Do cats sweat? How cats control their temperature and when heat becomes dangerous
Yes, but very little, and almost only through the pads of their paws, which is where their main sweat glands are. To cool down they rely mostly on licking themselves, finding cool spots and doing less. Unlike a dog, a cat panting with its mouth open is almost always a warning sign.
Sweat glands in the paws
People have millions of sweat glands spread across the skin, and evaporating sweat is our main way of cooling down. Cats, by contrast, have that type of sweat gland concentrated almost entirely in the pads of their paws, plus a little in hairless skin such as the chin and lips. They have other glands in the skin, linked to the hair follicles, but their main job is not cooling: it is producing oily and scented substances. The upshot is that sweating barely helps them bring their temperature down: the surface area of the paw pads is far too small to cool the whole body.
Damp paw prints at the vet’s
Sweat on a cat’s paws has more to do with emotions than with heat. Vets see it every day: a frightened cat on the consulting table leaves damp paw prints on the metal or the towel. Just as our hands sweat when we are nervous, their paw pads sweat when they are stressed. That sweat may also help with grip, so they do not slip when running away or climbing, and with marking, because it leaves a scent trail. If your cat leaves damp paw prints on the floor at home when it is not hot, it may be a sign that something is stressing it badly.
How cats really cool down
Since sweating does not do much for them, cats cool down in other ways. The most important is grooming: when they lick themselves they leave saliva on their fur, and as it evaporates it works like artificial sweat, which is why they groom more in summer. They also change their behaviour: they look for cool tiles, ceramic floors, the washbasin, the bath or the shade, stretch out belly up to expose the areas with less fur, sleep more and move less in the hottest hours. And they drink more, even though they are poor drinkers. Their coat also insulates them from both cold and heat, which is why you should not shave them in summer unless a vet advises it.
A panting cat is a worry
In dogs, panting is the normal way to cool down. In cats it is not. A cat may pant for a few seconds after a burst of intense play, especially if it is young and the weather is hot, and it should settle within a minute or two. But a cat that breathes with its mouth open at rest, pants without having exercised or is slow to recover is in trouble. It could be heatstroke, but also a breathing problem such as asthma, a heart problem such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, severe pain or extreme stress. Open-mouth breathing in a resting cat needs urgent veterinary attention.
Cats get heatstroke too
Although cats cope with heat better than dogs, they can still suffer heatstroke. The most common cases in Spain involve cats shut in a car, left in a carrier in the sun, in a closed room with no ventilation, or on a utility balcony or terrace with no shade in high summer, or cats that get trapped in a garage or storeroom. Flat-faced cats such as Persians and Exotics are at greater risk because they breathe less efficiently, as are overweight cats, older cats and those with heart or breathing problems. The signs are panting, drooling, bright red gums, restlessness or, the opposite, extreme lethargy, vomiting, staggering and, in severe cases, seizures.
What to do if you suspect heatstroke
Move the cat somewhere cool and shaded straight away. Wet its body with cool water, not ice-cold, especially the paws, armpits, groin and neck, and put a fan in front of it if you have one. Do not put it in iced water or cover it with wet towels, because towels hold the heat in and extreme cold constricts the blood vessels, which makes it harder for heat to escape. If it is conscious and can swallow, offer it water, but do not force it. And set off for the clinic while you cool it down, phoning on the way: heatstroke can damage organs even if the cat seems to recover, and it always needs a vet’s assessment.
How to help in summer
In the hot months, always leave fresh water in several places around the home, ideally in wide ceramic or stainless steel bowls, and consider a water fountain, because many cats are encouraged to drink by moving water. Wet food provides plenty of water too. Make sure your cat can reach cool, shaded areas, and do not leave it shut in rooms that get the afternoon sun. Brush long-haired cats more often to remove dead undercoat, which is what keeps them hot. Never leave a cat in the car, not even for five minutes. And if you are travelling with your cat in summer, do it in the cooler hours, with the carrier in the shade and the air conditioning on.
Sweat and smells
Healthy cats do not smell much: they have no strong body odour because they do not sweat as we do and because they spend a lot of time grooming. If a cat starts to smell bad, the cause is almost never sweat. Most often it is the mouth, from tartar, gum disease or tooth resorption; the ears, from mites or an ear infection; the bottom, from anal gland problems or traces of faeces in long-haired or overweight cats that cannot reach to clean themselves; or an infected wound, such as a bite abscess. A cat that smells bad and has stopped grooming is usually in pain or unwell, and deserves a check-up.
Cats sweat very little and almost only through their paw pads, mainly when they are stressed, which is why they leave damp paw prints at the vet’s. They cool down by licking themselves, finding cool spots and moving less. Unlike a dog, a cat panting at rest is in trouble: it could be heatstroke, asthma or a heart problem, and it needs a vet now.
Educational content from Michipedia, translated from the Spanish original. It does not replace the advice of a vet or a feline behaviour specialist. Every cat is an individual.