Why Are My Cats Ears Cold? All You Need To Know

The fact that a cat’s ears are hot to the touch indicates that the cat is suffering from a fever. But sometimes you may wonder why are my cats ears cold? Knowing the anatomy of a cat’s ears, as well as any potential threats in the surroundings, can assist you in determining what is causing a cool cat’s ears to feel cold in the first place. Now let’s get to understand why are my cats ears cold and the facts behind it.

Why Are My Cats Ears Cold?

Your beloved pet cats are generally warm creatures and have a temperature slightly higher.

The cat’s ears are an essential part because it helps them regulate the temperature and its changes.

why are my cats ears cold

Monitoring the cat’s ears temperature if you notice your cat’s ears are hot, then It’s quite an average temperature baseline unless it’s too hot.

If your cat’s ears are slightly cold, then no need to panic, but if you find your cat’s ears much cooler and temperature at around 97 degrees Fahrenheit and less than that, then it means that your cat is uncomfortable and suffering from illness.

Cats’ ears may be colder to an extent because they are primarily more exposed to the environment and are much delicate than the lower body parts.

What Causes the Temperature of a Cat’s Ears to Vary in Temperature?

Mostly the surrounding temperature of the environment could be the primary reason for the temperature changes of a cat’s ears.

The average temperature of a cat’s body is usually warmer and would be in line with 102 degrees Fahrenheit, which is slightly higher than the human body temperature. When the surrounding temperature is cold the

The other reason your cat’s ears are cold is that the cat’s ears are much gentle and hairy, which makes them sensitive to cold.

Cat Ear Temperature

Catsears temperature is usually between a range of 100 degrees Fahrenheit to 102.6 degrees Fahrenheit. So anything between this is observed commonly.

The temperature of the cat’s body, or especially the ears, depends on the surrounding temperature of the ears. If it’s too hot, the ears would be hot because of the increase in the blood flow in their body.

Reasons for Cold Cat Ears

There are many reasons for cold cat ears like Hypothermia, Exposed to the colder environment.

Still, if the ears are much colder and stiff, that could be a reason for frostbite, and some cats, out of anxiousness when introduced to new living space, would have cold ears.

What to Look for in Your Cat When He Has Cold Ears and Hypothermia

Lowering the body temperature in cats is called hypothermia in cats. The common symptoms of cold ears are trembling, mentally not wary, and dizziness, cold body.

silver tabby cat

When the blood flow in these areas is not constant, the ears, tail tip, and paws would be colder.

If the temperature is lowered to 90 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit, you can observe slight symptoms of hypothermia like shaking, dizziness, calm, shallow heartbeat, pale gums, and absent mind.

If the temperature is much lowered to 89 degrees Fahrenheit then there you can observe severe symptoms like

What Should You Do If Your Cat’s Ears Are Cold?

If your cat ears are cold, then there are two ways you can treat the temperature in them.

The best way to examine the temperature of your cats is to use the rectal thermometer and know the actual body temperature.

1. In case of Moderate cold temperature, you can warm your feline externally, so firstly, wrap your feline with blankets and heated water bottles. Don’t expose your cats directly to the hot water bottles; instead, cover them with a blanket to avoid extreme hotness.

Heating pads will also be more effective in raising the temperature of the cats; however, heating pads should be covered with a blanket or thick fabric to avoid overheating the cats’ bodies.

2. In case of an extreme case of cold temperature, you can consult veterinary doctors for advice. The veterinarian will warm your cat from inside by giving internal ventilation and give warm fluids internally.

What is the source of cats’ excessive warmth?

A cat’s body temperature is average when it’s 100-102 degrees Fahrenheit, unlike humans who have less temperature compared to cats. Cats also are less sensitive to heat, unlike humans.

kittens in basket

Is a Warm Ear a Fever?

Not definitely because the cat’s body’s average body temperature is 100-102.6 degrees Fahrenheit. If you feel your case was warm, it could be because of the exposure to the environment.

But if you observe an increase in the temperature of ears through a recta thermometer, it’s a sign of sickness or probably fever.

A temperature of fewer than 105 degrees Fahrenheit is to an extent considered hyperthermia. Hyperthermia may be a cause of a warm environment or an increased temperature due to any bacterial effect.

My Cat’s Ears Are Red

Your cat’s ears are red because of the discomfort and infections caused. Usually, cats wiggle their head and rub their ears with heads to make them get rid of clutter and sap from the ear ducts. The actions of rubbing of ears by cats cause redness and inflammation.

silver tabby kitten on blue textile

Tips for keeping a cat warm in winter

As a pet parent, many of you would be worried about the cats in winter because they will whack up with severe health issues. So there are some possible ways to keep a cat warm in winter.

  • Provide a warm shelter and dry space for your sleep time.
  • Always provide warm and fresh food and water to reduce exposure to cold.
  • Cover your cats with thick blankets and also arrange got pads and bottle with certain safeguards.
  • Provide a heater or heat source around the cats to make them keep warm during winters.
  • Try to elevate the cat’s napping space or bed, reducing the cold feeling.
  • The cats can be utilized with indoor warmness or sunshine.

How to help outdoor cats stay warm in winter? 

The cats can be made to stay warm if they are protected with thick blankets and wrapped with a hot bottle or got packed under preventive measures.

Make sure you provide a warm napping place outside.

It would be better to give your cats warm food always and freshwater.

Make sure you provide warmness in the shelter outside to make cats stay warm outside in winter.

brown tabby cat lying on white and black textile

My Cats Ears Are Cold 

We often listen to pet parents complaining that “My Cat’s Ears Are Cold “. The reason for this might be primarily environmental changes. If your cats have Cold ears, then closely examine their temperature with a rectal thermometer.

Suppose it is much colder under 90 degrees Fahrenheit. It is a symptom of hypothermia, and a better choice is to consult a veterinary doctor who will give them internal warmth.

Lower Body Temperature in Cats

The cats usually exposed to winter temperatures and snow region environments have lower body temperature. Out of anxiety or diseases like hypothermia and frostbite, they have shallow temperatures, and their ears, tail tips, and paws would be cold.

Why Are My Cats Ears Cold?

Your cat’s ears are cold, then to an extent, don’t panic because the temperature of cats is higher, in fact than the human body. In many cases, your cat’s ears will be cold because the ears are much exposed to the environment first.

The other reason would be that the ears, paw, tail are sensitive to the environment with furry texture and gentle nature.

Why Are My Indoor Cats Ears Cold?

If your indoor cat’s ears are cold, then it’s not necessarily believe that your cat is ill or suffering from a disease. It usually depends on the surrounding temperature in the environment.

The cat’s ears are usually slightly colder than the other body parts. So it’s pretty common in cats to have cold ears, but if the temperature falls under 89 degrees Fahrenheit, then it’s a sign of concern for you about your cat.

short-fur orange and black cat

Why Are Orange Cats Male?

Not all orange-colored cats are male. But yes, most of the orange cats are cold, and the reason is their gene. The gene for the orange color of fur comes from X chromosomes.

Since females have two X’s and males have one X and one Y, a female orange cat must inherit two orange genes —one from each parent— whereas a male-only needs one, which he gets from his mother.

This orange gene can appear in calico cats and tortoiseshells too.

My Cats Nipples Are Swollen 

If you have observed that your cat’s nipples are swollen, this could signify pregnancy. Other than nipples, there are other body changes observed during pregnancy as well.

Swollen nipples are not always a sign of heat in cats. Many other reasons for nipples augmentation and swelling are :

  • The excessive loving behavior of cats.
  • The cat’s different practices of mating styles.
  • Anxiety due to excessive yowling.

Why Are My Cats Ears Freezing Cold?

Your cat’s ears are freezing cold for two reasons one is due to the cold environment, and the other is because of hypothermia.

Hypothermia is generally decreasing in the temperature lower to 89 degrees Fahrenheit.

Conclusion

Cats are commonly seen in most houses as one of the most lovable pets for humans. Pet parents who have cats will be more attached and affectionate towards their pets.

So when the parents of pets observe any abnormal or uneven temperature changes in any parts of the pet’s body, they will be worried.

Instead of worrying, it’s better to understand the circumstances when the cats are normal in health and are moderately sick and if there is any serve sickness.

Pet owners should observe cats by monitoring the temperature according to the surrounding temperatures.

Pet owners should notice the health abnormalities in kittens and older cats because they have higher chances of being suddenly affected by the disease because of lower immunity.

Always make sure you protect them within no time when their body temperature falls. Keep blankets that are thick and wrap them when needed.

Even after all home remedies, your cat is still not well, then please consult a veterinarian immediately to address the issues and save your cat from severe sickness.

FAQs

Do indoor cats get cold quickly?

It’s not entirely acceptable as the temperature matters for the cats to get colder and hot. Indoor cats may be colder during the winter season or at places of snow.

Should my cat’s ears be warm or cold?

Your cat’s ears can either be slightly warm or slightly cold, depending on the environment in their surroundings. Extreme conditions of warmth and coldness could lead to a severe illness in cats. Usually, cats’ ears, tips of the tail, and paws are more sensitive to cold or hot temperatures.

Does my cat have a fever if her ears are hot?

Cats usually are warm creatures because of slightly higher temperatures than humans. So always check with your palm upside down, and it could make you better understand their temperature. Cats’ ears are furry and delicate with less fat and muscle, making them less sensitive to heat. If the cat’s temperature is observed more than 102.6 degrees Fahrenheit with a rectal thermometer, it could be a sign of fever.

What temperature should a cat’s ears be?

Cats’ average body temperature should always be between 100 to 102.6 degrees Fahrenheit. So that is the reason cats are lower sensitive to heat than humans.

How do you fix cold ears?

We can fix Cold ears in cats by making some home remedies to reduce the freezing ears in cats. Always try to make your pet stay in warm places, like wrapping it in a thick blanket. If possible taking it to your bed when needed. Holding it along with heat pads and thick blankets. You can also wrap your cats with hot bottles along with blankets to decrease the cold temperature.
Make sure you give warm food and fresh water to prevent a decrease in temperatures in cats. Provide elevation to the cat’s bed so that the environment will be warm at a certain height. Always give your cats a peaceful, warm napping space when their ears are cold because a warm hug of blankets or bed would help regulate the temperature of the cat’s ears much faster. But in extreme cases, if these remedies won’t work, then better approach a veterinarian immediately who can give your cats an internal warmth through fluids or any which way possible.

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Gulshan
Hi, I am Gulshan, a pet blogger, and author. I've been working with the local pet groups for the past five years. I have been fascinated by our pets and am here to share that wonder with you.