With the warmer months approaching (and in some cases, already here), it is important to consider our furry friends. Cats, like humans, can run the risk of dehydration and can even develop heat stroke (learn more about how to identify heat illness in your cat here).
But fear not! There are plenty of ways to ensure that your cat is safe and healthy in the heat!
Hydration
Ensuring proper hydration is one of the easiest ways to keep your cat safe. However, cats are notorious for not drinking water. Some tips that might help:
- Provide them with running water. If your cat likes jumping on the kitchen or bathroom counter and drinking out of the faucet, they may prefer running water over still. This isn’t just a cute habit (or annoying, depending on the situation), it is instinctual. Cats in the wild prefer running water because still water harbors bacteria. Domesticated cats seem to have the same instincts passed down. They don’t understand that they live a cushy life with filtered water to drink! A fountain might be a good way to entice them to drink water. There are many fountains out there, I have tried many of them, and my favorite is this one stainless steel one by Petlibro. Is it crazy to admit that I am obsessed with a water fountain? The reason why I love this so much is because it connects to an app and notifies you when your cat drinks water and how much water they drank. It keeps these notifications in a log so you can see exactly how much water your cat is consuming, giving you more insight and control over their health.
- Give them multiple options. Place bowls of clean water in various places around the house and outdoors (if your cat ventures outdoors). Having water always accessible gives your cats plenty of opportunities to hydrate throughout the day.
- Move bowl(s) away from litter and food. Cats are very clean animals, and referring back to the point about them not liking still water since it harbors bacteria, cats tend to not like to drink water close to where they eat or use the bathroom due to a risk of cross contamination.
Cool Enrichment
Creating some icy enrichment activities are an easy and effective way of keeping your cat cool during the summer.
- Freezing treats. There are a few different methods you can use for this. You can mix some tuna with water or stock (make sure it is low sodium!) and put the mixture into an ice cube tray, putting plain stock into ice cubes, or freezing some Churro treats. These become tasty treats that cool your kitty and give them something to work through, providing them some much needed enrichment.
- Playing with ice cubes. Some cats love to play with ice cubes! If you don’t mind your floors getting a bit wet, drop some ice cubes on a hard surface and watch the fun begin! Cats love to chase them and, because they’re so slippery, are hard to catch. If you don’t want your floors getting too wet, you can put a baking sheet on the floor (on a towel) and toss some ice cubes down. Optionally, you could fill the baking sheet about halfway so the ice cubes slide a bit more. You would also use the ice cubes you made in the previous point! Not only will your cat have fun chasing the ice cubes, they may drink some of the water, lick the ice cubes, or at minimum get their paws wet and lick the water off. Cats lose heat through their paws, so this is very effective in cooling them.
Cooling Their Environment
- Provide them shade. Cats like to avoid the warm areas and find shady ones. They may avoid their usual sunbeams and plush, cozy beds when the weather is hot out. Move their beds away from windows when the sun is the hottest (perhaps next to the AC vent). You could also provide them with some dark hiding spots to escape the heat like tunnels or pet houses
- Set out cooling mats. Cooling mats can be enticing to a warm kitty. There are fun ones on Amazon (like this one or this one– so cute!) or you an go with a DIY option of wrapping ice packs in a towel.
Grooming
- Consistent grooming of your cat will help keep them cool, as it removes the dead fur and skin cells that can trap heat. Some cats may also be shedding their thicker winter coats and will welcome the removal of extra weight and insulation.
Your cat will appreciate any break from the warm weather. If you find that your cat is acting differently or displaying any signs of dehydration or heat illness (collapse, excessive panting, drooling, vomiting, or diarrhea), work on cooling them down immediately and contact your vet for further instructions.