Do Cats Sweat? Should I worry about it? (Yes, but Just a Little)

As a matter of fact, cats do sweat, and if you live in an area where the temperature rises to well above 80 degrees, this might become a problem.

Did you know that cats do sweat? This means that they actually have to cool off. Now this may seem trivial, but believe it or not this knowledge could prove to be very useful to you in the future.

As we mentioned earlier, cats do sweat, so what is it that cats sweat?

Here’s the deal with cats and sweating

On a hot day, you might worry how your outdoor cat, who spends part of the year outside, is doing with the heat.

Many people wonder this very thing.

Is it possible for a cat to perspire?

For additional information on whether and how cats sweat (and how they cool off), we chatted with Dr. Megan Conrad, a veterinarian with Hello Ralphie.

How do cats sweat?

Unlike humans who sweat from glands all over our body, cats can only sweat from a few areas and those spots aren’t the same as where they are on us.

There are two main types of sweat glands, eccrine and apocrine, and cats have both, Dr. Conrad told The Dodo.

Eccrine glands generate perspiration that reaches the surface of the skin and are utilized to regulate body temperature.

Cats have them on their paw pads, noses and lips. (If you detect dampness in any of these spots, it might suggest your cat’s sweating!

Apocrine glands are more typically located in locations with a lot of hair follicles and operate as smell glands that create pheromones.

Do cats have sweat glands?

Cats will create perspiration from the glands in their paws, but not enough of it to cool their bodies down. Cats employ different techniques of cooling themselves, such as brushing their fur, Dr. Conrad noted.

According to Dr. Conrad, when cats comb their fur, the saliva evaporates and helps cool off their bodies. They may also search for a cooler location to hang out, such as in the shade or on a cool tile floor, Dr. Conrad noted.

Do cats ever pant to cool down?

A cat who’s overheated may pant, but it’s not as prevalent of a tendency as it is in dogs.

Panting can be a symptom that your cat is overheated, anxious or in respiratory trouble and should be handled carefully, Dr. Conrad added. If your cat is panting, a call to your veterinarian is suggested.

So yeah, cat’s do sweat. They just don’t sweat in the same way (or from the same areas) that humans do.

Temperature Is a Balancing Act

A cat’s internal temperature can be controlled because it is a warm-blooded creature.

Cats use a variety of methods to keep themselves cool and comfortable, depending on the time of day, behavioral needs, and the surrounding temperature. For the uninitiated, this is to say that cats shed.

In a heated environment, the cat’s brain sends out a series of signals that activate the body’s cooling mechanism. Panting is the most typical strategy of coping with stress in cats.

Other ways to cool yourself include sweating, stretching, and getting wet. To help dissipate heat, the brain will send a signal to open up the skin’s blood arteries, allowing the blood to flow closer to the surface.

Cats are known to sweat from the pads of their paws due to their thick coats, although this is not a common occurrence.

Different Kinds of Overheating

If your cat can’t control its body temperature, it’s at risk for a variety of serious health problems. Cats’ internal temperatures rise in one of two ways.

Hyperthermia and fever Fever in cats is defined as a prolonged increase in body temperature beyond 102. 8 degrees Fahrenheit. When the immune system is working hard to fight off a bacterial or viral illness, this is likely to happen.

Symptoms of a fever include a heightened respiratory rate, an inability to move or eat, sadness, exhaustion, and a general slowness in movement.

There are many additional causes of elevated body temperature that aren’t related to a fever, such as overexertion or an increase in the temperature of the surrounding environment.

If you’re not sure which ailment your cat is suffering from, let him rest for approximately twenty minutes before taking his temperature.

As long as your cat’s behavior remains normal, it’s most likely suffering from heat rather than a fever.

Preventative And Reactive Measures

Prevention of your cat overheating may be possible if you follow these guidelines:

Hyperthermia in cats may usually be reversed within a short amount of time if caught early enough. Contact your veterinarian immediately if your cat shows indications of hyperthermia or fever for an extended period.

Tissue damage and even death can ensue from heatstroke. Some things that enhance the risk of heatstroke are:

Make sure your cat has access to fresh water and a shaded area at all times. Immediately call your veterinarian if your cat displays signs of hyperthermia.

There’s a good chance that your cat is in actual danger even when it’s just a little bit hot outside.

Conclusion

Do cats sweat? Yes, they do. There are several things that cats have in common with people: they both need water and they both perspire, even though their body temperatures are very different.

This is because cats have a special type of hair called a “pelage”. This is a thin covering of fur that allows moisture to escape. The pelage helps keep them warm in cold weather and cool in warm weather.

source https://catshint.com/do-cats-sweat/