Introduction
Most of us will wear different clothes when the temperature drops or heats up, but cats always wear the same coat, does this mean they are impervious to the cold? at FiverPet we ask how do we know if our cat is cold? and what can we do to protect them from low temperatures?
Can cats get cold? cats are more sensitive to changes in temperature than we are especially if they’re used to living indoors, we need to take particular care with hairless cat breeds cats with a compromised immune system and senior cats, although we know the maximum temperature a cat can bear is 50 degrees Celsius or 122 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s not well known how much cold they can endure, the ideal temperature for cats is between 30 and 38 degrees Celsius or 86 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
We can assume depending on the breed and health status of the cat they can start to feel cold once it gets below this temperature range, we also need to take into account humidity and wind as well as whether they live indoors or outdoors, and what sort of shelters they have for protection.
If you’re not sure whether your cat is cold, we explain how you can tell in the next line
How to tell if a Cat is cold ?
One of the main indicators a cat is cold is when we see them take refuge in the warmest places in the home to curl up and rest if you have blankets on the couch or bed they often seem the coziest and inviting, they are more likely to lie near a fireplace radiator or even in the sun’s rays, another way to check if a cat is cold and one of the quickest is to check the temperature of their extremities especially the tips of their ears, the tip of their tail and their paw pads, shivering is also a fairly clear sign of being cold, finally cats also significantly decrease their activity levels when they are cold, so it’s likely you will see them resting even more than usual.
How to protect a Cat from the cold ?
To begin with, you must offer them an adequate and balanced diet so they’ll be much healthier and able to withstand the cold better, if your cat usually has access to the outside it’s recommended that you give them an extra supply of energy when you feed them in winter, this will help maintain their body temperature, another point to keep in mind is that you must put the heating on and maintain a warm and comfortable environment.
You can also open the curtains and blinds so that sun’s rise enter and your cat can lie down to warm up, you will also need to provide them somewhere comfortable to rest if you leave the house regularly you’ll need to keep several strategic places for the cat to take shelter when you’re gone, these places should be equipped with a bed blanket and even a hot water bottle when it is sufficiently cold, especially if they have little hair or no hair, if your cat is in this latter category, you should also buy them special winter clothes, keep the home in a suitable condition and climate whether you’re home or not.
What happens if my Cat is cold ?
The main consequence of cats in low temperatures are getting a cold or even hypothermia, if your cat produces more mucus than normal through their nose has red or watery eyes sneezes regularly and their activity levels drop it’s possible they have a cold, if this state persists it’s recommended they are taken to the vet for diagnosis and determine if a course of treatment is necessary, if a cat has been exposed to extremely low temperatures it’s possible they will become hypothermic.
the main symptoms are constant shivering, muscle stiffness, altered vital signs, and shortness of breath. this is considered a veterinary emergency so you need to keep them warm and take them to a clinic immediately, deferred intervention can be life-threatening.
