With summer in full swing, pet owners aren’t the only ones looking for a shady spot to escape the heat. Your cats, too, need to stay cool. Learn how to prevent your cats from getting overheated with these tips:
Provide your cats with fresh water
During the summer, there’s nothing like a cool sip of water to keep you hydrated and comfortable. Veterinarians advise your cats feel the same way.
Having fresh water available encourages your cat to drink more water — just like you. After all, would you want to gulp down a glass of water that you set out on the table six hours ago? Your cat wouldn’t, either.
So, every few hours, pour the stale water out of your cats’ bowls and replenish it with cool, fresh water. And, if you use an elevated pet feeder to park your cats’ bowls, you can take advantage of evaporative cooling from the added airflow underneath the platform. As a bonus, they’re the perfect choice for cats with digestive or mobility issues.
Elevated bowls improve airflow, keeping food and water cooler.
Give them access to cool, shady spaces
Although cats love to soak up the sunshine, they need a shady place to retreat too. Rooms with tile or porcelain floors, a comfy spot by the aircon, or outdoor retreats under trees or bushes are perfect for giving your cats a break from the summer heat.
If you don’t have air conditioning, open your windows to take advantage of cool breezes, or place a fan in a shady spot to get the air moving around your cat’s favourite perch.
A frozen water jug or bottle in front of the fan adds extra cooling power. Just make sure that you fasten the lid tightly to avoid spills. Spilled water near an electrical appliance could spell danger for your pets — or your family.
Use cooling beds and mats for naptime comfort
Just like elevated feeding platforms, elevated beds help increase airflow, keeping your cats cool as they sleep. Other summertime sleep options include cooling beds that incorporate special cooling gel into the beds’ construction.
If your cats have longer fur and can’t seem to get comfortable with those options, you can purchase an elevated bed with a gel cooling mat — the best of both worlds!
Elevated beds with cooling gel give your cat the ultimate in cool.
Groom your cat frequently
Most cats love a good brushing. In the hot summer, it’s even more essential to keep their coats free from tangles and maintain proper circulation in the skin underneath. Since cats don’t enjoy the benefit of many sweat glands to cool them down naturally, you might even consider slightly dampening the bristles on the brush or stroking your cats with a damp washcloth to cool them down.
Finally, check cars and sheds for cats or other pets before leaving
Cats love to sneak inside doors and windows to find a place to take a nap or even hunt. Every cat owner has marvelled at how adept they are at getting into — and hiding inside — enclosed spaces without anyone noticing.
If you’ve been working out of your garden shed or other poorly ventilated areas around your home, do a quick check for any cats or other small animals before you shut the door and windows.
It’s even more important to check your vehicle for cats if you’ve left the windows open to cool it down. It's extremely dangerous for animals to be left inside a car, even on mildly warm days.
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