What this means
Cats cool themselves poorly: they do not sweat as people do and they do not pant as dogs do. In the heat, and when excited, a cat needs more air, and in a flat-faced cat the passages of the nose and throat are narrow, so it runs short of air more easily. Such a cat may therefore start breathing noisily, tire quickly or breathe with its mouth open sooner than other cats.
When breathing is hard and it is hot around, the situation can worsen fast: the harder the cat works to breathe, the hotter it gets. Open-mouth breathing, heavy drooling, very hot skin, vomiting, weakness or collapse are signs of overheating, not just discomfort.
Notice in which circumstances your cat has more trouble: in a closed room, in a car, after play, during stress or a vet visit. Open-mouth breathing is not normal in a cat, so any such episode, even one that passed quickly, should be shown to a vet.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your cat.
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The airway shape of a flat-faced cat
Pinched nostrils, a long soft palate and tight passages get in the way of the air. In heat and when excited the need for air rises, and the difficulty shows.
About the condition: Brachycephalic airway syndrome -
Overheating
A cat in a hot or unventilated place can overheat because it cools itself poorly. This is a dangerous condition that needs urgent help.
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An asthma-like airway disease
Narrowed small airways can make breathing harder in heat or under stress. Sometimes a cough or wheeze shows as well.
About the condition: Feline asthma -
Heart disease
When the heart works poorly, the extra load from heat or stress can make breathing harder. The cat tires faster and may breathe fast.
About the condition: Heart disease -
Stress and excitement
A journey, a vet visit or a bad fright raises the need for air. In a cat with narrower airways it can make breathing harder.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- In what circumstances breathing is harder: heat, after play, stress, a car
- Whether your cat breathes with its mouth open and how quickly it passes
- Whether it snores or snuffles loudly as it breathes
- Whether it seeks a cool spot and lies stretched out on the floor
- Whether it tires quickly in play
- What colour the gums and tongue are
When to book a routine visit
If your cat finds it hard to breathe in the heat or when excited, breathes with its mouth open or seems exhausted, go to a vet immediately and handle it as little as possible. If the difficulty keeps returning, book an examination and tell the vet in which circumstances it happens.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
Body systems: Breathing