There can be several reasons why are cats noses wet?. Let’s clarify this: the get-go cats’ noses are supposed to be a little wet, unlike humans. It is purely genetics, and this doesn’t cover any symptoms of any serious disease. Excessive wetness around the nose, almost dripping, might tell a different story. Cat’s nose is hyperactive to smell food and look out for danger round the clock. Feline’s olfactory sense is always on the trot for sensing the environment around and keeping risk at bay. Cat’s olfactory sense is more advanced than other animals because of multiple glands in its nose, which keeps it a little cold and wet throughout the year.
Why Are Cats Noses Wet? – Reasons You Need to Know
Tracking Down Food
Cats detect smell present in the air. This air is trapped in moist surface of cat’s nose. The wet surface of the cat’s nose facilitates conduction of smell into the nasal chamber then into the olfactory lobe. In case of a familiar smell, the brain pursue the smell. An effector neuron sends a message from brain to the target organ. The signal is generated when cats sniff on food material.
Mating
Cats figure out the fertility in each other by sensing the smell of reproductive secretions. Based on the findings or the result, the cat decides the most suitable mate or potential partner. Secretion of pheromones is a common phenomenon in cats. Other cats detect pheromones and prepare themselves for making the kittens. Cat’s sniff the partner via their wet nose.
Protection
All animals have their distinctive smell. A cat can detect a smell coming out from the animal. Cats can smell the presence of a predator from cat wet nose. Cats quickly react to the presence of an unknown animal. Quick reaction helps the cat protect itself from the advances of a dangerous cat or other animals. Out in the wild, Protection from stray cats is granted by the sense of smell and running away from a dire situation.
Atmosphere
Both physical geography and environmental geography play a huge role in the cat’s body. Different climatic conditions such as temperature, rainfall, air index quality, moisture, humidity, and geographical location where a cat lives affect a cat’s metabolism. A cat that lives in a cold environment will have a more wet nose than the one living in warmer zones.
Digging Out
Cats can detect their owner, other cats, children, and food by tracing their bodies’ scents. Whenever a cat registers a human being or any other animal, they recognize that person by their body odour next time. Generally, animals recognize each other their facial features and peculiar details. Cat’s brain has a medium-sized cranial capacity. Being in a feline family, cats have a razor-sharp sense of smell. That is why cats that live in cool places have wetter noses. Warmer places cause dehydration in pet animals.
Finding a Safe Place
Cat senses can detect the aroma of furniture, scent of dead leaves, changing weather, and even rotting flesh. Before giving birth to kittens, a mother cat searches for a safe location. Seeking a safe place to birth is an urgent need for a pregnant cat. Mother cat always relies on the fundamental instinct given to them by mother nature in the form of millions of olfactory sensors. Jacobson’s gland is present in roof of the buccal cavity of the cat. This gland detects pheromones and aids in reproduction. Glands are present beneath the tip of the nose, which secretes watery substances for keeping the nose wet. A wet nose traps smell and allows the brain to process smell.
Health
Sometimes, a cat is experiencing flu symptoms, including dry coughing, wheezing, running water from both eyes and nose, etc. Other health issues also lead to malfunctioning, including dehydration, neurological diseases, respiratory infections, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) involving excessive licking or too much playing in the fields.
When Should You Worry About a Dry Cat Nose?
There are numerous reasons for a why is my cat’s nose dry. Such reasons include dehydration, genetics, warm environment, flu, etc. These reasons are typical causes and so no need to worry about these. You should be worried about a cat’s dry nose only in case of medical emergencies which one can not afford to avoid.
Persistent Talking
A cat is suffering from any disease often mews. Constantly meowing is a sign of distress in cats. Persistently meowing also leads to dehydration because of the over usage of vocal cords. With vocal cords in discomfort, mucus is secreted, leading to inflammation of the mucous membranes. Inflammation decreases the water level in the entire body leading to acute dehydration.
Mild Temperature
Temperature rise is a sign of sickness in cats. Other symptoms include cat has wet nose, loss in appetite, coughing, sneezing, fatigue, being out of sight, less responsive, sad, etc. These are symptoms, and they retreat mainly in a day or two. If these symptoms continue for not less than a week, then look into the matter carefully. Hyperthermia is a condition in which body temperature rises above the threshold. Prolonged hypothermia suggests a medical emergency. It can be an onset of a serious disease that can only be examined by vet. It is strongly advised not to give any medication to a house pet without proper consultation from a certified doctor.
Shallow Breathing
Dyspnea is a condition in which a cat struggles to breathe. It is a severe condition because dyspnea is a symptom of heart attack, internal cat bleeding from nose, infections in the body, or excessive blood loss. When a cat struggles to breathe, taking shallow breaths and suddenly resuming to the deeper breaths is a clear-cut symptom of suffering. Engulfing foreign objects also slows down breathing in cats. Because it leads to painful bowel movements, and sometimes respiratory passage gets blocked due to intakes of a sharp foreign material like a toy or a blunt wire into the body. Regular health check-ups can help to diagnose an issue in the get-go.
Continuous Discharge
Cat runny nose is a common flu symptom, it is not dangerous if the symptoms are received within a week or ten days. But the continuous discharge from eyes and nose and sometimes even mouth with no other sign of flu which includes coughing and slight body temperature, points in a different direction. It is either a sign of a serious condition, a cat might have been playing or came in contact with certain chemicals or elements causing allergic reactions. A cat that swallowed a wire, a piece of wall, or a rubber, develops dry eyes and nose.
Inactivity
When a cat lingers around without doing anything, you observe the cat doing the same daily. A more lazy, less curious cat, not goofing around or seeking attention and remains in its zone all the time, should be taken to a veterinary doctor.
Loss of Body Hair
Loss of fur or patches on the skin in a feline is often a serious symptom of a potentially dangerous disease. When cats fight, they scratch and knock out a few body hairs. That is not to be taken seriously, though it should be prevented. Make sure use, a gentle cat grooming brush, to deshedding all tangle hair. Do not confuse the sign of fighting or a street encounter with the fellow cat to be the same as natural loss of body hair.
Conclusion
Cat’s nose being wet is a widespread phenomenon, and it is not an onset of something serious. A cat dry nose is not always a problem. Continuous dryness for a very long period can suggest that your pet cat is under any medical problem. The best way to find out is to go to a veterinary hospital. Subject your pet cat to various tests as suggested by the medical professional. It is highly advised to take your pet to a veterinary doctor every once in a while.