As a matter of fact, cats have sweat glands too, but most of these are covered under their fur. Due to this, their sweat is not visible.
This is not the case for their paw pads, as their paws are not covered with fur. So, you may sometimes witness moist paw prints when your cat is sweating.
1. Do Cats Sweat When Stressed?
Just like humans, cats sweat when they are stressed. You may witness a cat’s damp footprints when you’ve taken it on a vet visit, in the car, or under any other stressful situations.
You may notice that the cat is panting and breathing heavily as well as frantically sweating through paw pads and their cat sweat glands.
2. How Does a Cat’s Body Temperature Stay Within the Normal Range?
A cat’s normal body temperature ranges from 90 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Cats sweat to regulate their body temperature, but that is not the only method they employ for staying cool. They bathe themselves by licking their body and when their saliva evaporates, it cools them down by providing a cooling effect.
They also like to lay on shady spots and cool places such as a tile floor, the bathroom sink, etc. to feel more comfortable. They are often found drinking cool water to deal with the intense heat on a hot day.
Many cats shed a lot of fur in the warmer months to deal with heat waves. You can help your cats by grooming them, this assists in the shedding process and works to keep your house fur clean.
3. Is Your Cat Overheated?
Overheating, also called hyperthermia occurs when a cat’s body temperature rises up to an unnatural and harmfully hot level. The consequence of a cat getting overheated due to too much intense heat can be fatal. Cats can suffer from a heat stroke and fall unconscious or even end up in a coma.
In the case when the symptoms of a heat stroke are observed, it is crucial to get immediate veterinary attention as it is the most extreme form of overheating. It occurs when the body temperature of the cat exceeds 104 Fahrenheit.
The symptoms of a heat stroke are as follows: heavy breathing, cat panting, cat sweating, lethargy, clumsiness, disorientation, vomiting, etc. If your cat acts sick then plan a visit to the veterinarian immediately.
3. Do Cats Sweat To Cool Down?
Unlike humans, sweating is not one of the most effective cooling mechanisms a cat employs. Since their sweat glands are not exposed but are rather covered by their fur, cats cool down using other methods.
But yes, sweating is also a method cats use to cool down. When they are sweating, you may be able to witness moist paw pads as that part of their body is not covered with fur, and the sweat glands are exposed to the environment.
4. How to Help Your Cat Stay Cool?
An increased temperature in a cat’s body can cause respiratory distress as well as other uncomfortable conditions. It is essential to provide extra cooling measures to your cat.
This can be done in multiple ways such as always keeping clean and fresh water for them to drink, providing cool surfaces for them to lie on in a comparatively cooler area of the house, keeping the air conditioner on if it is unbearably hot, keeping the cat indoors during a heat wave, allowing heat to go out of the house using ventilators, air conditioning, etc.
This will help calm down extremely heat-stressed cats and it will keep the cat cool.
5. Fever or Just Hot?
Being overheated and getting a cat fever have different implications and symptoms.
A cat who has a fever will show the following signs. The cat will have warm ears and its nose will be dry and unusually hot to touch. It will display unusual and uncharacteristic lethargy.
The cat will display immense repulsion towards food and have a great loss of appetite. In the same way as humans, a cat may have red and teary eyes when it gets a fever.
Although the above-mentioned signs can be indicative of a fever, it can only be made certain by taking a measurement of the cat’s body temperature. This is done using a rectal or ear thermometer. The rectal thermometer is found to be more accurate as compared to the ear thermometer.
If the cat’s body temperature consistently remains above 104 Fahrenheit, then it is a seriously high fever and the veterinarian must be contacted immediately.
6. Are There Any Signs of Excessive Sweating in Cats? When Should You See a Vet?
If your cat is sweating excessively even after you have taken all precautions to prevent overheating and made all arrangements to release heat and keep the cat’s abode cool, then it may point to different distresses.
If your cat is still leaving moist footprints then it may be an indication of anxiety or stress in the cat. In such cases, seek help from veterinarians and behavioural experts.
7. Does Cat Sweat Smell?
A cat’s sweat does not usually smell. If your cat has a strong body odour then it may point to serious health hazards such as a skin infection, etc. In cases such as these, it is crucial to seek medical assistance immediately.
8. What Increases Heat Stroke Risk?
The risk of cats experiencing heat stroke is greatly increased by sudden exposure to extremely hot weather. This can be accentuated if the cat is dehydrated and has not gotten any chance to cool down.
The absence of a cool surface can increase risk. If a cat is not groomed properly and the cat’s sweat glands are not exposed to the environment, it can increase the risk of a heat stroke.
9. To Remember…
If you plan on going out of town during the summer and are taking your cat along with you, then do not forget to carry emergency veterinary medicine and cool water to prevent the chances of overheating.
Last Updated on December 25, 2023 by soubhik92@gmail.com
