Young cat can't catch his breath after play?

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Al Puzzuoli - 06 Mar 2005 15:02 GMT

Hi all,

I have a young, indoor cat who is about three years old. He seems
healthy in all respects but sometimes when playing he gets carried away
and I wonder whether it's possible for him to do himself harm?

For example this morning, he was chasing a toy on a string for about 20
minutes. He kept chasing so we kept swinging the toy. Finally, he
walked away, stretched out on the floor and lay there gasping, taking
quick, panting breaths. It took about 10 minutes for him to regain his
breath. After that, he rested for about another 10 minutes and then he
seemed fine.

Is this sort of extended activity okay, or would it be best to moderate
his play to some extent?

Thanks,

--Al

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John Doe - 06 Mar 2005 15:26 GMT

>I have a young, indoor cat who is about three years old. He seems
>healthy in all respects but sometimes when playing he gets carried
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>Is this sort of extended activity okay, or would it be best to
>moderate his play to some extent?

Seems to cause all parties discomfort. Therefore it would be best to
moderate.

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Karen - 06 Mar 2005 15:40 GMT

> Hi all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> --Al

I would *definitely* go see a vet with cardiology experience as soon as
possible. This can be an indication of heart trouble, which if caught early
may really improve both his quantity and quaility of life. This is NOT
normal. If a cat doesn't recover their breath within 30 to 60 seconds of
play, there is a problem.

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Hodge - 06 Mar 2005 16:56 GMT

> If a cat doesn't recover their breath within 30 to 60 seconds of
> play, there is a problem.

Really? It takes me longer than that. :)

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Karen - 06 Mar 2005 18:24 GMT

>> If a cat doesn't recover their breath within 30 to 60 seconds of
>> play, there is a problem.
>
> Really? It takes me longer than that. :)

I believe that is the time frame I've read. Maybe it is up to a couple of
minutes, but I can't imagine it taking 10 minutes for any cat.

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Hodge - 06 Mar 2005 20:50 GMT

> >> If a cat doesn't recover their breath within 30 to 60 seconds of
> >> play, there is a problem.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> I believe that is the time frame I've read. Maybe it is up to a couple of
> minutes, but I can't imagine it taking 10 minutes for any cat.

A couple of minutes sounds about right to me.

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glsummer@neptunelink.com - 06 Mar 2005 20:01 GMT

>I would *definitely* go see a vet with cardiology experience as soon as
>possible. This can be an indication of heart trouble, which if caught early
>may really improve both his quantity and quaility of life. This is NOT
>normal. If a cat doesn't recover their breath within 30 to 60 seconds of
>play, there is a problem.

I would second this, having had a cat who did the same thing, and whom
we lost young when his heart stopped. A vet visit is in order.
Please keep us posted.

Ginger-lyn

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Cathy Friedmann - 06 Mar 2005 16:25 GMT

> Hi all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> --Al

20 minutes of continuous play is a long time, & I'd be surprised if he
didn't pant after that length of time. Otoh, being out of breath can be a
sign of heart trouble, & since it took him 10 minutes to feel himself again,
I'd have him checked out by your vet, just in case.

Cathy

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Meghan Noecker - 07 Mar 2005 02:35 GMT

>> Hi all,
>>
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>sign of heart trouble, & since it took him 10 minutes to feel himself again,
>I'd have him checked out by your vet, just in case.

Back when Kira was a kitten, she would run and fetch, and after about
20 -30 minutes, she would just sit down and lay there. She would pant
for the first minute or so, and then just lay there, showing mental
interest in the toy, but no more physical interest.

With Chase, we had a problem. He would pant, but he wouldn't quit. We
actually had to enforce the breaks during serious play. It just didn't
seem right for him to keep playing that actively when he was obviously
panting.

When he was about a year old, we did a photo shoot of him. I do
photos, and my nephew (Chase's owner) really wanted some fun photos.
So, my birthday present for my nephew was a photo shoot. He worked the
cat for me (play and getting the right angle), and I did the photos.
He had so much fun that he is now my assistant.

Anyway, we spent about 2 hours overall, so we had to take several
breaks. I did not want to work him too hard, and he was going all out.
And I have some great panting shots :)

He is 4 now, and he doesn't pant anymore. He just quits playing when
is tired. He's not so obsessed now.

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Kim - 07 Mar 2005 05:09 GMT

My calico cutie, Brio, had some panting episodes during play as a kitten.
She too didn't know how to pace herself... I'd have to put away the toys,
and once I had to shut her in a room cus she got so hyper and wouldn't stop
running around.

Now she's older (going on 2) and she stops when she's tired.

>>> Hi all,
>>>
[quoted text clipped - 49 lines]
> Equine and Pet Photography
> http://www.zoocrewphoto.com

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Rhonda - 06 Mar 2005 16:35 GMT

We have a cat who would play until exhausted and panting, too. It is
tempting to keep playing with them because they seem to be having a
great time.

We stopped playing with her that hard, a cat panting is not a good thing.

Rhonda

> Is this sort of extended activity okay, or would it be best to moderate
> his play to some extent?
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> --Al
>

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zuzu22@webtv.net - 06 Mar 2005 21:16 GMT

Panting for *10 minutes* after play is definitely NOT normal. It should
take only a minute or two at the most for a healthy cat that has played
hard enough to pant to catch its breath. You need to get your kitty to
the vet ASAP and have an echocardiogram done. What you describe is a
classic sign of a cat with a heart condition.

Megan

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bluemaxx - 08 Mar 2005 00:03 GMT

: Hi all,
:
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
:
: --Al

Don't worry about moderating your cats play. Instead, you should be
worrying about getting your cat to a Board Certified Cardiologist for an
ultrasound of his heart... because "gasping" for about 10 minutes is
_NOT NORMAL_!!! *Especially* if your cat a purebred and not a moggie
(i.e., mixed breed).

If nothing else, the ultrasound can be a baseline reading to refer back
to as your cat gets older and possibly has more problems with "gasping".

I lost my Siamese to heart disease. Believe me when I say that gasping
isn't ever "normal".
Linda

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