- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
If you’ve ever seen your cat sprawled out in the sun for an epic cat nap, you’ll notice something unusual: if you run your fingers through their fur, they don’t feel sweaty! “Cats do not ‘sweat’ in the normal sense of the word as we think,” explains Dr. Amber Carter, an ABVP board-certified feline practitioner. However, cats DO sweat; it just doesn’t create noticeable wetness in their fur.
While cats have two types of sweat glands scattered around their body, eccrine and apocrine, they don’t function the same way humans do. Dr. Carter says that’s because the eccrine glands, which push moisture out of their body to help them cool down, are in hairless areas like their lips, noses, paw pads, and between their toes.
Below, discover how cats sweat, why they overheat, and other ways they stay cool.
Why Do Cats Sweat?
Often, cats sweat because they’re too hot. The normal body temperature for a cat ranges from 100.5°F to 102.5°F If their temperature rises to 105°F or higher, immediately seek veterinary help.
Signs of an overheated cat include:
- Restless behavior
- Panting or labored breathing
- Drooling
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Stumbling or staggering walk
- Muscle tremors
- Sunburn
- Bright red tongue, gums, and mouth
While sweating is usually caused by your cat feeling hot or overheated, sometimes a cat’s emotional state can also cause them to break a sweat, especially if they’re an anxious cat.
How Else Do Cats Cool Down?
Sweating isn’t the only way your cat stays cool. Cats are intelligent enough to know when they’re getting too hot, and Dr. Carter says they’ll gravitate to a cooler location to lower their body temperature. For example, outdoor cats might crawl into cool dirt under a shady bush. If they’re an indoor kitty, chances are you’ll find them cooling off in a room with air conditioning, retreating to cold basement floor tiles, or even sprawling out in a bathroom sink or bathtub!
Additionally, cats groom to cool down in high temperatures. When the moisture coating their bodies with saliva evaporates, they cool down.
Why Do Cats Get Too Hot?
While other cats (mostly wild cats) thrive in heat, some cats may have a more difficult time with the heat, including:
- Flat-faced (Brachycephalic) breeds like Persians
- Cats with long, thick fur, like Maine Coons
- Senior cats
- Overweight or obese cats
- Cats with heart or lung problems
- Being in a hot car, shed, or garage
- True fevers
- Bacterial and viral infections
- Inflammation
- Cat-bite abscesses
- Diseases such as toxoplasmosis
Don’t wait if you suspect your cat is overheated or suffering heatstroke. Although this condition can be deadly, cats are resilient. With immediate veterinary attention, their temperature can be stabilized before permanent organ damage occurs, allowing for a full recovery.
Immediate steps you can take to cool your cat down include applying cool water or a towel to their paws and transporting them to the vet with a damp kitchen towel, bag of frozen food, or small ice pack wrapped in a kitchen towel applied between their legs for the trip.
How to Keep a Cat Cool
Prevention is key when it comes to keeping cats cool during hot weather! Some of the best ways are the simplest and include:
- Having cool, fresh water available at all times
- Turning fans or air conditioning on
- Closing curtains and blinds during the hottest part of the day
- Keeping your cat indoors on days 85°F and hotter
- Never leaving your cat in a parked car, shed, or garage
- Providing shade and ample fresh water for outdoor cats
- Giving your cat a cooling mat
One trick for sweltering days: Put ice cubes in a bowl and let your cat play with them! By batting the slippery, cold cubes around the bowl (or the room), they’ll cool down and get some new and unconventional enrichment!
Takeaway
We know cats sweat to keep themselves cool, but what about when they’re anxious sweating? Some of the best ways to help your cat’s separation anxiety include:
- Purchase calming treats and cat food
- Invest in quality toys for mental stimulation, like puzzle or feather toys
- Hire a cat sitter for when you’re gone
- Play with your cat often
- Research high-quality calming products like diffusers, calming collars, and Thundershirts
Once your cat’s anxiety is under control, they’ll live their life happy and sweat-free (at least for now!)