Like dogs, cats have sweat glands beneath their feet, and this provides some cooling, but cats can’t thermoregulate. In other words, sweat glands in cats do little to keep your cat cool. When your cat enters the house after a stressful trip to the veterinarian you may notice the sweat coming from the paws as cats will sweat when they are anxious.
Do Cats Sweat? / Shutterstock
Since cats’ sweat does little to free the cat from heat, they often seek shade when they need to cool off. Typically, cats cool off by licking their fur, drinking water, staying in shady areas, or stretching in a cool place to expose their body to release heat. You can help your cat by brushing it often during heat waves to remove excess hair.
While brushing is good, you can also help them stay indoors when the weather is hot outside. Make sure you get clean water and a cool place for your cat to stay at all times during warm weather.
If you have a white cat, make sure that your feline friend does not stay outdoors in the sun for a prolonged period. Reducing exposure to the sun can help prevent sunburn, and applying pet sunscreen to their ear tips can help.
Do Cats Sweat? / Shutterstock
Heatstroke in pets can occur when the body temperature rises above the conventional range of 100-102.2 degrees. Even if your cat is kept indoors, he/she may still be at risk of burnout if the home is not well-ventilated.
Make sure cool air is left for your cat while you are away on hot days. Some cats may show the following symptoms as red tongue, panting, dark or pale brown gums, and drooling if they suffer heatstroke.
Pay attention to your cat’s behavior and watch out for these symptoms. The breed of cats that are most prone to overheating or heatstroke is the Brachycephalic species, like Persian, Himalayan, and Burmese cats as well as obese cats. If you are worried that your cat is overheated or suffering from heatstroke, contact your veterinarian immediately.
