Heatstroke is a condition that gets a lot of publicity when the hottest of the summer weather really hits us, generally in relation to the very acute and real risk that the heat can pose to dogs left in cars or other hot, enclosed spaces.
However, while the risk of heatstroke in dogs and people is well known and understood, virtually any other mammal can suffer from the same affliction-including cats. Cats are of course rather more self sufficient and able to take care of themselves than dogs are, and so heatstroke in cats is not as common as it is in dogs-but it can still occur, and the symptoms and situations that can cause it are rather different in cats than dogs. In this article, we will look at heatstroke in cats in more detail, including the risk factors, symptoms, and how to keep your cat safe. Read on to learn more. What is heatstroke?Heatstroke’s scientific name is “hyperthermia,” which means a dangerously high body temperature-the opposite of hypothermia. When the body reaches a certain temperature, it not only poses a threat to all of the organs and systems that support life, but takes away the body’s ability to regulate its own temperature and cool itself down, which can be very serious and even potentially fatal. Once a cat has developed heatstroke, it is vital to work quickly to reduce their temperature and seek veterinary advice as a matter of urgency. How do cats develop heatstroke?As mentioned, cats are generally self sufficient and good at taking care of themselves, and they also have a lot more common sense than dogs do when it comes to steering clear of threats and potentially dangerous situations! This means that while heatstroke in cats is less common than in dogs, the type of scenarios that can cause it are apt to be rather different too. Cats will naturally seek shade and water when they get too hot-for instance, you may have noticed that your cat likes to lie flat out on tiles or stone floors when it is very warm, as this contact with the cool floor helps to lower their body temperature. Additionally, cats evolved in very hot, desert climates, and so they are able to tolerate heat much better than dogs or humans. A cat might develop heatstroke if they are unable to find shade or act to cool down their own body temperature with either shade, water of both. This can happen if your cat is kept indoors and the weather is very hot and they run out of water, or for instance if your cat gets trapped in a shed or garage and cannot find water nor escape. Identifying heatstroke in catsThe normal body temperature of the cat ranges around the 38.5 Celsius range, which is a couple of degrees warmer than that of humans. A temperature of over 40 degrees is approaching overheating, and if their temperature continues to rise, this can be very dangerous. Cats are good at masking signs of distress and illness, and so the symptoms that they will display may well be harder to spot than it is in dogs. When the weather is hot, or if you have reason to suspect your cat is too hot, stay alert to the following symptoms: Inability to settle or get comfortable, continually moving around to find a cooler or more shady space.
In order to reduce your cat’s temperature, you should first of all make sure that they are moved to the coolest spot you can find-such as on a tiled floor, or even in the bottom of an empty bath tub. Then, soak some towels in cool water and place these over your cat, changing them frequently as they heat up. A cat that has heatstroke is unlikely to struggle unduly or resist this, as they will simply feel too ill. Don’t try to pour water into their mouths, and make sure the water is not freezing, as this may send your cat into shock. You may however wrap some ice cubes or a bag of frozen peas (or similar) in a towel, and place this next to your cat. Blood circulation around the body is what helps to distribute heat, so try to place cool towels or other products close to your cat’s pulse points, on the inside of the things, and on the front legs, on the inside of the leg above the paws. Stay calm, and take your cat to the vet as soon as possible. Curly haired Rex cats have cropped up throughout history. Some, like the curly coated Persian and the Rexed Maine Coon (Maine Wave) have died out, but some have become established breeds. There are now several of these available in the UK. But many people would be hard-pressed to distinguish between the different Rex breeds, and indeed often think that they must be related. However, they are all completely separate breeds, have arisen independently, and in all of them the Rex gene for the curly coat is different. So let us take a look at each of them in turn, and note how they may be distinguished from each other.
Cornish RexThis was the first cat with curly hair to turned into a successful breed. A kitten with the mutation for curly hair appeared in Cornwall in the 1950s. He was bred back to his mother, producing three kittens, two of which had the same curled coat. The mutation was found to be recessive, ie two copies of the Rex gene were needed to produce the curly coat. The coat of the Cornish Rex lacks guard hairs, and as a result is very soft. The breed's looks are distinctly foreign, with a wedge-shaped head and mussel-shell ears. The body is slender, of medium length, and hard and muscular. It is carried high on long legs. Devon RexThe Devon Rex mutation was first seen in a stray cat in Devon in the 1950s, and in 1960 a feral cat gave birth to a litter which included a curly coated kitten. This kitten was bred to a Cornish Rex, but the resulting kittens were all straight coated. However, when one of these was bred back to the original cat, a curly coated kitten was produced. Tests showed the gene to be another simple recessive, but clearly a different gene from that for the Cornish Rex. In fact, apart from also having curly hair, the Devon Rex looks nothing like the Cornish Rex. Unlike the Cornish Rex, the Devon's coat has guard, awn, and down hairs. Although the guard hairs are sparse and short, they give the Devon coat a looser, more open-looking curl than the Cornish Rex. Some people have been heard to say jokingly that you can tell the two breeds apart because they obviously go to different hairdressers to get their hair permed! However, it is the shape of the heads which really distinguishes the cats. While the Cornish Rex has a fairly normal looking foreign look, the Devon's looks are unique. The cats have a wide face tapering to a pointed chin, so that the face is a definite triangle. This is topped by enormous ears, giving the cats a definitely elfin appearance, which many people find very endearing. The breed has a broad chest, widely spaced front legs, and a muscular body. When you see the two of them together, a Devon Rex cannot be confused with a Cornish Rex. LaPermDespite the quirky name, this breed is not the result of any human hairdressing, but another mutation, this time one that turned up in free-breeding rural American cats. The first LaPerm appeared on a farm in Oregon in 1982. the kitten was bred to local tom cats, and eventually it was established that this was another new gene, but this one was found to be dominant. The LaPerm is another long, slender cat with an Oriental look. However, you are unlikely to confuse it with the Cornish Rex, for its coat is much less tightly curled. It comes in both short haired and long haired versions, and the curl varies from waves to ringlets. Since the gene is dominant, straight coated 'variants' are also produced. Selkirk RexThis was another breed which turned up in the USA, where in 1987 a kitten with thick curled hair turned up in a litter born in Montana. This turned out to be another separate gene, also dominant like the LaPerm gene. Therefore straight coated 'variants' are produced, and this breed also has both long haired and short haired versions. You are very unlikely to mix up the Selkirk Rex with any of the other Rex breeds. Unlike all the other Rex cats, which tend to be long and slender, the Selkirk Rex is a cobby cat, similar to the British Shorthair. It has a sturdy build, but its legs are longer than the British type. The coat is thick and soft, with all three types of hair, and is in a random arrangement of loose curls. The cat has a slightly unkempt appearance, particularly obvious in the long haired Selkirks, and some people describe it affectionately as 'the cat which is having a bad hair day'! The Temperament of Rex CatsThe Rex breeds differ in temperament as much as they do in looks, if not more so. The Cornish Rex is a high energy breed, similar to most Oriental cats in personality. It is playful, adventurous, and always on the move. It is also very people orientated, and these cats have earned the name 'Velcro cats', for their tendency to be found attached to their owners at every opportunity. The elfin looking Devon Rex is also energetic, but is known particularly for being a mischief maker, an imp in personality as well as looks. The LaPerm is known for being inquisitive, intelligent, and active, but is also very gregarious and people oriented. The Selkirk Rex really stands out in terms of personality as well as looks. These are easy-going, laidback cats, never in a hurry, and content to just be near their owners. ConclusionSo there you have it. Of necessity, this is just a brief summary of the characteristics of each type of Rex cat and how to tell the difference between them. But hopefully you will be able to distinguish them now, if you see them at cat shows or elsewhere. And maybe you now have an idea which of these could be the breed for you. |
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