Why does my cat pant, drool, and lie down for 30-min episodes?

This could be something serious like a seizure or a problem with his heart. Next time it happens, try to video the episode on your phone, and then take him into the vet. You can show the vet the video, and the vet can diagnose what is causing this so he can be treated. I hope this helps!

Hello! Cats are very stubborn nose-breathers and hate panting. This means they usually only pant if they are in severe respiratory distress. This, associated with the drooling and being outdoors makes me very concerned that she could have been suffering from severe heat distress or heat stroke. Sometimes cats can also hide signs of heart and lung disease until they are truly struggling to breathe, and this could be exacerbated by heat by as well. I would recommend taking her into a vet to be seen. They will likely recommend bloodwork and x-rays to start evaluating her major organ function, check for signs of infection, and evaluate the heart and lungs. I hope you find this helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Poor Kane! Given that he has calmed down, I am thinking that that panting was from stress; nevertheless, keep an eye on him just in case. If you see him start panting again, drooling, agitation (may be shown by pacing), a bright red tongue, or breathing distress, take him into a vet immediately. I hope this helps!

The skin twitching and running can be a sign of fleas or skin irritation, and occasionally cats will display an extreme version of this with feline hyperesthesia syndrome. The open mouth breathing is a little concerning - this is usually a sign of cardiac or respiratory disease although occasionally some cats will breathe with their mouths open when they are very excited. If you see any labored breathing or the open mouth breathing continues I’d recommend seeing an emergency veterinarian.

Asthma is the # 1 cause for these symptoms. However, it could also be pain from the lower GI tract, underlying heart disease, pleural effusion, or any other lung disorder. If this continues for more than 3-6 hrs, or if Harley seems to have labored breathing and isn't oxygenating well (blue tongue, open mouth breathing, etc), then its best to take him in to your vet for bloodwork +/- chest x-rays to help diagnose the underlying problem and get him on the proper treatment. I hope that Harley feels better soon! Best wishes and take care.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While panting and open mouth breathing can be due to nervousness to some extent, this most likely signals a respiratory condition such as asthma, heart disease, among many other possibilities. I highly recommend you consider taking Fluffy to your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They will likely recommend starting with an exam and chest radiographs. Hoping for the best! Good luck and have a great day!

Poor Owi! Yes, from your description here I would definitely be concerned. It's not normal for cats to "pant" or breathe with their mouth open, and breathing more rapidly than normal is often a sign that something is wrong with the lungs or heart. Eating less and drooling are also signs that he isn't feeling well for some reason. I would strongly recommend taking Owi back to the vet for an exam. Your veterinarian can listen to his heart and lungs, and will likely recommend chest x-rays as a starting to help determine what might be wrong.