Is Your Long-Haired Cat Too Hot? A Vet Shares Signs to Watch For

As cat owners, we don't hear as many cautionary tales about our pets overheating and heat safety recommendations as dog owners do. Like dogs, cats can experience heat exhaustion and heat stroke. For long-haired cats, overheating may be an even greater concern.

Find out the signs of overheating in long-haired cats, factors that increase their risk, and what you should do to help your cat feel more comfortable in summer heat.

Long-Haired Cats vs Short-Haired Cats

Long-haired cats may get hotter than their short-haired counterparts since their long fur can trap heat. This is especially true if their fur has developed mats. Severe cases of overheating can lead to heat stroke if the cat isn't cooled off.

You may have heard that double-coated dogs tolerate heat quite well because their undercoat traps a cooler layer of air close to their bodies. One of the differences between dogs and cats is that most haired cat breeds, regardless of fur length, have undercoats. This means that long-haired cats may not experience any more benefit from an undercoat than short-haired cats do.

Signs Your Long-Haired Cat Might Be Too Hot

If you are noticing that your cat is panting, restless, hiding, drooling, or lethargic, these could be signs that your cat is too hot and should be moved to a cooler environment. Your cat may also have sweaty paws, drink more water, or groom themselves excessively.

Unmanaged, an overheating cat can develop heatstroke, which is a medical emergency and can be fatal. Signs of heat stroke in cats include:

• Bright red gums and/or tongue

• Stumbling or disorientation

• Glazed eyes

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Difficulty breathing

If you are comfortable taking a rectal temperature on your cat, temperatures over 104 °F are indicative of heatstroke.

Factors That Increase Overheating Risk

Several factors, some of which are associated with the cat and some of which are associated with the environment, increase the risk of overheating in long-haired cats.

Factors associated with the cat include:

1. Lifestyle: A cat allowed outside is at an increased risk of experiencing a heatstroke, especially if they are not accustomed to heat.

2. Facial conformation: Brachycephalic (flat-faced) breeds, like Persians, have an increased risk of heat exhaustion due to the respiratory challenges associated with the shape of their face and airways.

3. Age: Young kittens under four months of age and senior cats may be at an increased risk of overheating.

4. Underlying health conditions: Some health issues like kidney disease or diabetes may contribute to the risk of cats overheating, primarily due to increased fluid loss. Cats with heart disease, respiratory conditions like feline asthma, or seizures are also at an increased risk of overheating and heat stroke.

5. Body condition: Obese cats have an increased risk of getting too hot due to the extra insulation that a higher body fat provides.

Environmental factors include:

1. Weather: Weather conditions that can contribute to overheating include high humidity, low air flow, high temperatures, and sun exposure.

2. Access to water and shade: Cats without fresh water and cats who cannot retreat from the sun may be at an increased risk of overheating.

Within the home, environmental factors to consider include access to running clothes dryers (common source of accidental heatstroke), lack of air conditioning, and the loss of electrical power.

How to Keep a Long-Haired Cat Cool

The following are tips to help keep your long-haired cat cool in the summer:

• If possible, keep your cat indoors.

• Keep the A/C on and have fans to circulate air.

• Place cooling mats for your cat to rest on.

• Brush your long-haired cat daily.

• Ensure your cat has constant access to water.

• Offer frozen treats. 

• Speak with a veterinarian if your cat has thick mats in their fur.

• Keep your cat at a healthy weight.

• Never leave a cat alone in a car, even on mild days.

• Never put ice directly on your cat to help cool them down.

If your cat goes outdoors, consider the following tips, as well:

• Let them outside in the cooler parts of the day, such as early morning.

• Ensure they have access to water and shade when outside.

• Don’t put a cat outside into the heat if they are not used to going outside.

Smart preventative tactics go a long way in keeping your fluffy furball cool all year long.