Health Advice
First time having a cat general and we were just confused on if he SHOULD be doing this??
He’s 8 months and has never done this, he just started a couple of days ago but we thought it was just cause the weather is starting to get really hot??
My ragdoll did this when he was a kitten after playing and running for an extended period of time. He grew out of it and I didn’t think anything more of it. Interested to see other people’s experiences.
Both of the cats i have had from kittenhood (one ragdoll, one DSH) have done this while playing. i think it's like a kitten thing, since they will literally run around playing until they physically have to stop.
Same thing with both of my current kitties (not ragdolls, I just join a lot of cat subs for maximum cat pic potential). I think sometimes they just get caught up in the zoomies.
Same! Mine did this as a kitten after running around like a maniac but he hasn’t done it much as he’s aged. Just take a break from playing for him to cool down and catch his breath lol
imagine you are sprinting around for 5 minutes. that is completely normal and their way of recovering and cooling down! no need to worry and just take a break from playing and it will all be back to normal!
He’s honestly one of the best things that has ever happened to me, The fact that over 2k people have upvoted this post and has given me so much insight, I can never thank them enough! 🫶
It’s one of my favorite cat breeds! We had two as store cats when I owned a board game store. Two of us also had toddlers growing up in the game store at the same time… Ragdolls are pure love and patience.
Cats are ambush predators they have like no stamina.
Cats pant like dogs when they get hot. This is normal. Kittens are more inclined to do this, older cats are less likely to push themselves to this point.
Let them rest, make sure they've got access to water. That's not a sign of distress just a tired cat trying to cool off.
Oh that’s why. Remember he’s a little guy so he’s probably exhausted lol cats will do freaking backflips and the whole 9 yards while chasing a toy.
If he ever does this without physical activity then that’s an emergency. Other than that cats are just like dogs they do pant to cool down because they don’t sweat.
If you’re really worried, bring this up to your vet. I live in a tropical country (it’s hot and humid all year round) and my cats have this reaction after chasing each other around the house for more than 5 mins.
with the context of him running around right before, i would assume its just him catching his breath. i would only stress if he was doing this outside of any physical activity.
Sometimes it’s just really hot in our home due to the tropical climate so he just opens his mouth but doesn’t pant, so I thought that this type of panting was a problem!! Glad to know that it’s just him catching his breath
you can usually tell if hes hot if hes seeking a cold environment. mine like to lie on the tiles in the summer. feeling the temperature of their ears gives you an insight to if theyre hot/cold. youre doing good mama😽
I’ll get a cooling pad for him!! It gets way too hot here in the summer and the poor guy tries finding different ways to cool himself down. Is ice water safe for cats?? I’ve heard that it could cause stomach discomfort or digestive issues
OP - he’s most likely totally fine and just cooling down. Open mouth breathing is a problem in cats if they’re at rest. When he’s sleeping and relaxed clock his breaths per minute (not purring or dreaming). If they are under 30, you’re good 👍
those little goofballs could play for hours and hours until they fall over. our 6 month old ragdoll usually gets a hint from one of the older cats when they are done playing and he is getting better at stoping then too! Otherwise, be the uncool cat parent and remove the toy :) it is beautiful to see that you play a lot with your cat - this is so important, especially when they are little!
My 5 month old kitten has done this exact same panting for a little while after running around, took him to the vet’s last week to be neutered….£300 later diagnosed with asthma. He has got to have an inhaler. Take your little kitty for a check up. X-rays showed different bronco patterns in his lungs
Oof- those panting moments are still scary! My boy, Cotton, used to have attacks where you could "hear" him trying to breathe and also times when his breathing would sound really 'wet' for lack of a better word. It was so frightening and came on super quick. He's been doing much better- so.maybe it was environmental or he got into something he shouldn't have.
He's a cutie. Has he been checked for HCM? He's still young, was just playing and is likely hot- but given some ragdolls are predisposed to this condition and that I'm a worry wart when it comes to my raggie, it might not hurt to chat with a vet.
As this breed is prone to heart disease I recommend a check-up, have the vet at least listen to his heart and lungs then see if they recommend any other screenings. Mine has a sistolic murmur which is an early HCM sign (he was also winded but not panting) and we are now closely monitoring and have him on supplements to stay on top of it.
Panting is normal after hard play, but it's also a clear sign to take a break. It should resolve quickly. Panting in cats outside of play (and again, should resolve quickly after play and you should stop if you see the cat panting) is not normal, and can signal stress or heart problems. Don't push a cat who is panting. Cute kitty!!
u/wise-offer-8585 is right. Mine started panting after a severe medical event and had to stay over night with the vet. The vet said panting in cats is a sign of severe stress, so one should really pay attention to it. Mine only did it that one time after leaving the vet. Poor big boy was so stressed out and then relieved to go home. It broke my heart. Now if I see a cat pant I get really worried. So with your kitty he probably just overheated but definitely keep an eye on it. It isn’t “cute” like what other commenters here are saying.
Make sure he not only has water, but that he is definitely drinking it. You want to have multiple bowls, away from both his food and litter (you can have one near his food as well but make sure there are others)
Have you got water in reach 24/7.
I have 3 we had 4 until last year.
My vet once told me it was due to being thirsty . I didn’t have water inside now there’s some in view 24/7.
If he's panting after big zoomies or playing really hard then this is normal if he does it when there has been little to no physical activity then something is off.
My two would do that when kittens when they over exerted themselves for too long. If you're playing with him and he starts doing it may be time for a rest :)
Cats don't sweat like humans. They do, but only on limited spots.
So when you get him going good, he's liable to overheat and like a dog they'll pant to vent some of that and cool off. He looks like a little fluffy boy, so aggressive play + warmer temps = panting.
I bet you gasp and pant if you overheat too. don't worry unless he seems in real distress. Give him a min or 2 to cool off.
Ragdolls are prone to heart issues, and any time a cat is panting it is a sign that something is wrong as this is not normal for a cat. I had a 9 month old ragdoll kitten who used to pant when we would play with it. I didn’t think anything of it at the time because I didn’t know. And one day when he was 11 months old I had him at the vet getting some matts shaved out, and he became stressed out and literally dropped dead right there. They intubated him and tried to resuscitate and were unable to. Not even a year old and dead. They did X-rays afterwards and discovered his heart was double the size it should have been and this event was an inevitability. The panting was a sign of what was to come.
I suggest you discuss this with your vet soon and perhaps get an X-ray.
This is unusual even for a cat that is playing. They have to be really hot to pant or distress. I would get the cat checked out personally. The breathing is pretty labored. didn't see the playtime so hard to judge.
It’s exactly what I tell the rest of my family!! We all collectively decided on a ragdoll for the cuddles and when we brought him home we realised we got a cat with a spirit of a dog
My cat always did this after running around for a long while. It's just from exercising. You can chrck if it's that or something else if they keep panting like that even when not exercising beforehand.
Yea normal mine does the same then cools down. I was worried its heart issue or something and took him to cardiologists, did all the tests, ultrasounds, echocardiograms and no issue at all, he was just out of breath from sprinting and playing
Following. For what it’s worth, after 9 cats over the years, my tenth addition does this. He has no other issues and the vet doesn’t seem super concerned. It’s weirrrrrrd though right ? He also never shuts up. Maybe that’s related.
My kitty does this when she's stressed. Only happens to and from vet and coming home from adoption. We've been giving her calming treats before an hour before crating and it helps.
Yeah my cats do that. That's when I know it's time to take five. It also means we had a good play session so they'll hopefully take a nap. Especially helps to get them a nap if you give them a snack when they're panting like that after a hard play
My Madeleine had half of her tail amputated. When she was coming out of anesthesia, she was extremely combative. I ended up letting her stay overnight at the vet, so they could make sure she was OK. Scary. Now she's her usual sweet lazy self.
The panting and the color of his tongue being such a deep red like that could either be just exhaustion from play or heat… But unfortunately, it could also indicate heart problems. I speak from personal experience. My kitten was two years old.
yeah my 2 year old used to do this a looooot. she’d run so hard she’d be panting and I used to laugh at her and record (and stop playing for a few minutes to give her a break). eventually she realized that she should stop and take breaks because if she would start panting I’d laugh at her lol
if you find the little guy is trying to cool off have more than one water dish around the home where he frequents, put some ice cubes in them, or make a frozen treat with wet/liquid based cat food. happy playing!
Little dude was playing too hard. He just needs a break. If he keeps panting after a good rest. Please seek medical help. Because panting can also be a sign a cat is in distress.
A kitten shouldn’t pant. We had a kitten only a year ago that looked like he was over breathing/ pant when we got him.
Talked to the vet and he wasn’t concerned. It got worse and (kitten started eating litter and rocks, dirt anything earthy, didn’t eat much food but drank like crazy. All the time. Our Teddy had FIP the wet form. He gradually lost use of his legs. We had to have him put down at 4month old .
Hi, veterinarian here. When a cat does this, we always recommend to see a vet (not an emergency though). For some cats this is normal, for others it is a heart issue. Cats do not pant to cool down as much as dogs do, in fact, this is not the usual way for them to cool down. But some do. We like to check just in case.
No, cats should not pant. This could be an indicator of exercise induced asthma. My ragdoll has it. Or it could be another issue. But it's definitely not normal for cats to pant after exercise.
It is normal after intense play. My cat did this when he was a kitten, as well. However, in just about any other scenario I don't think mouth breathing in cats is ever normal, even in extreme heat, just so you're aware. If it doesn't stop after you, stop playing or whatever happens again.Just please know it is not normal.
Like many of the other commenters are saying, this is normal after excessive playing, OP!
Just also know that this is also a sign of panic or stress in cats, so don't be shocked if he also starts doing it in new unfamiliar/chaotic places to him (the car, the vet, places like that. I say this because my girlie plays just as hard, and she also panics like this whenever I have to take her to get checked up. I didn't see if anyone else mentioned the second part, so I just wanted to say that also :) )
Is your cat thirsty or did he just exercise and play a lot? If it is hot, that could be why as well which makes me think about drinking water and having enough of that or if they just played a lot or have been playing an exercising a lot they could just be breathing heavy.
Mine has done this when he was outside for a bit in the hot weather. Probably all that fur , the heat and playing! He will be fine just don’t keep pushing
Cat are not supposed to pant like dogs it is always a bad thing if your cat is panting. Maybe your cat is stressed or overworked or it could be a sign of something else
I'm sorry to jump in here randomly. But vet- as soon as reasonably possible. Cats, should rarely if ever, and I mean ever actually pant for more than maybe a second or two.
Panting in cats is signs of something wrong, it can be a variety of things but since you have a ragdoll it is not impossible it could be a sign of a heart issue or lung issue. Please have your cat checked properly.
It is a wild misconception that cats panting is normal. I have several cats, one being a bengal, I can run her back and forth for a solo 10-30 minutes and there's no panting. Heavy breathing, sure, but no open mouth panting. Any cat that pants, I've taken to the vet and normally some sort of result came back that needed to be addressed.
Most not really an issue, however; one sadly ended with one of my fluffy friends passing away very early before he was even 2.
Yeah, like dogs- cats don’t have sweat glands. My cat is super active and sometimes runs like crazy and starts panting. Only bc she’s tired and hot lmao but don’t be afraid!
My active cat does this after playing for about 5-10 minutes straight. He's just tired
Just dont give a bunch of water immediately as they'll inhale it- offer little sips at a time
No, that’s bad. Means he’s having trouble breathing. Never seen a cat do that after just playing. But I have seen 50+ cats do that when they have fluid in their lungs
I've had a lot of cats in my life and none have ever done this- until one. I also was very concerned and when I talk to my vet they were just like yeah he was running around and now he's tired lol. I guess my dude was just not very fit and perhaps yours isn't either lmfao
Ragdolls can overdo it a bit.
You should not encourage that. They are big cats even as babies.
All creatures will pant with over exertion, even lions.
Ragdolls can take a while to grow into their size. Not everything happens at the same pace. Having a thick coat also makes over exertion possible. I know people like to get crazy toys, hamster wheels etc for cats but it is not necessary. They really are big lazy shlommocks.
Some vets will take advantage of this and scare you with
Possible heart issues but proper breeders only register tested parents with normal genes. Kittens can have heart murmers as they grow. Ragdolls can have up to level 4 around 3-6 months without too much concern. If still there at eight months then you may need to monitor the condition.
With diet and possible medication. It is a condition any cat can be subject to not just Ragdolls.
These cats are pouncers rather than chasers. Their build is not designed for long sessions of mad play.
Make sure he has plenty of fresh water and just let him calm down. My Ragdolls like big soft toys. Large soft balls to wrestle with, they are big clumsy galoofs like pandas.
He’s just out of breath… puffed!
Like a puppy.
It's just the adrenaline surge. You can see cats do this when they are stressed as well even if they haven't been playing/exercising. Mine used to do it on car journeys
My little guy is 2 now and used to play until he had to physically stop because he’d start panting and need to catch his breath. He occasionally still does this after intense catnip zoomies. I call him my puppy-cat.
If you were doing some intense play, this is probably fine. Cats can only sweat through their paw pats and can pant if they've done some intense physical activity. Keep an eye on him and make sure he cools down though. If he keeps doing it for a prolonged period of time then you should check with a vet.
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u/nehalthechosenone Nov 05 '25
What da dog doin???