Cats often choose sunny spots for naps, but do they require sunlight for their health?
Unlike humans, cats don’t synthesize vitamin D when their skin absorbs sunlight.
Prolonged and chronic sun exposure can pose real risks to cats, much like in humans.
Nonetheless, ensuring our cats are happy and healthy involves letting them engage in natural behaviors such as sunbathing.
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Risks that come with cats sunbathing
Sunbathing benefits cats, but prolonged sun exposure has real and dangerous effects.
Cats can get sunburned, just like humans, with certain areas being more vulnerable, such as the nose and ears.
Repeated sunburns can lead to scarring and changes in the color and shape of ear tips or the nose.
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This also increases the risk of skin cancer development.
Cats can indeed develop skin cancer, specifically cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, due to excessive sun exposure.
It typically begins as crusts and non-healing sores, requiring intensive veterinary treatment as it can be painful and severe.
While it can affect any breed, it’s more common in white-skinned cats or those with white patches around their face.
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This article was compiled with the help of Artificial Intelligence
