kitten panting

My 5 month old kitten, Ripley, starts panting after about 10 minutes of playing roughhouse with my 3 month old kitten Cali. Ripley has to rest for about 10 minutes before she plays again. Cali can play rough house for hours and not get winded. When we see Ripley pant, we put her by her water so she could drink but she doesn't take a drink. Should I be concerned that Ripley does not have the same stamina as Cali?

Is Ripley a longhaired kitty? My Ragdoll seems to pant more than my others after running around. Another thing is to make sure the vet checks Ripley next time you go - just a routine check for the heart. Sometimes cats with heart issues will pant.

I would be. It could simply be that she has a thicker coat and gets hotter, or it could be something much more serious. When's the last time you had her seen by the vet?

Lots of cats pant after strenuous exercise. Jaffa did when he was a kitten and Mosi still does. I asked my vet about it when Jaffa started doing it and he reassured me it was normal and that it was because cats arent' designed for that kind of exercise and don't have a lot of stamina. I think the reason why some pant and others don't is simply down to the fact that some cats exert themselves more than others. My bridge baby, Magpie (Jaffa's brother) never panted even as a kitten, but he was never as lively as Jaffa or Mosi.

Having said that, if you're worried or he pants at any time other than after rough play then do get your vet to check it out.

I would definitely recommend that you check it out with a vet. Holly, my younger cat, pants when she feels anxious in the car and when she overexerts herself. However, she has been diagnosed with asthma. My other cat never pants.