Cats' ears can change temperature frequently. Although they always have a temperature below their normal temperature, that does not indicate that our furry is cold. On the other hand, under medical or environmental conditions, they can lower their temperature more and appear cold to the touch. In the worst case, our cats will develop a severe drop in their body temperature or hypothermia, which can end their lives. It is important that our cats are in optimal temperature conditions to avoid this condition.
If you want to know more, keep reading this article on our site, where we will answer the question of why my cat has cold ears and what to doto fix it.
Why does the temperature of cats' ears vary?
The ears of our cats have a lower temperature, hence in some cats with a "seal point" coat pattern there are the ears, the snout, the tail and the distal part of the extremities are of a different color, as they are the areas with the lowest temperature and most sensitive to cold.
Their temperature goes in accordance with the temperature of the blood and the blood pressure, so that when a reflex vasoconstriction occurs, when the blood pressure drops in hypotension, the ears decrease in temperature. In addition, the fine skin of the ears is added and they are barely covered with fur.
What if my cat has cold ears?
The normal temperature of feline ears is somewhat lower than body temperature, which in adult cats is between 38-39.2 ºC. In addition, they change rapidly in the face of climatic changes and the circulatory state of our feline, being able to become hot without the cat presenting a fever or cold without it having developed hypothermia. However, if a cat has very cold ears and, in addition, exhibits strange behavior, it may be due to one of the early signs of feline hypothermia By Therefore, when detecting a change in temperature in our cat's ears, what we must do is measure its body temperature using a digital thermometer that It must be in contact with the anal mucosa of our cat, since it is the most accurate area to measure its body temperature.
Our cat will be really cold when his temperature reaches 33-34 ºC, being clinical hypothermia and beginning to cause serious damage to the feline.
As we will see below, low temperatures are also involved in lowering our feline's immune system, making it more prone to the development of infections by bacteria, viruses and parasites.
Causes of cold ears in cats
If the feline has cold ears, it could be due to the following situations, which can cause hypothermia in the cat:
- Low ambient temperature.
- Going outside when it is very cold, snowing or freezing.
- Wet skin or fur.
- Cold draft.
- Hypotension (allergic reactions, intoxications or drugs).
- A long anesthesia.
- Hypovolemic shock due to hemorrhage.
- Concussion.
On the other hand, hypovolemic shock causes cold ears due to hypothermia that produces blood loss, either due to internal bleeding or external, trauma or rupture of internal organs that cause the heart to not have enough blood to pump the body, appearing the "triad of death", which consists in, in addition to hypothermia with cold ears, in hypotension, metabolic acidosis, bradycardia and alterations in blood coagulation.
Risk factor's
The cats most susceptible to suffering the consequences of the cold are the following:
- Baby cats that cannot yet thermoregulate.
- Cats with metabolic diseases that impair their ability to regulate body temperature.
- The smaller cats.
- Cats of the Sphynx breed because they lack hair.
- Cats are very thin due to lack of protective fat.
- Elderly cats.
- Cats with concomitant diseases.
If you don't know how to tell if a cat is cold, we answer these and other questions in the article Do cats feel cold?
Symptoms of cold ears and hypothermia in cats
The first symptoms of mild or moderate hypothermia may coincide with the signs that our cat is cold, whose symptoms are:
- Muscular stiffness.
- Tremors.
- Cramps.
- Dry skin.
- Dyspnoea.
- Slow breathing.
- Lethargy.
- Decay.
- Slow and clumsy movements.
- Drowsiness.
To try to regulate its body temperature in this cold situation, our feline will begin to consume glucose, depleting its reserves and hypoglycemia may appear, which can induce the eat.
If hypothermia is not treated quickly, it will progress and weakening the feline, which will cause more serious damage with clinical signs such as the following:
- Hypotension.
- Bradycardia (low heart rate).
- Anorexy.
- Disorientation.
- Start, stare
- Depression.
- Dilated pupils.
- Collapse.
- Fainting.
- Death.
What to do if my cat has cold ears?
For all that we have been commenting on, when the temperature decreases, in addition to the decrease in temperature in the feline ears, the heart rate and blood pressure also decrease, which facilitates the appearance of cardiac alterations, circulatory or arrhythmias. In addition, it lowers blood oxygen, metabolism and can develop a multi-organ dysfunction syndrome.
When our kitten has a low temperature, hypothermia or extreme cold and his ears are cold, we can perform these steps:
- Maintain the environment at a suitable temperature to gradually increase its body temperature, with the help of heating or electrical devices that produce heat for our cat.
- If the cat is damp or wet, dry it as soon as possible.
- Hold him in your arms to transmit warmth.
- Warm him with blankets or warm clothes.
- If it is very cold outside and the cat is going out, this exit should be avoided.
- Administration at the veterinary center of warm enemas or warm fluid therapy if hypothermia is severe.
- To reverse or prevent hypoglycemia, administer glucose.
If we appreciate cold ears in our cat, along with obvious signs that he is having a hard time due to the cold or another condition, we should go quickly to the vetso that it doesn't go any further, avoiding the serious consequences that could end with its death in a short time.
For more information, you can consult this other article on our site on How to take care of your cat in winter?
