Keeping Your Cat Cool

\\\ Keep Cats Cool \\\ Updated Summer 2022

During winter we’re busy trying to keep warm, our homes warm and our pets and we find ourselves during the summer doing the complete reverse, trying to keep cool.

With temperatures now soaring during summer, as reported on many of our national news sites there’s no surprise that more pet owners are asking how to keep their pets cool and safe.

Water

The natural reaction is to provide heaps of iced cold water with ice cubes, replicating what humans enjoy, but fresh and plentiful cold water is sufficient to be replaced more frequently during the day.

For those cat owners who are busy during the day, with long periods out of the home, then a water fountain can really be an answer in making sure cats stay adequately hydrated. Water fountains aerate the water constantly providing your kitten or cat with a fresh 24/7 water supply.

Best Pet Water Fountains

Water fountains for your cat, dog, pet. Suitable for all year round use, especially hot days. For cats and dogs providing clean water 24/7. Best tips buying pet water fountains. Petcheck.blog

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Daytime

As cat owners, we’ve always found our cats become quieter and hide away around the home when it’s summer time battling the midday temperatures.

Cats can’t keep cool as easily as humans. Cats learn to try and keep themselves cool during the day, as temperatures creep up, and hunt by night when it’s cooler. You might find your cat out during the night if it’s allowed to roam, returning early morning having a few winks, and being awake earlier as dawn breaks.

As soon as you are out of the home, your cat will spend the day snoozing trying to keep cool with the odd break to get up and have some kibble, and water and use their litter tray if necessary, or a quick outdoor visit, returning to their coolest space they’ve found.

How Do Cats Keep Cool?

Some cats have thicker coats than other breeds and mixed breeds, and can’t cool down as quickly as humans. Cats sweat through their paw pads and will pant if they are extremely hot.

Cats that are very overweight, old or very young, and those with breathing and lung problems become those cats at greatest risk when the temperature rises.

The signs of HEATSTROKE in your pet are becoming distressed and confused, dribbling, foaming at the mouth, and panting heavily.

Some Of The Best Tried-And-Tested Tips Include

CLOSING CURTAINS

Dedicate one room where all the shutters, curtains, and blinds are shut or closed down for the day but windows behind them open, providing draught, if your home is without air conditioning. This will help to prevent the room from reaching higher temperatures with direct sunlight shining in. If you cannot close curtains and blinds, etc., then make sure your cat’s bed or blanket isn’t in direct sunlight in the room.

FANS

Use a fan to help keep the room temperature down. Position carefully as cats love climbing and exploring, so placing it carefully, somewhere safe in the room is a must.

BED – LITTER TRAY – FOOD

Move a comfortable bed for your cat or blanket into the room, litter tray, plenty of fresh, dry food, and kibble left out to nibble on. Don’t feed when it’s the hottest, although cats like to eat throughout the day in small amounts. Adjust your wet cat’s diet to earlier in the morning and later in the early evening. If wet cat food is left out for long periods in the summer heat, processed meat foods can attract bacteria – and – make the room smell ghastly.

PREVENT YOUR CAT FROM GOING OUT

Try not to let your cat go out during the hottest times of the day. If your cat is an outdoor cat then you can prevent it by closing its cat flap and providing a litter tray.

GROOMING

Keep your cat well brushed particularly if they have a thicker coat during the hot period as it will help to thin out their coat and help to keep them cooler. Buy cat grooming kits that are dedicated to cats with thicker or thinner hair for even better grooming results.

WET TOWELS

If your cat really is suffering, use a cool wet towel and place it over their body for a few minutes only, however, warn, that after five minutes, it may start acting as an insulator.

PET CHECK BLOG Scruffs cooling mat with dog on it

COOLING MATS

Monster Pet Supplies offer cooling mats (and jackets for dogs), which have been proven to be very effective to help your pet stay cool during the summer heat. The mats come sized, can be rolled up, and taken easily with you if you travel away with your cat to other destinations.

They can be used, for example, for dogs in the back of the car in their space, when travelling to a long destination, to help keep them as cool as possible during the journey.

OUTDOOR CATS

If your cat, has free access to roam outdoors, day and night, then there are a few things you can do to help the more feral-loving cat to stay cool. Keeping fresh bowls of water, positioned in shady positions in the garden helps, and provides a shading spot to lie in. Most cats normally seek these out naturally, cats will hide under small garden trees and bushes, coming out every so often to stretch, and reposition themselves. However, they can include sheds and other outbuildings that may have limited access where cats may find it cooler to rest in, but can subsequently get trapped in, and ‘go missing’.

Check if your shed has access that you want to provide, such as a small hole that your cat can crawl in and out of, and make sure there are no garden poisons and chemicals lurking around, or being stored. Cats can easily lick liquids when thirsty, not knowing they are harmful until it’s too late.