Why does a cat have a dry nose and this is normal?

Animals also get sick, but unlike humans, they can't tell, where and what hurts them. Therefore, the owner should note abnormal signs for his pet - unnecessary concern, unnaturally long periods of sleep, increased excitability, appetite, chair, diuresis, nasal discharge, eyes, mouth and other points. Many questions arise from the owners, especially inexperienced, about the cat's nose. What it should be? Cold or warm, wet or dry? And if the cat has a dry nose and hot, does that mean, that the pet became ill? Actually, the dry nose of a cat in itself does not indicate her illness, but in combination with other signs may indicate a problem in the health of the animal.

Why does this happen?

If the cat's nose is dry and warm, It does not mean, that he was ill. There are several causes of dry cat's nose:

• If the animal has just woken up, his nose will almost always be dry and warm. In a dream, a cat does not lick, so, does not moisturize your olfactory organ. After a while, the nose will be moist and cool. This is normal and not a cause for concern.
• If the cat was running, jumped, played or was a lot in the open sun, then his nose could dry out under the influence of his own body temperature, indoor or outdoor air temperature, as well as from wind and dust. When the cat calms down and goes into the shade or into the room, everything is normalizing. The same applies to cases, when the cat was lying in a hot battery or in a room with excessively dry air. Central heating batteries dry the skin in humans, what to speak of a sensitive cat's nose.
• When it is too cold outside or indoors, the cat does not lick his nose, and it gets cold, but dry. This is also a variant of the norm. Coming to the heat, the cat will start licking again, moisturizing the nose.

What should be the nose of a healthy cat?

A healthy cat's nose is wet, cool and a little slippery. The cat regularly licks it, in addition, it is covered with a special secret, which creates a protective mucous membrane. A cat's nose is not just an olfactory organ. It determines the direction of the wind with its help, the temperature of the object and even feels the nose next to the vibrissae. Constant humidity of the surface of the nose increases its sensitivity, while a dry nose cracks, causes discomfort and does not cope with its functions.

A very small kitten has a dry nose because of that, that he himself does not yet know how to lick, and the moisturizing secret is not yet released due to age.

When the nose is dry - a sign of the disease?

A dry nose in itself is not a sign of the disease. If it is dry and hot, while the ears are also hot, then we can talk about a rise in cat body temperature. The temperature of cats and other animals is measured rectally, carefully inserting the thermometer on 1 cm in the anus and holding it for about a minute.

Normal temperature in cats 38-39 degrees, in bare-haired breeds the norm 39-40. In kittens and pregnant cats, the rate shifts by 0,5 degrees up. An increase of one degree is uncritical, but higher temperatures require urgent consultation with a veterinarian.

Having discovered, that the cat's nose is not properly moistened, you need to watch the beast. Source: Flickr (Neva_Swensen)

If it is not possible to see a doctor right now, you can wait a few hours. During these hours, the cat should periodically apply an ice pack to the head or under the chin, drink it from a syringe without a needle with warm water. Naked cat can be wiped with a damp towel, and fluffy - sprinkle with water from a spray.