Do Cats Sweat To Cool Down?

Here’s the deal with cats and sweating 💦

If you’re hanging out on a hot day in your yard with your part-time outdoor cat, you may look over at her and wonder how she’s handling the heat.

You may even ask yourself: Do cats sweat?!

We spoke to Dr. Megan Conrad, a veterinarian working with Hello Ralphie, to find out more about how and if cats sweat (and if that’s the way they cool down).

How do cats sweat?

Unlike humans who sweat from glands all over our bodies, cats can only sweat from a few places — and those places aren’t the same as where they are on people.

“There are two different types of sweat glands, eccrine and apocrine, and cats have both,” Dr. Conrad told The Dodo.

Eccrine glands produce sweat that reaches the surface of the skin and are used to maintain body temperature. Cats have these on their paw pads, noses and lips. (If you spot wetness in any of these areas, it can mean your cat’s sweating!)

Apocrine glands are more commonly found in areas with a lot of hair follicles and function as scent glands that produce pheromones.

Do cats have sweat glands?

Cats will produce sweat from the glands in their paws, but not enough of it to cool their bodies down. “Cats use other methods of cooling themselves, such as grooming their fur,” Dr. Conrad said.

According to Dr. Conrad, when cats groom their fur, the saliva evaporates and helps cool down their bodies. “They may also look for a cooler spot to hang out, such as in the shade or on a cool tile floor,” Dr. Conrad said.

Do cats ever pant to cool down?

A cat who's hot may pant, but it's not as common of a behavior as it is in dogs.

Panting can be a sign that your cat is overheating, stressed or in respiratory distress and should be taken seriously,” Dr. Conrad said. “If your cat is panting, a call to your veterinarian is recommended.”

So yes, cat’s do sweat. They just don’t sweat in the same way (or from the same places) that we do.