Do cats sweat? How to prevent your pet from overheating. Do dogs and cats sweat? Where are the sweat glands in cats?

Cats sweat, but unlike humans, which have sweat glands all over their bodies, cats only have sweat glands on their paws. They are called exocrine glands. Due to the small number of sweat glands and their location, sweating does not play a big role in the cat's thermoregulation process. Although in fact on hot days you can see wet paw prints on the floor. It means sweating.

How do cats handle heat?

Cats appear to have a much greater tolerance for heat than humans, even though they sweat very little. Maybe you paid attention to the fact that in the heat he devotes a lot of time to taking care of himself. The cat licks itself, and saliva, evaporating from the surface of the body, helps to cool it.

Naturally, cats look for a cool and shady spot on hot days. Very often they lie on the tiles in the bathroom, or lie down in the sink.

They avoid physical activity in the heat, preferring to take a nap.

They start drinking more water. Therefore, your cat should have round-the-clock access to fresh drinking water. On hot days, you can add ice cubes to a bowl of water.

You probably noticed that in the heat, cats lie stretched out. At the same time, in cold weather, they curl up into a ball, retaining body heat.

Sometimes cats start to breathe heavily. Of course, they don't stick their tongue out of their mouths like dogs do. Some cats are prone to doggy breathing, but they usually use other methods to cool themselves off. If you notice that your cat is breathing too heavily, this may be a sign that she is very hot and possibly a sign of heat stroke, which is life-threatening for the cat.

How to help a cat in a fever

- Never leave a cat unattended in a car, this is especially important on a hot day. The temperature inside the car can rise in 1-2 minutes, this can be fatal for the cat.

- in the heat, do not squeeze the cat too much and try to play with it

- make sure that the cat has constant access to shady and cool places in the house

- make sure that fresh drinking water is available for the cat

- brush your cat regularly, especially if it has long hair

- it is better to cut a long-haired cat for the summer

- if the weather is too hot, the cat's hair can be moistened with water, but in no case cold

It has long been a version that it is impossible to notice drops of sweat on the fur, nose or paw pads of a cat. Unlike dogs, which show their hyperactivity at any time of the year, it is difficult to see a running cat in the heat unless it is very dangerous for him. All felines love warmth, but to determine if cats are sweating when the temperature of the environment or their own body rises, you need to examine them more closely.

How and where can a cat sweat?

Domestic cats, like their wild relatives, are able to move quite quickly. This is especially understood by the owners of animals, who are forced to listen to a real “stomp” at night, although their pets have soft paws. But they cannot run at the same speed for a long time, because they sweat a little, quickly overheat, get tired, stop and open their mouths wide.

Due to the fact that there are two types of sweat glands - eccrine and epocrine, questions arise about the process of heat transfer in cats. The cat has few sweat glands. They have eccrine glands only on the pads of their paws. At the same time, they are very important for a person, as they are the main sources of sweat, allowing to cool the body.

The main purpose of sweating is to prevent overheating. Cats practically do not sweat, because they carefully monitor their condition. They constantly monitor their temperature, choose the most comfortable places to rest. The need for these actions is dictated by a small number of eccrine sweat glands. Epocrine, on the other hand, cover the entire skin, but are concentrated in only a few places.:

near the nipples;
near the anus;
on cheeks and lips.

If a cat is cold, she will definitely group - or curl up into a ball or sit "huddled". But as soon as the animal warms up a little, it immediately stretches out to its full length to bask in the warm rays of the sun. A real cat's thermometer can be called the nose and upper lip, as they keenly feel even the slightest temperature changes.

In the heat, it will be noticeable that the cats sweat - they leave wet footprints on the smooth floor. Also, the eccrine glands can secrete sweat with strong emotional arousal. For example, in a person, because of these glands, at the time of anxiety, the hands sweat. But in a cat, when excited or frightened, on examination by a doctor, sweat will stand out on the pads of its paws.

Cats can regulate their own body temperature

When the apartment is very hot, it is impossible to see a cat on the back of the sofa or even higher, on the closet. At this time, cats like to stretch out on the floor in the room or even ask for the bathroom, as it is noticeably cooler there, they do not sweat, but they are comfortable. You can guess that pets are trying to deal with high temperatures if:

They often lick their fur. Abundant saliva hits the skin and cools it.
Sleep more time, do not make unnecessary movements. Stop playing and frolicking.
They start drinking a lot of water.
When cats are close to heatstroke, they open their mouths and breathe heavily.

The normal temperature of cats is slightly higher than that of humans, so cats should not be left in a closed car, even for a short time. The temperature inside can rise very quickly, and they will die of heat stroke because they sweat very little. Sometimes cats open their mouths while in a car. In this case, they may not have enough oxygen or they feel an unpleasant odor, literally "beating" in the nose. We urgently need to open the window and the animals themselves will choose the best place for themselves. For the air conditioner, it is important to choose a mode that is acceptable for animals.

Cats sweat or overheat not only from high temperatures, but also from physical activity. They begin to lick themselves not in order to put the fur fluttering in the process of movement, but for the sake of cooling.

Despite the extremely low perspiration, cats still love to warm up. If you stroke a pet lying in the yard, in a sunny place, you might be surprised how hot his fur is. However, the animal feels great, does not sweat, some object suitable for hunting will make him instantly concentrate. Fresh air and even a light breeze allows the pet not to suffer from overheating. But at the same time, cats can walk with pleasure on the hot iron on the roof at noon.

Small sweating in a cat imposes certain requirements on the organization of rest and life of these animals. In order for pets not to get sick and always be cheerful and energetic, you need to pay attention to their well-being and behavior. Pay attention to what needs to be done so that the cat does not sweat:

Heat and heat are most difficult for cats with thick long hair. Before the onset of the summer season, it is better to cut them short.
Wool must be constantly combed out with special brushes or gloves. This will not only improve the condition of the cat - in this case, they sweat less, but also significantly reduce the number of hairs falling out of it.
Do not force the cat to play at high air temperature, she will quickly get tired, she will not be comfortable.
Clean drinking water should always be sufficient.

In pets of the Sphynx breed, sweating is most noticeable in summer. Bathe them and clean their ears regularly. And due to the fact that they sweat, they are often bathed. In addition, you need to monitor the condition of the eyes and also clean them, since they do not have eyelashes - this is their feature. The high metabolism of the Sphynx is considered an exception, as they have an elevated body temperature. Many of them have no smell, but they also sweat in the heat.

VETERINARY CONSULTATION REQUIRED. INFORMATION FOR INFORMATION ONLY.

Have you ever seen a cat with fur covered in sweat? Heat in cats, as well as in dogs, hardly turns into sweat due to the extreme reduction in the number of sweat glands. The dogs seem to be completely oblivious to this and run about as frantically in hot weather as they do in cold weather, but then fall exhausted, panting with their mouths wide open, their tongues sticking out in a desperate attempt to cool off. This is in line with their hunting methods. Wild dogs catch up with their prey, while cats sneak up on it.

One of the main functions of sweating is to cool the animal: when a thin wet film evaporates, heat is collected from the skin - cooling occurs.

A cat, paying more attention to its condition than a dog, will not run so easily in the heat. In addition, during rest, she tries to take a position in which overheating is excluded, and thus a constant, relatively low metabolic rate is maintained. The control of body temperature is greatly increased by the cat's choice of its place. On a warm day, she will now and then move from the sun to the shade and back to maintain internal comfort. In general, a cat's more thorough self-care rewards it with a longer life than a dog's.

The cat's loss of sweat glands makes this attention to core temperature essential. Anyone who has witnessed the extreme anguish of a cat that has overheated from being in a hot place for a long time and has not been able to adjust its body temperature by changing the external temperature understands this. Short and quick breathing, eyes wide open is not easy to forget.

Cats have several sweat glands, found in places like the cheeks and lips, around the nipples, and between the pads on their paws. They are also mixed with the sebaceous glands in the region of the anal glands.

The resting position of a cat can be a good indicator of the difference between its own temperature and that of the environment. If the cat curled up in a tight ball, it means that it is rather cold; if it stretches out lazily, it means that it is hot. This is also seen when she sleeps by the fire or when she stretches out and exposes her belly to the sun. In between these positions, the pussy may curl up slightly or settle into a semi-tangled position.

At the same time, the cat is completely insensitive to most of the surface of its skin to heat or cold. She can tolerate temperatures that are painful for humans, such as walking on a hot tin roof.

However, the nose and upper lip of cats are very sensitive to the slightest fluctuations in temperature and can be considered as its external thermometer.

Cats are very sensitive to the weather. It is not for nothing that the behavior of a cat can determine the upcoming weather without the forecasts of the Hydrometeorological Centers. The cat always behaves accordingly before certain changes in the weather. If a cat curls up, lies close to heat sources (stoves, radiators), closes its nose with its paw during sleep, all these are harbingers of a cold snap. If the cat is stretched out on the floor, actively washing itself or lying upside down, this means that the weather will be warm and clear soon. If a cat eats grass, it means that it will rain.

Cats are not prone to sweating. They have very well developed sweat glands, which tend to contract very quickly. Because of this, no one will ever see wet droplets of sweat on the cat's fur. In cats, a thin, wet film of heat that collects from the skin evaporates, which cools the body. Dogs can run around with all their speed even in very hot weather, which harms the thermal balance of their body, then it is very difficult for them to bounce back, the dog lies in the shade, sticks out his tongue and breathes heavily. Cats are more wary of hot weather and try to avoid extreme overheating. In the heat, cats try to choose a cool place where there is no sun. If this is a domestic cat, she will lie down somewhere on the mezzanine, on which the sun does not shine too much, or find some other secluded place where you can wait out the very peak of the heat. The cat will not run until you drop in the direct rays of the sun. She will actively monitor her condition to avoid overheating. The cat will constantly move from warm to cool in order to feel comfortable. For the fact that a cat treats its health so carefully, God rewarded it with a longer life than dogs.

Of course, a cat is capable of taking care of a normal comfortable state during the heat, but there are situations in which they certainly need the help of their beloved owners. For example, at a moment when you are in the open sun and there is no shelter. It is necessary to somehow protect the cat from overheating, you need to give her more liquid. Since cats are not particularly willing to bathe, you should at least wipe them with cool, wet hands or a rag.

It is also necessary to know the first signs of overheating. If the animal begins to breathe heavily, salivation increases, if the cat is lethargic, inactive and completely refuses to eat, then it's time to sound the alarm and help your beloved animal. Also, a cat clearly for the human eye signals its condition. If a cat lies on its back and shows its tummy, then it is hot, if it curls up, then it is cold. Most of the body of cats is not very sensitive to hot weather, and they tolerate hot days much easier than humans. When, for example, there is hot sand on the beach, a person tries to run faster to the place where the surface is cooler, but for a cat, walking on a very hot sand is not a big effort.

If you need to be away from home, make sure your cat has everything she needs while you're away. Leave her

enough water and leave open all the rooms in the house in which the cat could escape from the heat.

Most importantly, try to regularly monitor the state of the cat in the heat, because if it comes to overheating, it is very difficult to return the cat to normal. It is easy to check the temperature by touching the nose of the animal, if it is wet, then do not worry, then everything is fine. But if the cat's nose is dry and hot, then urgently take action.

Have you ever seen a cat with fur covered in sweat? Heat in cats, as well as dogs, hardly turns into sweat due to the extreme reduction in the number of sweat glands.

If this is a domestic cat, she will lie down somewhere on the mezzanine, on which the sun does not shine too much, or find some other secluded place where you can wait out the very peak of the heat. The cat will not run until you drop in the direct rays of the sun. She will actively monitor her condition to avoid overheating. The cat will constantly move from warm to cool in order to feel comfortable. For the fact that a cat treats its health so carefully, God rewarded it with a longer life than dogs.

Most of the body of cats is not very sensitive to hot weather, and they tolerate hot days much easier than humans. When, for example, there is hot sand on the beach, a person tries to run faster to the place where the surface is cooler, but for a cat, walking on a very hot sand is not a big effort.

If you need to be away from home, make sure your cat has everything she needs while you're away. Leave enough water for her and leave open all the rooms in the house in which the cat could escape from the heat.