Heat Stroke In Cats: Symptoms And What To Do

The causes of heat stroke in cats are usually being in closed places and with prolonged exposure to the sun, as well as a lack of water. How to know if a cat has heatstroke? If this problem occurs, the following symptoms will appear:

• dehydration
• Unexplained muscle tremors.
• Excessive salivation.
• We stagger.
• Cyanotic (blue) tongue.
• Elevated heart rate.
• Panting.
• If you measure your cat’s temperature and it is 40ºC, it means that it has a fever (the rectal temperature of domestic cats is usually between 38ºC and 39ºC), but if it exceeds 42ºC, it already suffers from hyperthermia. Here we tell you how to know if my cat has a fever.

Surely you wonder what to do when a cat has a heat stroke, the truth is that, without a doubt, it is advisable to go to a veterinarian as soon as possible in order to avoid problems derived from hyperthermia, but if for some reason you cannot attend or are going to be late, here is what you can do to reduce the symptoms.

If you notice that your cat is suffering from heat stroke or the body temperature is higher than it should be, it is recommended to notify a veterinarian to describe the symptoms it has and follow the instructions given by phone to put an end to the problem as soon as possible. before. For the feline to stop being at risk, you have to know how cool a cat properly when the temperature is too high. So here you have the first aid for heat stroke in cats that you can follow to try to make your feline feel better.

• It is necessary to lower the temperature of a cat gradually, never suddenly to prevent other problems such as shock or hypothermia from appearing.
• Take your cat and take him to a cool place where it is not hot compared to where he was. You can place it in front of a fan, but always at minimum power.
• Moisten his mouth, you can use a syringe, your fingers or a spray and apply water to that part. This should be done from time to time until its temperature is correct.
• You can also apply cold-water gauze to his pads, chest, neck, and abdomen to cool him down.
• Constantly check his temperature to make sure that it decreases little by little, otherwise go to the vet without thinking about it.
• Make sure that when it’s better, your furry has fresh and abundant water within reach.

Although your feline has recovered thanks to the first aid you have performed, it is recommended to go to a veterinarian to rule out sequelae or any secondary problem derived from heat stroke or hyperthermia. Sometimes, the veterinarian will tell you to administer glucose and/or mineral salts to your feline as a treatment of heat stroke in cats after completion of first aid.

as you already know that cats can easily suffer from heat stroke, although some more than others since obesity, age or a health problem can favor the appearance of this problem, you need to know how to prevent this from happening. To do this, take note of the following tips to avoid heat stroke in cats:

• Prevent your cat from being in a closed space such as a car, a carrier or a room that is too small and without ventilation.
• Do not leave your feline exposed to the sun, it should always have a cool and shady place so that it can take shelter.
• Make sure your cat always has fresh water available and within reach.
• You can refresh your cat by wetting it with fresh water in the area of ​​​​the pads, neck, armpits with a damp cloth.
• In long-haired cats that are going to be in a somewhat hot area, it is advisable to go to a groomer to cut a little the excess fur that produces so much heat. However, it is not advisable to remove much or shave them, since the type of coat they have can also protect them from the sun, so it is just a matter of lightening it a bit.
• In summer it is also recommended to offer food to your cat after sunset, when temperatures are not so high.
• Avoid obesity in your feline, you can do so by playing regularly with your cat in order to exercise it, but always in a short period of time, otherwise the chances of it suffering from hyperthermia increase.

In conclusion, to prevent both heat stroke and other problems, it is recommended to keep your cat away from high temperatures and put at your disposal fresh water. In some cases, cats do not usually drink much water and this favors the appearance of problems like this. Here we explain why my cat does not drink water. Normally, this happens because the water is too hot or simply because they like to drink from a particular place, for example, the tap, and this can be a problem since the tap cannot always be open. A good option is to buy a water fountain for cats, they are attracted to them and they will surely drink and cool down more.

Now that you know all this about heat stroke in cats, we recommend you read this other article about How to care for cats in summer. In addition, below you can see an informative video about this problem in cats.

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