I have two cats. Both are playful, have healthy appetites, and seem
happy. They sleep with me and are very affectionate. However, i'm
concerned because one of my kitties has a dry nose or not as wet nose
as my other cat. I was told that a wet nose is a sign of good health.
Should I be concerned about one of my kitties not having as wet of a
nose as my cat kitty?
Hi Tasha,
Despite what you may read some places or what some others may tell you, I can tell you reliably that on its own, a wet vs. dry nose in a cat is not a reliable indicator of good or bad health. You will never see a veterinarian checking if a cat has a wet or dry nose to draw conclusions about underlying health. There are a few reasons that it's not reliable. One is simple variation. Some cats might just normally have a wetter vs. dryer nose. Second, the moisture on their nose may evaporate in certain conditions. Cats love sunny and warm places, which might incidentally make their nose drier. Cats also may lick their nose, either making it wet or removing the natural moisture of it and allowing the saliva to dry, making the nose feel dry.
Now that's not to say that a cat with a fever might not have a drier nose. Or a cat with skin condition. But in those cases, you are likely seeing other concerns about health as well, like lethargy, poor appetite, other problems with the haircoat or skin, etc.
For hydration status, there are more reliable areas to check for proper hydration, like the mucus membranes of the gums (which should always have a degree of smooth moisture) or checking the skin tent over the shoulders. Here is a link to a Cornell University article on dehydration which has highlighted checking the gums and skin tent as indicators of hydration.