead of potential health issues, ensuring the well-being and longevity of our beloved companions.
Maven Pet focuses on improving the quality of life of our pets with technology, using artificial intelligence (AI) to enable proactive pet care. By accurately collecting and monitoring pet data 24/7 and flagging any irregularities, Maven Pet empowers pet parents and veterinarians to stay ahead of potential health issues, ensuring the well-being and longevity of our beloved companions.
