All living things need to shed excess heat to cool themselves down. But you’ll never see a cat drenched in sweat. So how do cats sweat? Well, ever noticed wet paw prints left by your cat on extremely hot days? That’s is because, unlike humans, who sweat from all over their bodies, cats only sweat from a few areas of their bodies, such as their paws.
Usually, cats use several specific techniques to cool themselves down during hot weather. They disperse body heat through different methods such as sweating, stretching out their bodies, sitting under the shade, and drinking plenty of cool water. Ever noticed your cat sleeping in the bathroom tub, on a tiled floor, or glued to the air-conditioned room? This is because cats naturally cool off their bodies by moving to cooler places.
How Do Cats Sweat?
So how do cats sweat exactly? Similar to dogs, cats have sweat glands located on a few hairless areas of their body that help them cool down. These sweat glands are usually located on their paws, lips, chin, and even on the skin surrounding the anus. When it gets very hot, your cat’s body sends a message to its brain to start sweating. When the sweat produced begins to evaporate, it has a cooling effect on the skin.
Cats can also sweat when they are stressed or very excited. Ever felt your cat with wet paws during a veterinary visit? That’s because of sweat produced due to stress!
Self-Grooming
Self-Grooming is another cooling strategy that helps cats cool down on a hot day. Cats stretch out their bodies and start licking their paws, arms, legs, and other parts of their bodies. When this saliva evaporates from their skin, it creates a cooling effect on their bodies. You can boost this cooling by brushing them frequently during hot weather to remove excess fur from their bodies.
Over here, we recommend you use the Cat Comb for Long and Short Haired Cats.
This comb has a comfortable handgrip for you to easily comb your cat with. It also has a 2 in 1 massage design, so you can remove all excess fur from your cats’ body while giving it a soothing massage in the process.
Panting
Panting is normal in canines, but it may be a cause of concern when a cat starts panting.
Panting briefly can indicate your cat is hot or going through some sort of distress. Sometimes cats also pant when they experience respiratory stress.
Prolonged panting can be a cause of alarm and may require immediate veterinary attention.
How to Help Your Cat Cool Down
There are several measures you can take to help your cat cool down on hot days.
Fresh Drinking Water
Be sure your cat has plenty of cool drinking water available at all times. You can put ice cubes in the water to keep it cold for a longer period.
The Cnikpet Cat Water Fountain is great for giving your cat fresh cool water at all times. The fountain can hold up to 2 liters, so you do not need to provide your pet with water continuously. The stainless-steel bowl is also durable and scratch-resistant.
Keep Your Cat Indoors
It’s always a good idea to keep your cat indoors, especially at the peak of summer. Even though cats’ bodies naturally cool themselves, you never know when it can get too hot, which can lead to your cat getting dehydrated.
Never Leave Your Cat in the Car
Do not leave your cat in the car alone, even for a short time! Cars become like ovens in the summer; they tend to absorb heat very quickly. Chances are your car will heat up very quickly, even with the window down a little. Your cat can get extremely overheated or can even get a heat stroke when exposed to such high levels of heat.
Get Medical Help
If you feel your cat is acting unusual, do visit your vet at the earliest. Signs of overheating are as follows:
- Lethargy and excessive sleeping (Even though it is normal for cats to sleep for large amounts of time, especially during hot weather, if your cat is extremely inactive and has stopped eating or drinking, you need to seek help.)
- Vomiting or Diarrhea
- Bright red tongue, mouth, or gums
- A wobbly walk or disorientation
- Trembling or Seizures.
Our Final Thoughts
If you think your cat might be feeling hot, you can also rub your cat’s body with an icepack or a damp cloth. You can also wrap a frozen water bottle in a towel and place it beside your cat, wherever she is resting.
With everything that you’ve read so far, we’re sure you now know the answer to “how do cats sweat.” The more we know how our cats’ bodies function biologically, the better we can take care of them. Cat owners need to be aware of how cats naturally climatize and how their bodies adapt to cool or hotter temperatures.
Similarly, we also need to be aware of what we can do in case our pet is in discomfort due to harsh weather so that our pets can stay healthy.
