Cats and Hot Weather, How to Cool your Cat
What do you do to cool down when the weather gets hot? Simply throw the air conditioner on? Take off a layer or two of clothes? Cooling ourselves down when it is hot can be pretty easy. But what about your fur friends? Your pets will also feel the heat and as they can’t express how warm they are feeling – we need to be able to make sure they are comfortable. Cats can suffer greatly from the heat. They can suffer from dehydration and heatstroke if they are exposed to prolonged periods of hot weather without being able to cool down. Making sure they are kept cool will help to keep them safe and well.
Give them plenty of water
The easiest way to help reduce the risk of dehydration is by making sure that your cat has plenty of water that they can easily access. Have a water bowl both inside and outside that they can get when thirsty. Make sure that you are checking their bowls throughout the day and refilling them if they are low on water or the water isn’t fresh.
Brush them daily
Brushing your cat’s fur daily helps to remove loose fur and reduce matting. Mated fur can cause your cat to retain additional body heat. The excess body heat can cause them to feel unwell, become dehydrated and increase their chances of heat stroke. So get that brush out!
Give them shady spots to relax
If your cat comes in and out and as they please, make sure there is a shady spot outside for them to relax in. Somewhere in the garden where they can lay down in the shade and not be in the direct sunlight.
Keep them relaxed and calm on super hot days
What happens to you if you are running around getting a lot of exercise in the heat? You tire easily, become dehydrated and can start to feel unwell, the same applies to cats. On a hot day, it’s important that you keep your cats inside and not let them get up to too much mischief. Active cats can suffer greatly if they are out and about in the sun playing, especially if they do not have access to water.
Keep the house cool
Even if you have taken the steps to keep your cat indoors on a hot day, it doesn’t mean that they are automatically protected. It can still get warm inside the house, so you need to make it as comfortable as possible. Closing the blinds or curtains so it is darker will help to reduce the heat inside. Having a fan or air conditioning unit switched on will also help with cooling the house.
Encourage cool play
A great way to keep your cats indoors, while keeping them distracted and hydrated is by creating cool play for them.
Freeze water and a little bit of chicken stock in ice cube trays ready for the next hot day. Once you have your cats inside, pop a few cubes out and let them play with them on the floor. They will have lots of fun flinging them around, licking at them and cooling down from the icy water.
Remember, your cat can not tell you when they are feeling hot or unwell. So it is important to monitor them and try to keep them as cool and comfortable as possible. Monitor for symptoms of heat stroke and look for “vets near me” if you are worried at all.
If you need peace and quiet from your puffed out friend, contact us for cat sitting services and have peace of mind knowing your kitty is cozy and content. Our team members are happy, professional, reliable and trustworthy.