Since the nose is a vital organ for the survival of felines like cats, many believe that its temperature is a reliable indicator of the animal's state of health, and rightly so.
Is a dry or wet nose therefore a reliable indicator of health? What can these differenttranslate into aspects of your cat's nose ? Should you worry about it? And what diseases can attack your cat's nose?
Let's see what the cat's nose can really tell us!
The cat's nose is cool and wet: what does that mean?
If you often stroke your cat around the head, you have certainly noticed thatis his noseoften very wet, or even cool and damp. In fact, this is completely normal and you don't have to worry about it.
Note that the cool or dry appearance of a cat's nose depends on the temperature and the degree of humidity in the ambient air. If it is cool, its muzzle will be cool and if it is hot, the feline will moisten its muzzle to regulate its temperature and improve its sense of smell.
The cat's nose is hot and dry: what does that mean?
In this case too, there is nothing to worry about. Always keep in mind that it mostly depends on the weather. If it's hot or if your cat spends a lot of time in the sun or stuck in a hot environment, their nose will be dry and hot.
Although the cat frequently licks its nose, as it is a smooth, hairless surface, it dries quickly. And under the effect of the hot air that comes out of his nose when he breathes, it heats up. So there is nothing wrong with that.
When a cat's nose is hot and dry, it may mean that it is simply dehydrated, and in some rare cases, that it has a fever. But the dry nose alone is not enough to diagnose fever or any other disease.
The cat's nose, a real indicator of good health?
In view of the explanations given above, it is obvious that not. The theory that the cat's nose is a good indicator of its state of health is in fact only an ancient legend that has spread and endured. Especially the part that mentioned that a hot, dry nose is a sign of fever.
Whether your cat's nose is hot and dry or cool and wet, you cannot rely on it to judge their health. Even though a dry nose is one of the many symptoms of fever in cats, there are still other symptoms to be present before they can occur. Your vet will confirm this to you.
In fact, most knowledgeable veterinarians hardly ever examine a feline's nose to diagnose a disease. Allowing the cat to orient itself and communicate with its surroundings, the truffle is a sensory organ subject to the action of a large number of factors.
When should you really worry?
Your cat's nose changes appearance from day to day, or even from hour to hour, depending on its living conditions. Hot and dry or cool and damp, the nose of your hairball should only worry you when this aspect lasts a long time (over several days for example). Or when it is accompanied by other strange signs and symptoms.
So, if, for example, your cat's nose is hot and dry for a long time, and his nose and eyes are runny in addition, you suspect that a fever has started. Your suspicions will be confirmed if it follows a loss of appetite, diarrhea and vomiting, constant thirst and general fatigue.
You would then do better to take your cat's temperature by inserting a thermometer in her rectum. If the cat's temperature is above 39 ° C, your cat is indeed feverish and should be seen by a veterinarian.
Why is a cat's nose wet?
As we have said, a cat's nose can be wet if it has previously been in contact with water, such as when drinking, feeding, or grooming. Basic actions that the cat can perform several times a day; hence his nose is normally almost always wet.
A cat's nose can also be wet when your cat sweats in a hot environment. And once again, since the cat's nose is hairless, this is where the cat is actually sweaty.
Cat diseases involving the nose
As with humans, the common cold attacks the nose. In felines, the common cold is called coryza. It is a contagious viral disease, which is prevented with a vaccine, otherwise which can turn into severe respiratory syndrome. Coryza affects your cat's nose and therefore smell. If you notice that he has a cold, do not wait for the symptoms to get worse or forother symptoms to appear.
Your little feline's nose can also be attacked by cryptococcosis, which usually affects cats from 2 to 3 years old. It is a fungal disease contracted by cats wading in fields fattened with decomposed plant substances and poultry droppings. It manifests as a fever and makes your cat bleed from the nose.
Some malignant tumors like squamous cell carcinoma can also attack the nose of your hairball. And these cases, the survival of it depends on the stage of the disease.
