Are you worried about hot weather? Do you hydrate yourself to save from dehydration and overheating of your body? Well, it is good for you, but have you ever thought about your little kitty? Well, if the weather is too high for you to take, then it is for your furry pet too. Hence, it’s good that to know a little more about your furry pet.
It is common for you to see your furry pet just lying basking in the sun sometimes. Of course, cats do love warmer weather, but how far your furry pet can take the heat is a question here. Are they capable of sweating that can help them reduce their body temperature? How do they sweat? Why haven’t I seen any sweat to date? How do I help them battle this extreme heat?
Stop worrying about such questions you have in your mind. This article is going to clear all the doubts in your mind.
Does my cat sweat?
When we humans can’t bear the high temperature, we tend to sweat, which is evident. Also, you may have seen how dogs pant during the hot weather. Now you must be wondering do cats sweat? Like any other human being, yes, cats sweat when their body temperature is high or if they are stressed or scared. It is just like that the cats’ sweat is not evident for us to recognize.
How do you think cats sweat?
Huh, your furry pet has only little parts of its body without the fur. Those are the parts where cats prefer to shed their sweat. Let’s say your furry pet has its way of shedding sweat they want to. The most common way in which cats shed sweat is with their tiny paws.
Yes, you heard right; you might have noticed watery paw prints on the floor or table after your cat just walked by. It is not because your cat played in the water or it’s peeing. It’s because cats preferred to shed their sweat through their paws. The fur-less part of the body plays its role. However, apart from this, the lips, nose, and skin surrounding the anus also shed sweat.
Now you might be a bit more confused with the statement – cats preferred to shed their sweat through their paws. Well, cats try to cool themselves during high temperatures by licking themselves, moving to a shady area, staying idle, stretching, or drinking water. No wonder cats have a different way of cooling their body down. The sweat shed areas are not fully effective for your furry pet to depend on them to keep themselves cool.
While licking their body, the water from their tongues spreads over their skin. When the water evaporates, cats tend to cool down. Your furry pet follows the two extreme ways here to cool them down by sitting idle and stretching. Sitting idle will not let them use their energy to heat their body more, and stretching your furry pet will relax the stiff muscles for a minute.
When speaking of your furry cat shedding sweat through their paws, there is a scientifically proven statement based on cats’ activity. The Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jason Nicholas from the Preventive Vet, proved that cats use this as a species-specific sign to send signals to other cats. Pheromones are used to communicate in animals. So here your furry cat does through sweat.
Cats pant?
Obviously, but only in rare situations this happens. Your furry pet will give you a warning by panting. When heat stroke takes over the body, and your furry pet cannot tolerate the heat, they will start panting. This sign is a call for action. You have to be concerned when your cat starts panting.
Immediately, try your furry pet to cool down by giving them water to drink, putting them in a bowl of cold water, or moving to a shaded area. These precaution steps should help in calming the cat’s panting. If your furry pet continues panting without any delay, rush to the veterinarian.
Cats and Heat strokes:
Now that you are aware cats do sweat just like all other living beings, you must be aware that cats can face the downside of high temperatures. Sometimes, your cat may suffer from a heatstroke. It is a condition in which your furry pet’s body temperature is high because of the weather or stress. This heatstroke occurs mainly because of the heat in your furry cat’s body.
Your furry cat will pant when it’s too much for them to handle. It is un-catty behavior. Yet this is why you need to pay attention and be ready for action whenever required. The lack of knowledge or the carelessness about the sweat shouldn’t be a reason anymore for your cat to suffer heatstroke.
Here are the common reasons when your cat tends to face heatstroke.
Reasons |
How to avoid it? |
| Cats are left in the car for a long time | Do not keep your cats in an enclosed area for a long time. Even if it is shorter duration, always keep the window open a little bit for the airflow. |
| Cats mistakenly get trapped inside a cloth dryer | Keep the clothes dryer out of reach. Usually, owners try to keep it on the top floors. |
| Cats are left in a room with no air conditioning or ventilation | Just like humans, even cats will feel suffocated if you keep them in the dark areas. |
| Cats are left helpless without any access to water or a cool place to rest | Never leave your cats alone in closed spaces. In unavoidable situations, there are many pet care units where you can drop them. |
| Cats are taken outside the home and left to roam at a high temperature | Suddenly, when you take your kitty outside in a high-temperature area, then their heatstroke will increase immediately. |
Well, these are reasons that might be a cause for a heatstroke of your furry pet. Now that you are aware of the situations your cat might have heat stroke, it’s time for you to dig a little deeper about the heatstroke so that your furry pet can stay out of it as long as possible. Here is your next set of information about how heatstroke risk could increase.
Risks of increasing Heatstroke |
Why is it a problem? |
| Kittens are always prone to heatstroke | Kittens are always not adaptable to temperature. So while taking them outside, ensure you carry enough water to calm them down. Also, check out this supplement that will keep your cat hydrated for longer hours. Liquid I.V hydration multiplier comes in a stick. All you need to do is add them to the water and give them to the cats. |
| The older furry pet of yours is at risk | Never leave the old cats under higher temperatures as it will bring a lot of consequences, including rashes and high pressure. |
| Cat is overweight | Obese or overweight cats will have a lot of bad cholesterol, which will increase the heat in the body. |
| If your cat has a chronic disease in the lung or heart | The cats with the chronic disorder will eventually be dehydrated easily & they cannot withstand temperature changes. |
A young cat and the elder one are always at risk, and the diseases that your cat is prone to are inevitable. However, issues like overweight and water intake during summers can be taken care of. The age factor and long-term diseases are not avoidable, but preventive measures and emergency measures can save cats from experiencing heatstroke.
Heatstroke can be lethal to your cat. Heatstroke causes brain swelling, organ failure, blood clots or tumors, and even death. That is why heatstroke in cats has been given its utmost importance. Let us now discuss the preventive steps to be taken and the emergency measures after heat stroke.
Preventive steps:
Ensure the following tips are followed, especially during summer. Taking an extra minute in making sure all the necessary things are around is going to do millions to your furry pet.
- Place fresh water every morning at the places your cat usually spends its time.
- Change your playtime to the evenings so that your cat also gets enough time outside.
- It’s better to shut the curtains of your room during summers.
- Never leave your cat inside your car when parked (even for 5 to 10 minutes)
- Place a fan or turn on the air conditioning in your room.
- Don’t groom your cat during summer; exposed skin will lead to rashes and skin allergies.
The freshwater helps your furry pet in hydrating their body. In a closed car, the temperature will increase to more than 104°F in less than 15 minutes. So, it is advised not to leave them in a parked car. Grooming them during summer will expose them to the sun more than normal; try to avoid it.
Emergency Measures:
Heat strokes are possible, and now what? Preventive steps are discussed, and you are aware of them. But what if your cat is suffering from heatstroke & what are the measures to be taken during an emergency? Here are a few tips for you to stay aware of emergencies.
- Place a bowl of water with an ice cube for your cat to drink.
- Dip a cloth in cold water & place it on your cat’s neck, armpits, and legs.
- Turn the fan towards your cat or turn the air conditioning.
- Place your cat in a shaded area.
- Turn the garden hose on with less speed, place your cat on the sink and cool them down.
- Warp your cat with a cold cloth.
- Worst comes worst; call the veterinarian.
All the emergency measures you take will surely help your cat cool down. In unfortunate situations, your cat might get weird and start panting, and then it is time for you to contact the veterinarian. Your veterinarian will help you with ways to cool your cat down; if not, he/she can help your cat with IV fluids to treat your cat.
Cat’s normal body temperature:
Cat has a body temperature of 100°F-101°F. It is the main reason cats can handle the high temperature like a pro while we pant, sweat as if showered. And here is the threat; if the temperature reaches 104°F, the furry animal might have a heat stroke, which is deadly.
How to measure a cat’s normal body temperature?
From the first aid kit, take a digital thermometer and place it on the skin surrounding the anus of your cat. Before you place it, make sure to lubricate it. You can use petroleum jelly or lubricating jelly to lubricate the thermometer. Leave it on the skin until the machine beeps. The body temperature should not be 102°F or more.
The high-temperature hype
Oh my god! You are burning; you must have a fever; consult your doctor soon. It is the usual statement we are used to hearing during fever. Cats are also prone to fever, which is evident from the high temperature in their body. How do you know whether it is fever or heat stroke? It’s time for you to know the answer.
When your cat is suffering from fever, the following symptoms can be noted,
- Depression
- Not wanting to move
- Lethargy
- Increased frequency of breathing
- Anorexia
With these symptoms, you can easily tell if your cat has a fever or not. Make sure to check the temperature after noticing the symptoms in your cat. There is a condition called hyperthermia in cats. It is because of the high temperature, excitement, exercise, or other factors but not fever. When you are confused, let your cat rest for some time. If the body temperature is the same, but your cat normally behaves, then it is hyperthermia and not fever.
Your furry pet loves to lay down in the warm and soothing weather, but this doesn’t mean cats are completely okay in handling temperature no matter how high it is. Having their body temperature at 100°F-101°F, cats are masters than humans in handling the heat. Still, once the temperature rises a little high than their body temperature, they will not be able to handle it.
Here is where heat strokes, fever, and high-temperature conditions come into the picture. Where fever and a high-temperature condition can be easily cured, heat strokes are something you as a pet parent should pay attention to. Follow the preventive steps, emergency measures, and contact the veterinarian whenever necessary.
You should keep an eye on your furry pet, especially during summer, and have a backup plan (first aid kid) just if some unfortunate incident might happen. Paw-five!
