Heatstroke among cats on the rise; some pointers from Japan vet

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TOKYO — As the risk of heatstroke rises, with many locations in Japan already observing 30 degree Celsius or higher temperatures, a veterinarian is calling for preventive measures for pets — even for cats thought to be relatively resilient to heat.

Dogs and cats, having dense fur and only being able to sweat through their noses and paw pads, have difficulties regulating their body temperature. According to pet insurance company Anicom Insurance Inc., 2023 saw the highest average annual temperature since records began, and a reported 1,624 cases of dogs and cats being treated for heatstroke (1,424 dogs and 200 cats), up 269 from the previous year. By month, there was a sharp increase from 144 cases in May, including Japan’s Golden Week holiday period from late April to early May, peaking with July and August’s 1,002 cases, accounting for over 60% of the total.

The insurance company has released the “weekly heatstroke forecast for dogs” since 2013, showing alert levels in four stages for 10 major cities in Japan. It also started issuing forecasts for felines in 2022. The company said that the annual number of cat heatstroke cases has continuously exceeded 100 since 2021, and it has gathered sufficient data for analysis.

Veterinarian Mitsuko Kobayashi, director of pet clinic Cafelier in Tokyo’s Meguro Ward, also said that cases of heatstroke in cats have “increased significantly in recent years.” There were almost none when the clinic opened in 2010, but figures began to increase around 2020. She apparently examined up to around ten cats per month in July to October 2023.

According to Kobayashi, this could partly be attributed to not only the prolonged scorching heat, but also to the longer life expectancies of mixed breed indoor cats. Recently, it’s not uncommon for indoor cats to live beyond 20 years due to the low risk of traffic accidents and infectious diseases, and older felines that have difficulty regulating body temperature are the main group susceptible to heatstroke.

Furthermore, Kobayashi points to the increase of people owning purebred cats due to the pet boom during the COVID-19 pandemic as another factor. She observed, “I’ve noticed an increase in cats that cannot dissipate heat effectively, such as those with flat noses like Scottish Folds and British Shorthairs, or long-haired breeds.”

Most cases of heatstroke occur among cats that are kept completely indoors. The recommended temperature for keeping them is 28 C with a humidity of 40-50%. However, when owners are away it can be hard to manage the indoor temperature, and they often notice something is wrong with their pets upon returning home. Some cases involve the cat accidentally touching the air conditioner remote, turning it off.

Cats find their preferred temperature inside the house themselves, such as by lying on the floor when it’s hot or jumping higher on a shelf when cold. Taking this into account, Kobayashi recommends allowing cats some freedom to move around in the house when leaving them alone at home. “It’s also important to create temperature variations between rooms and place their water in various locations,” she added.

When it comes to recognizing signs of heatstroke, dogs pant with their mouths wide open, breathing shallowly and quickly, but cats rarely breathe with their mouths open. Therefore, cats have difficulty lowering their body temperature once it rises. Signs to watch for include panting with the entire body, lying limp and loss of appetite. If a cat is breathing with its mouth open, there is a strong possibility that it is already in a serious condition, requiring a veterinarian consultation.

Additionally, trying to cool down a heatstroke-suffering cat by splashing cold water is dangerous. This can lead to a rapid drop in the animal’s surface temperature, and risk causing multiple organ failure. It’s reportedly more effective to wrap them in a wet towel and cool them down slowly with a fan.

Dogs, having lived in packs, tend to communicate to their owners when there is something wrong with their health. In contrast, cats, with a survival instinct to hide from predators, make it difficult for owners to spot signs of illness. Kobayashi urges, “Be aware of your cat’s characteristics and carefully observe them until the beginning of autumn.”

(Japanese original by Tomofumi Inagaki, Digital News Group)