Feline Hyperthermia: Is summer too hot to handle?

The weather this spring and summer has been extremely hot and humid this year, while little rain has fallen. During these “dog days”, pets are at high risk for hyperthermia and dehydration. Humans have the ability to sweat and the knowledge that it’s time for a nice glass of Gatorade to replace body salts lost through sweat. While cats do sweat through their feet, the surface of the paw pads do not provide enough cooling to lower the internal temperature. Cats DO pant, but only once the temperature reaches about 90 degrees, and it is not as efficient as it is in dogs. Cats will also groom more in hot weather, moistening their coats in an attempt to cool down, but again, that thick coat of fur is doing no favors. Cats that roam outdoors may not have easy access to water.

A cat’s normal body temperature is 99.5 to 102.5 degrees at the core and can be slightly higher or lower at the extremities (ears, tail and legs). Heatstroke is an illness that develops when the cat’s body temperature reaches 104 to 106 degrees Fahrenheit due to environmental heat (this is different than a fever which is a result of changes within the body). If the cat’s body temperature rises above 106 degrees, the heat stroke is considered severe and requires immediate veterinary care. If your cat is suffering from heat stroke, it is important to lower its body temperature or death can occur.

How will you know if your cat is experiencing heat stroke?

Signs of Feline Hyperthermia (Heatstroke)

• Panting
• Lethargy (sleepiness or unwillingness to move)
• Rapid heart rate
• Dark, red colored gums
• Thick, sticky saliva
• Anxiety
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea
• Depression
• Shock
• Nose bleed
• Muscle tremors
• Coma
  
  

In addition to watching for symptoms, you may wish to check your cat’s body temperature with a rectal thermometer. A temperature above 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit requires immediate attention.

How to Treat Heatstroke in Cats

If you think that your cat may be suffering from heat stroke, please contact your veterinarian, immediately! Hyperthermia can quickly become a life or death situation, so a qualified doctor should be involved.

If you think your cat may be suffering from hyperthermia, remove it from the heat immediately. Pour lukewarm water over the cat, making sure the undercoat becomes wet, not just the surface of the hair. Once the hair is thoroughly wet, place the cat near a fan to increase air circulation. An automobile air conditioner can cool the cat too quickly,  so be cautious on the way to the veterinary office. If the body cools too quickly, the cat can easily become hypothermic (too cold) and other medical issues can arise.
The rectal temperature should be checked every 5 minutes to ensure that the temperature is not dropping too quickly or too low. As soon as the body temperature reaches 103ºF, the cooling measures should be stopped and the cat should be thoroughly dried and covered so he does not continue to cool. Even if the cat appears to be recovering, he may still be dehydrated or have other internal complications, so take him to your veterinarian as soon as possible. 

At the veterinary hospital, your cat will be monitored for complications of heat stroke such as respiratory distress, heart abnormalities, organ failure, shock and other complications, and treated accordingly. If his temperature has not yet become normal, your veterinarian will take steps to return the temperature to normal. Depending on your veterinarian’s assessment, your cat may receive IV fluid therapy, oxygen therapy, or other treatments to address the complications of this illness, such as clotting disorders.

Cats who have suffered from mild hyperthermia may return to normal health within a few hours. Severe cases of hyperthermia may result in long-term health issues, such as kidney disease, and may require lifelong treatment. A cat that has suffered heat stroke once in their lives may be at higher risk for repeat episodes in the future.

Prevention of Hyperthermia in Cats

Fortunately, heat stroke is fairly easy to prevent. While we often see warnings about leaving dogs in parked cars in the summer, we rarely see similar warnings about cats – mostly because cats don’t tend to travel with their families as frequently as dogs do. However, cats are just as at-risk for hyperthermia when left alone in a vehicle as dogs, since cars can quickly become ovens (up to 140 degrees!) even on a “quick trip” to the store.

If your cat is regularly allowed outdoors, even if he comes inside at night, please make sure that you provide a shady shelter from the sun, such as a cat house. Your cat may not appreciate it, but you should limit outdoor time on the hottest days, and keep your cat inside during 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., which is when the sun is at its highest peak and temperatures tend to be warmer. Fresh water should also be provided on a daily, if not twice daily, basis. Even if your cat is an indoor cat, be sure to leave him plenty of fresh water daily. Placing a few ice cubes in the water will help keep it refreshing.
There is no set temperature that is “too hot” for your cat, but be aware that older cats with pre-existing medical conditions such as heart disease, obesity, asthma or other respiratory conditions place them at higher risk for heat stroke will  have a lower tolerance for heat than young, healthy cats.

If you do not have air conditioning in your house, be sure that your cats have access to cooler areas in your home such as your basement, or rooms with ceiling or other fans.

Read about more ways to keep your cats cool!

Summer safety tips

Summertime can be nerve-wracking for cats because so many holidays are celebrated with fireworks. Many cats will run for the bed when there’s a mere knock on the door or a ring of the doorbell. When firecrackers go off, it can be devastating to a timid kitty. To help your cat cope, you can prepare a sanctuary in advance – a bed in a closet or the basement where the sounds will be more muffled. Feliway spray or a diffuser and items with your kitty’s own smell on them will help create a calming scent. Show your cat this area before the 4^th of July so she will know it’s her safe place. It might also help to spend the evening in the room with your cats, petting them and offering soothing words.

 If you have tried offering a secluded room in the past and your cat is still traumatized,  you might want to ask your veterinarian about a mild sedative or tranquilizer, just to get the cat through the day.  Try to check on your cat every couple of hours, petting her and talking to her. Try to keep to her normal feeding schedule as much as possible, since cats are stressed by changes in routine.

If your cat normally spends time outdoors, it would be best to keep him indoors for the day. Unfortunately, there are people who find it amusing to tie strings of firecrackers to cats’ tails. Curious cats may receive burned paws or faces from lit fireworks or sparklers, or may receive burns from falling sparks. Playing with unlit fireworks may result in ingestion of heavy metals – not rock band music, but toxic substances such as potassium nitrate and arsenic. At night, your cat may also be at risk for being hit by falling burning debris or misfired rockets.

If you are planning a boisterous barbecue with lots of guests, you might want to consider boarding your cat during the holiday. Otherwise, it is a good idea to keep your cats in their sanctuary with food, water and litter for the duration of the party. Cats that are frightened because of large numbers of people might dash for the door, or curious cats may slip outside along with an unwary visitor or through a door that was accidentally left open. This is an excellent reason why even indoor cats benefit from being microchipped!

Even if it's just family, try to discourage people from feeding your kitty scraps from the barbecue, though she might beg. Feeding something other than a normal diet at a time of high stress can cause diarrhea or result in vomiting later. Also, many barbecued foods are seasoned with garlic and onions, which are toxic to cats, or other seasonings that may cause stomach upset. It is never a good idea to offer beer or other alcoholic drinks to pets, or leave it where pets can reach it. It takes a much smaller amount of alcohol to poison a pet than it does a human. Signs of alcohol poisoning are weakness, depression, coma and death.

Only use sunscreen and insect repellents that are designed for cats. DEET (N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide) is not a product recommended for use in pets and can cause neurological problems. Do not use dog products on cats. Pyrethrins have a very narrow range of safety, so using the wrong size product can poison your pet. Any product containing permethrin is toxic to cats! In fact, it is much safer to use products that do not contain permethrins or pyrethrins, such as Revolution and Advantage Multi (heartworm and flea preventive products all in one), or Advantage (flea prevention only) and Frontline (flea and tick protection). Ingestion of sunscreen products can cause drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. 

Make sure to protect your cats from heartworm disease with monthly preventives, even if they live indoors. Heartworm disease is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito, and mosquitoes occasionally come indoors. This year is projected to be an especially bad year for mosquitoes due to the mild winter weather.

Note: Eating a glow stick will not make your cat glow. Sorry!

Keep matches and lighter fluid away from pets. Lighter fluid should not be used to treat fleas or remove ticks. Lighter fluid can irritate the skin and causes stomach irritation if groomed off the fur. If the fumes of lighter fluid are inhaled, it can cause aspiration pneumonia or other respiratory issues. Certain matches contain chlorates which can damage blood cells, cause respiratory distress or cause kidney damage. 

Do not allow pets to wear or play with glow jewelry. The glowing substance inside these products is not highly toxic, but can cause stomach irritation and excessive drooling. Small parts may be swallowed and require surgical removal.

Citronella candles or other products can cause stomach irritation if ingested.

Make sure that your pool is pet safe!

Many people inflate pools for their children in the summer if they don’t have a year-round pool. Never leave pets unattended around a pool of any kind. Fence your full-sized pool with a secure gate, and never leave your pet inside the fenced pool area unsupervised.  Make sure pets can get out of the pool. If a pet jumps or falls in and doesn’t know how to get out without help, it may panic and drown. If your cat falls into a chlorinated pool, make sure that you thoroughly wash the coat thoroughly, and make sure that if your pool does not have stairs or a ramp to get in and out (ladders don’t count!), that you make sure that your cat does not have access to the pool – they won’t be able to get back out if they fall in! Try not to let pets drink pool water. Chlorine and chemicals used to keep pools free of algae and contaminants can cause pet health problems, such as dry mouth or gastric distress, and small wading pools with standing water can become contaminated with single-celled organisms such as Giardia, which can cause diarrhea. 

Summer is a time of relaxation and carefree fun in the sun – make sure that you take precautions to keep it that way for your pet, too!