Cat ears are a particularly sensitive organ that can give us indications of our cat’s health.
When a cat’s ears are cold, there may be something wrong.
Features of cat’s ears
Even though they are small in size, cat’s ears are a very important part of his body. In fact, they feature 32 muscles, which allow him both to identify sounds and to rotate them up to 180 ° to detect the direction of the smallest noise. These characteristics make cats’ hearing five times more developed than that of humans. They also help the little feline to maintain balance and give us information on his state of mind.
When are the cat’s ears cold?
Normally, the cat’s ears are warm to the touch. When, on the other hand, they are particularly cold, this is a symptom that something is wrong.
Cold ears for the temperature
The first cause that makes a cat’s ears to cool are low ambient temperatures. If the cat is cold he puts into action his thermoregulatory capacity which consists in reducing the peripheral circulation of the blood to keep the internal organs warm. The ears, which are located at the extremity of the body, will be then colder.
Cold ears from hypothermia
Hypothermia can sometimes occur when the cat stays outside for a long time even in cold winter temperatures. In this case the cat’s paws, tail, mouth and ears will be cold.
Cold ears from illness
The last cause of ear cooling can be linked to a disease. To assume that the cat is sick, in addition to cold ears, he must show other symptoms such as apathy, vomiting, breathing difficulties.
In the first two cases, due to a simple cooling, there is no need to worry, just keep the cat warm and his ears will return to normal temperature. In the third, however, in the presence of more symptoms of disease, it is better to contact your vet.