With heatwaves becoming more and more common many of us will want to know how to keep cats cool during the warmer months. Here are some tips to keep your furry friends cooler and more comfortable when the temperatures hit a high.
Water
Hydration is essential, especially when it is warm. Provide extra water around the house and garden for them to sip from. If you have a reluctant drinker or want to make drinking more exciting, try popping some glasses and mugs of water around as well as the conventional bowls to allow for discovery. Many cats like to ‘find’ their water, so they will enjoy drinking from a human-type container over a bowl. Water fountains are also a great way to help encourage drinking, as many cats like moving water. Having tried a few fountains, mine all really like the CatIt Pixie.
Blocking out the sun
This tip helps us humans too! Blocking out the sunshine from your home, by closing windows, curtains and blinds, will help keep the solar heat out of your house and keep it cooler. Opening the windows (see window guards) in the evening when the temperature drops will help bring in cooler air to keep the temperature more ambient in the home.
Window guards
Keeping kitty in and bugs out is a great way to enable you to open your windows throughout the year, especially in the summer months. You can buy window covers made from fly mesh and attached with velcro, which do an excellent job (Flat Cats). I make my own and offer the service to my clients too.
Wetting down
When it is scorching, and I have a variety of floppy cats in my house, I will dampen down their fur to help them to stay cool. I wet a microfibre cloth or towel, squeeze the excess, and stroke the cats. They have started enjoying it and will come when I get the cloth, so while they might complain at first, it helps.
Cooled treats
I have had varying success with frozen Lick-e-Lix and pate ice cubes. Some cats have enjoyed them, and others have looked at me like I have served them some rocks! Freezing a tube of Lick-e-Lix and serving it like a lolly is enjoyed by some cats and is worth a try with your kitty if they will take it.
Cool mats
While these have varying success levels, they work well to keep your cats cool. They contain a gel-like substance that absorbs thermal energy making the temperature cooler. Most of my cats, and the ones I look after, aren’t keen on the texture of the mats, so a pillowcase or towel over the top can make them more attractive and encourage use.
Tiled floor or marble
If your cats have access to a tiled floor, they will likely be able to find a nice cool spot to splay out on. If you don’t have a tile floor, you can buy marble chopping boards in most supermarkets which offer a nice cold place for your kitty to lie. I have popped a marble chopping board in the fridge to make it cool during the hot months.
Fans
Get the fans on! They might be pretty scary for your cat initially, so starting on a gently low setting is worth getting used to the sound, movement and airflow. You can then increase it slowly so as not to cause stress.
Monitor your cat
The most important thing during heat waves is to keep an eye on your cat. If they are showing signs of becoming unwell, they need a vet visit.
Signs of heatstroke in cats
Older cats and kittens are more prone to heatstroke, but it can happen to any cat, even on a cloudy day!
Things to look out for:
Panting
Restlessness
Fast breathing
Lethargy
Sweaty paws
Vomiting and diarrhoea
Disorientation, confusion or wobbling when walking
Collapse
Tremours of seizures
Call your vet immediately for advice and an appointment if you notice these symptoms.
And while we can do our best to keep our kitties cool, don’t be surprised if they snub all of your efforts in favour of the sunniest windowsills – my black cat, Noir, is terrible for this one!
Do you have any tips for how to keep cats cool in a heatwave? Let me know yours in the comments.
