Purring with his mouth open

Kyiara
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Hi everyone, I’m posting this more out of curiosity than worry. My 8-year-old cat purrs with his mouth open. It’s usually linked to when we’re interacting—when he’s happy, having cuddles, and so on. I know it’s because he’s happy; his tail twitches and he’s naturally very affectionate.

But he started this open-mouthed purring when I went away on holiday a few years ago. When I got back, the little man was purring with his mouth open, and he’s never stopped since 🙄.

It’s almost like he doesn’t know how to handle his excitement or emotions...

I’d be curious to know if anyone else has a kitty like this. Just so you know, I mentioned it to the vet during a check-up and they didn't find anything wrong. And of course, he never purrs at the vet’s! But there are no breathing issues, despite him being a bit on the heavy side, and no heart problems either.

Translated from French
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3 answers
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    • Blue_Cat
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    Maybe it’s the ‘Flehmen response’? If that’s the case, the cat keeps its mouth open to better take in a scent they love, or simply a smell that’s piqued their interest. This response actually allows them to chemically analyse the scent in question. It’s more common in deaf and/or blind cats than in others. That said, I’ve never seen this happen with a cat that’s purring at the same time. It’s just a thought.
    Translated from French
    Kyiara
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    Thanks blue cat for your reply.

    No, there are no dental issues at all. He’s been overweight since he was eight months old. He’s a very big lad, too.

    I just wanted to go back to the quivering. I’m definitely talking about a quiver — that rapid twitching all along the length of his tail. It’s not the usual feline lashing of annoyance or a dog-like wag of joy.

    Translated from French
    Blue_Cat
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    Hi there, Initially, I would have thought it was a dental issue, but if the vet has checked their mouth, there must be another cause. It’s not natural for a cat to have its mouth open, and breathing through the mouth is a sign of respiratory distress. PS: When a cat’s tail wags, it’s a sign of annoyance rather than joy, unlike with dogs.
    Translated from French

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