We’ve got a big advantage over you humans in another area too. Us cats, since we most likely descended from desert-dwelling species, can tolerate much higher temperatures than the average two-legged house dweller. And by the way, we don’t sweat!
Nope, none of those deodorant sprays, creams, or perfumes for us kitties. As long as we keep ourselves licked up real good and stay indoors when it’s raining and muddy, we’re shining examples of sweet-smelling, finely groomed creatures perhaps like no others found in the whole universe!
You see, our normal body temperature averages around 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit (38.6 Celsius), which is a bit warmer than the kind caretakers we share our homes with. Furthermore, our hearts race along at 120-140 beats per minute while we breathe between 16-40 times per minute, depending on if we’re in a slow nap mode or a high-energy fighting disposition. In short, I think we’ve got more speed, force, and elevated heat levels than the average human wandering around our territories.
Here’s another interesting detail for you. Human skin sensitivity maxes out at about 112 degrees, whereas us cats can tolerate 126-degree conditions, or even more if we’ve got some water around to help us out.
In my kitty physiology classes, I learned that we conserve heat by reducing the flow of blood to our skin for those cold winter days. Likewise, we can lower our heat by evaporation through our mouths. You have to admit that this is a pretty cool and well-designed system, and it’s all under automatic control!
Also, our body temperature thus doesn’t vary much during a 24-hour period, and even our bathroom necessities are highly concentrated so that we can retain as much fluid as possible.
The former also includes super-efficient kidneys that can allow us to survive for a while on a meat-only diet with no water. And believe it or not, if required under extreme circumstances, we can lap up some of that rather bad-tasting seawater and not get sick in the process.
All in all, I think you’d have to agree that us cats have much more sophisticated central cooling and heating systems than most modern homes that are constructed in the neighborhoods we live in. And I’m not bragging either, okay? The facts are the facts!