Keeping your cat cool during summer might seem like something that’s out of your hands, but if you don’t they can suffer from dehydration, shallow breathing or even heatstroke.
Keep Calm
If your cat enjoys running around all day when it’s cooler, during a hot day or a heat wave it will soon become exhausted and dehydrated. Simple things should be kept in mind, like not encouraging it to play if it’s already seemingly in an agitated or exhausted state. If your cats running around and chasing things already then you can assume it has the energy to play, but take note if it stretches out on the floor looking exhausted or if it starts panting for air.
Cool Spot
If you find your cat retreating to a spot in the house or garden where it’s cooler; take advantage of it by encouraging it. You can make your cat feel safer there by placing its favourite toys or blanket down. You could even wrap ice packs in a towel or fill a hot water bottle with cold water. It might seem extreme but it’s much better to prevent your cat from becoming agitated.
Allow your Cat to Pick Any Spot
Cats are intelligent when they want to be, so you might find your cat curled up in a bathtub or sink due to the porcelain staying cool. Even in cooler months, after a cat has been playing for a while you might notice it likes to stretch out on tiled surfaces to cool down. If possible, don’t reprimand your cat for picking the coolest and most comfortable spot in the house.
Brushing
Brush your cat daily or as often as you can, matted fur traps heat so make sure it’s not matted and that air can flow freely through its fur. Certain breeds of cats have much longer hair so it’s especially important for those. This’ll also help with keeping their fur from appearing on all the surfaces around the house as they moult. You can use some double sided brushes for this, allowing you to collect all the hair up, cooling your cat down at the same time.
Shade
Where possible, ensure that your garden has some shaded areas for your cat to enjoy. If your plants aren’t big enough to provide adequate shade then it might be a good idea to buy something like a Sun Sail/Shade. It’ll be great to create shade for your cat, as well as you.
Water
Dehydration is a huge risk for cats during hot weather; make sure they have constant access to water the same as humans do. Be sure to fill up the water bowl often and make sure it’s cool and fresh.
Avoid Heatstroke
Cats can be very prone to heatstroke due to their small body weight and fur. Heatstroke is a condition caused by failure of the body’s temperature-regulating mechanism when exposed to excessively high temperatures. The most common cause of heatstroke is being left in a hot, poorly ventilated room or area. Be sure to leave doors open and make sure you’re not shutting a cat into any of the rooms as you leave.
Michael Wheaton works for East 2 Eden, Online Gifts retailer based in the UK.
