Did You Know Cats Can Get Sunburned??
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
July 25, 2007 10:25pm CST
I received my e-mail newsletter from Petplace.com, and they have an article there that mentions that cats (and dogs) can actually get sunburned! This kind of amazed me and I never thought about it before. I mean how many times have we seen our little furry friend basking in the sunlight as it streams through our window, even in the summertime?It cautions that light or white haired cats or cats with thin hair are especially vunerable to sunburn..It recommends limiting how much time your kitty spends basking in the sun especially during the hottest part of the day...Right,...sure...tell that to my kitties...LOL
Here's a link to that article:
http://www.petplace.com/cats/sunburn-in-cats/page1.aspx
5 people like this
24 responses
@ElicBxn (63594)
• United States
26 Jul 07
Sadly, Henry has gone on the Bridge, but not from cancer. He also developed a tyriod problem & that got him in the end.
For a cat I couldn't touch for the first 9 months he was in the house, he turned into a real love bug. He also helped raise Taj.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jul 07
No doubt then that Henry is playing around with my cats that have crossed the Bridge too.
1 person likes this
@Calais (10893)
• Australia
26 Jul 07
Yes, of course they can, and like a lot of people do not even think about it...I have owned animals all my life and have worked with animals, and its amazing what you see...I remember when I was younger I would ride my horse around and the comments I used to get were funny because I would have to put Zinc on his nose and face so he didnt get burnt...Good on you for letting people know and letting them become aware of this..
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jul 07
I never realized it myself, and I've had pets nearly all my life!
1 person likes this
@margieanneart (26423)
• United States
26 Jul 07
I received that notice today. I was amazed. I had no idea. Well, my cats are indoor cats, and don't really stay in the window. But, this is great for others to be aware of.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jul 07
My kitties are indoor cats too, but my one cat, Kissy loves to bask in the sun ...I try to discourage her now and she's not too happy about that! LOL
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jul 07
My cats won't listen either...even I can't stand to bask in the sun for too long!
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
26 Jul 07
No sh1t! Well, I never would have thought that, pyewacket. That is why I say there is something new to learn every day that you are on this earth. It does make sense, though-they have skin, ergo skin will burn if it's exposed to the sun too long.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jul 07
I never knew this either...my Kissy loves to bask in the sun...ever since I read the article I now shoo her away...and get a nasty look as a result--LOL
1 person likes this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
26 Jul 07
What you need to do is apply sun screen to the kitties so they will not get skin cancer. LOL
I feel they will know when they will get to hot and get out of the sun.
Abigail likes to sleep in the dark when it is hot, she climbs under the bed, in closets and under the bushes when she is out doors. I do not think she will get sunburned.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jul 07
The article actually did mention about putting sunscreen, but as you point out gumball, I would imagine they'd only lick it off and get sick
@kataztrophy (1836)
• United States
26 Jul 07
This is surprising, I figured the fur would prevent that. I knew cats and dogs could over heat due to lack of sweat glands, but sunburn is a whole new set of problems.
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
26 Jul 07
Hey thanks I have a kitten that is mostly white with a few scattered gray and peach spots. I never knew that a cat/kitten/dogs could burn like that. I thank you kindly for your information I will check her out and keep an eye on her more often thanks.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jul 07
Maybe we should get our kitties their own beach umbrella and towel too...heehe--oh, don't forget a beach chair too!
@GnosticGoddess (5626)
• United States
26 Jul 07
LOL - that's really interesting!
I would have never guessed it.
Not those animals with fur anyway.
I guess I don't got too much to worry about though with my kitties. They've got pretty thick fur coats :) They don't bask too much in the sun anyway :)
Thanks for that info though! That's highly useful!
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jul 07
No problem...glad to give the info here :)
1 person likes this
@66jerseygirl (3877)
• United States
26 Jul 07
thanks for the link.I never knew kitties were so vulnerable to sunburn.I had always thought they were protected because of their fur.
1 person likes this
@Gumball (793)
• United States
26 Jul 07
Does the glass in your house windows have a built in UV filter like a car window? If it does, then I wouldn't worry about the cats laying in the sun indoors. Otherwise people that sit next to windows would be getting sunburned all the time too. Call a glass company and ask them if house windows have UV filtering against UV rays before you panic. As far as I know, most of the new replacement windows have it now.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jul 07
My replacement windows don't have UV protection...knowing my landlord he got the cheapest of the cheap of replacement windows...LOL
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
26 Jul 07
i saw a poor sphinx cat with sunburn once at the vet's.i wanted to smack the owner-they'd left them out all day.
it makes sense.my white cat whose since passed,used to avoid the window like the plague.it made her uncomfortable.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jul 07
I used to have a white cat too...yes, I would imagine the most vunerable would be those hairless cats..
@lynboobsy11 (11343)
• Philippines
26 Jul 07
Thanks for the knowledgable info my friend coz I have a dog
also who love to be in the sunlight anytime of the day.
Everytime I go down from my bedroom in the morning, she
always ask me to go out and she will stayed in the sun.
But sometimes I refuse her to go out because It's too hot
but she really love to be in the sun always.
But now since you have the information about being sunburn
I will not allow her to be in the sunlight for a long time.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jul 07
Even I don't like to be in the sun too long, and yes the sun can definitely affect dogs as well.
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
26 Jul 07
Yes, but so far, none of my cats have ever had a sunburn.
@brendalee (6082)
• United States
26 Jul 07
Wow, I didn't know that. Luckily the windows I have that the cats can get into are not in the direct sunlight at the hotest part of the day. As for the dogs, they never stay outside long enough for me to have to worry about them.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jul 07
I'm the opposite...all my windows face west and in direct sunlight
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
26 Jul 07
I told my cat to stay away from the window, but in return, she just look at me with huge green eye and little meow almost sound like " give me a break, what do you want me to do all day, eat and sleep?"
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jul 07
My Kissy gives me a "look" if I shoo her away from basking in the sun...
@jwfarrimond (4473)
•
26 Jul 07
I did know this. Apparently the ears are especially vulnerable especially if the cat has white furred ears. It's not the colour of the fur thats important, but the colour of the skin underneath. Dark fur will have dark skin underneath, but a white furred cat will have white skin underneath. Normally I think, the thickness of the fur will provide protection against sunburn, but the ears are vulnerable because the fur there is thinner.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jul 07
Yes, that article does mention about the ears being more likely to be affected by the sun since there is less fur
@rosie_123 (6113)
•
26 Jul 07
Hi. Actually - yes - I did. I must have read it somewhere. I know that it badly affects white and ginger cats, and that they are more likely to get skin cancers, - especially on their ears where the fur is quite thin, and the skin very delicate. Strangely, my ginger boys don't like to lie in the direct sunshine - they always seek out shade, - so maybe they sense the dangers? Cats are far cleverer than humans:-))
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jul 07
Your ginger cat probably do sense the dangers of too much sun...smart!!
@sumofalltears (3988)
• United States
26 Jul 07
I can believe this, our dog had mumps and the vet told us that dogs and cats can get the same ilnesses as we do. I am thinking that as far as sunburn goes, they would feel it and be careful...they aren't stupid and will take care to avoid pain.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jul 07
Yes, animals can get a lot of the same health problems as people do...
