Do Cats Sweat? The Surprising Truth

In this guide

House cats descend from desert-dwelling ancestors, which explains their enduring love of sunbathing. Anyone who has watched a cat track a patch of sunlight across the floor, then sprawl out in it for hours, knows the habit well. But it raises a fair question: if cats love the heat this much, do they ever overheat, and do they even have a way to cool themselves down through sweating?

Where cats actually sweat

Cats do sweat, just not in the way humans do. Rather than releasing visible droplets across the body, they have small sweat glands concentrated on their paw pads and between their toes. Tiny damp footprints on the floor after a warm day, or during a stressful moment, are a completely normal sign of this. A few other hairless areas, including the lips, chin, and the skin around the anus, also carry sweat glands, though these are not especially effective at cooling.

How cats really cool down

Sweating from the paws is only a small part of the picture. Cats also rely on grooming, seeking out shady spots, panting, and occasionally drooling to regulate their temperature. Much of what looks like 'sweating' is actually a form of evaporative cooling achieved through saliva: cats lick themselves more thoroughly in warm weather, and the saliva evaporating off the fur has a cooling effect similar to sweat.

Fur itself is a surprisingly sophisticated tool. It keeps a cat warm in winter, but in summer it protects the skin from sun exposure and slows dehydration, which is why shaving a cat in summer is not a good idea. Many cats also shed their undercoat in warmer months to help manage heat naturally. Instinct plays a role too: descending from desert dwellers, cats know to limit activity, seek shade, and lie on cool surfaces, and much of their extensive napping (cats sleep around 15 hours a day on average) conveniently happens during the hottest part of the day.

In genuinely hot weather, cats will pant and may drool slightly to shed heat. If a cat is panting or drooling and has not already moved itself somewhere cooler, it is worth helping it along, since prolonged heat exposure can tip into overheating. A cat's normal body temperature sits between 100.5°F and 102.5°F (roughly 38 to 39.2°C), and their cooling mechanisms work well as long as they are not overwhelmed by extreme heat.

Helping your cat stay cool

Cats are generally very good at managing their own temperature, but there is plenty an owner can do to help on genuinely hot days.

• Keep the water bowl topped up at all times.
• Offer a fan or air conditioning to lie near.
• Close curtains during the hottest part of the day once temperatures climb above about 80°F (27°C).
• Bring outdoor cats inside during heat waves, or ensure a shady spot is available in the garden.
• Try a bowl of ice cubes for a cat to bat around and cool its paws, since cats often enjoy splashing at water even if they dislike full immersion.
• Never, under any circumstances, leave a cat in a parked car; temperatures inside can become dangerous within minutes.

Warning signs and heatstroke

Heavy, sustained panting is usually a sign a cat is too hot or too stressed, and if it continues despite efforts to cool the cat down, that is cause for concern. Heatstroke is possible in cats and can be fatal. If a cat seems dangerously overheated, apply cool water or a damp towel to the paws, groin, armpits and neck, and seek veterinary attention immediately.

The basics of heat safety are simple: fresh water always available, a fan or air conditioning on offer, cats kept indoors during extreme heat, never left in cars, and a call to the vet at the first sign of illness or unusual behaviour.

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