Listen to his chest with a stethoscope placed on his rib cage, behind the front Cats rarely pant unless they are in extreme heat, overly excited, unduly stressed or in pain. 5 Call your veterinarian for advice if you notice symptoms such as sneezing, These symptoms could mean just a hairball, but if they persist, call your Source:http://www.ehow.com/how_16335_determine-cat-needs.html