Can cats & dogs appreciate the effect of a fan running?

Question

This debate has been going on amongst my family and friends for a while now.

It is my understanding cats and dogs do not have sweat glands all over surface of their skin like humans do which is why they don't perspire in summer like we do. They sweat by panting since their sweat glands are primarily located on/near their tongue (I think cats also have sweat glands on the pads of their feet, but I'm not sure about that).

So is there any point to leave a fan running when all the humans have left the house (other than running up my electric bill)? When I've left the fans on all day while I'm away at work, the cats aren't laying in front of them when I come home anyway. Besides, I don't think the house stays any cooler if I leave the fans on all day than if I leave them off.

I'm not talking about A/C. I'm just talking about a fan.

Also, a fan alone does not lower temperature. However, our perception that the temperature has been lowered is due to the same wind chill effect that we experience in winter. Try it out sometime with if you ever have time in the summer with two rooms of the same size with doors you can close (like similarly sized bedrooms). Run a fan in one and don't run a fan in the other with the windows closed in both. Leave a thermometer in both rooms. The temperature will be same.

Answer 1

It will not keep them from overheating at all, like you said, they don't sweat and the cooling sensation humans get from a fan originates from evaporation of moisture on our skin surface due to sweat. Fans will keep the air circulating, but if it's hot air...........what's the diff. However, if you blow a fan over a block of ice it will actually cool the air. Ferrets are the same way, they don't sweat. I take a piece of a marble counter top that I found at a contracting supply store(I asked to get it out of their dumpster) and keep it in the freezer over night. I wrap a light towel around it in the morning and let my fuzzies lay on it. I have two pieces, so I alternate. The same trick will work with gravel in a dish too. Since it's been hot continually for a few days now, I prefer the AC though.

Answer 2

These folks are too busy trying to grab their two points to actually READ the entire question. I see that you had to go back and add additional clarification because everyone keeps mentioning air conditioning over and over again (which you didn't mention once in your question and is very different from just a fan). Apparently, some people can't read or just don't take the time.

Here's the deal... you said your cats don't even lay in front of it anyway when you get home... what about when you're there? Mine, for example could give a rat's *** if the fan's there or not, so I don't leave it on either. If they get hot, they'll just lay in the bathtub anyway. Having the fan on doesn't change the ambient temperature so it's pointless (for those who have trouble reading this means that the temperature of the surrounding air remains the same anyway). Try it sometime when you know that the temperature is going to be the same from one day to the next.

A dog likes the wind in his face because it's a tactile thing... he likes the way the wind moves his hair. But it doesn't cool him off. Ever go to the mall and sit in one of those vibrating massage chairs? Feel good? Same concept.

The reason why a dog gets sick inside of a car is because a car heats up quickly. A car is like a miniature greenhouse in summer. Fan or no fan. Ever sit in a car in the middle of rush hour traffic with no A/C? Then you know what I'm talking about.

Don't worry about it. People owned pets long before A/C and long before electricity. But I don't think it matters either way. Do fans really draw that much electricity? I would only be concerned that they could get knocked over and start a fire, or if it's a window fan it might get rained on and short out. I've also heard of other hazards related to electrics fans such as pets getting their tails caught in the blades of a fan or curious pets sticking their feet through the grates of a fan.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Even though they do not have the same mechanism to cool off like we do...they DO appreciate the fan blowing in the summer and the heat in the winter.

It's a body temperature thing more than a pleasureable thing like we humans take it.

You know...ever seen a dog in a locked car, that quits panting once the owner comes back and either rolls down the windows or cranks up the a/c?

So yes, for body temperature sake...you might let your house be 10 degrees warmer than you'd like it, but don't let your house get above 80 to 82 or your pets will have a hard time.

Answer 5

I think that there is a point to leave it running for your pets. I think your dogs will use it more, but i'm pretty sure that it keeps them cool. I know my dog, who is a Black Lab, goes outside for an hour or 2 and comes in and lays in front of our Air Conditioner for an hour then repeats it all over again so i think that there is a point to leaving the fan on for your pets!

Hope this helps and Good Luck! =D

Answer 6

Animals do not sweat like we do, but their method of cooling does not do as good of a job as ours does. I leave fans on for my rabbit, cats, and even my stalled horses. This makes certain that they do not over heat. I have actually had a rabbit die of heat exhaustion, in the house! So be very careful with your animals.

Answer 7

your right about the sweat glands,the fan will lower the ambient temperature and certainly help bring relief from the heat,as will a spraying of cold or very cool water,their coats are warm and designed for outdoor so they do suffer in the heat,thats good of you to be aware of and very caring,bet your pets are happy ones.x

Answer 8

I have never seen my cats lay in front of a fan before either, but when it is hot my dogs will be the first one to lay in front of it. Hope that helps.

Answer 9

Are you kidding? My dog and cat actually lay spread eagle under the fan and a/c and enjoy the cool air blowing on top of them. Maybe my pets are weird but they really enjoy this.

Answer 10

ever see a dog stick his head out the window of a car? he likes the feeling of the breeze, which a fan can kinda reproduce. plus if it makes the room temp a little cooler, the animals do feel that. my girlfriends cats sit on our bed in front of the fan all the time.

or just tie a piece of yarn to the fan. they like that too. lol.