The high temperatures typical of summer can be very harmful for your cat , which can suffer from heat stroke.
This animal is very vulnerable when the thermometers get too high, since unlike humans, it does not sweat . We explain what the symptoms are and how to act if your feline goes through a situation like this. A situation that should not be taken lightly since it can cause irreversible damage to your body or, in extreme cases, death.
Likewise, it should be noted that the cats most prone to heat stroke are puppies or elderly cats, obese cats, those of black color (they absorb more heat), those that suffer from a disease that weakens their immune system and also those with the snout snout since they present / display more shortened airways.
The normal temperature of felines ranges between 38 and 39.5 degrees . In case they are exceeded, the animal will try to regulate the temperature by sweating through its pads, saliva or the genital area. Also, if you notice that he begins to gasp, you should be alert as he may be suffering from heat stroke. The symptoms of heat stroke in cats are the following:
- Its temperature is above 42 degrees.
- His tongue is blue. The bluish color is due to what is known as cyanosis, that is, the lack of oxygen.
- This weak.
- You have muscle tremors or even vomiting.
- It staggers.
- Produces abundant saliva.
- You have a high heart rate.
- The mucous membranes of the gums turn blue.
- You have trouble breathing.
- The feline does not want to move.
The ideal is to immediately call a veterinarian to give us precise instructions, but there are some emergency solutions that we can apply to improve the situation. Once symptoms are identified, we need to act quickly and apply first aid. These are some of the steps you must follow.
- Keep his body temperature from rising even higher and move him to a cool place. You can also turn on the air conditioning or put a fan on low power. Here it is necessary to make it clear that you should not reduce your temperature suddenly, but do it gradually, otherwise you could suffer hypothermia.
- Apply cold, but not in any way or anywhere. We recommend that you use a cloth dampened with cool water and apply it to areas such as the head, neck, chest, legs and belly. Never use a whole towel, instead of rags or gauze. Also, note that the ideal is to get your cat’s temperature to drop to at least 39 degrees.
- Dampen his mouth with water (you can use a spray diffuser), but don’t force him to drink.
- Put it under running water. It is important that it is not too cold and that the jet does not have excessive power.
Once we have done this, it is important to go to the vet to rule out possible damage and to give us some guidelines to follow.
The consequences of a heat stroke can be fatal for your cat because, as we have said, it can lead to death. Therefore, and since we know that prevention is better than cure, we are going to give you some tips to prevent this from happening.
- First of all, it is very important that during the hot months, the cat always has access to a cool and shady area. It is also advisable to have running water sources for the cat, which you can find in some specialized animal stores.
- Do not feed him food in the hottest hours of the day.
- Of course, never leave him locked in a car even for a very short period of time. It can be fatal to the animal because the temperature inside it could rise very quickly and cause death. Also, do not leave it locked in a carrier and even less if it is under the sun.
- If it is a long-coated breed, see a pet groomer for a haircut.
- Always have drinkers with fresh water at your disposal.
- Don’t let him exercise in the sun.
