Heat stroke or heat exhaustion is a very serious, life-threatening condition for cats. It can cause permanent damage to multiple internal organs, and can cause kidneys and the heart to stop functioning or fail. It can be fatal if not treated with urgency by taking your cat to a veterinarian or emergency veterinary hospital. 

Heat stroke can happen anytime throughout the year, but it happens more often during the warm summer months. Cats are no different than people when it comes to tolerating heat. But it is even harder for cats to respond to heat and cool their bodies since they pant and sweat only through the pads of their paws to reduce excess heat. It’s much harder for cats to regulate their body temperature as a result. If they cannot cool themselves fast enough, they will quickly become overheated and suffer from heat exhaustion or heat stroke, which can be fatal. Don’t wait until the eleventh hour to seek treatment when it can be late. Watch out for signs of heat stroke and know what to do.