How Can You Keep Your Cat Cool in Summer?

*Collaborative Post

Cats, similar to other domestic animals, are susceptible to warm weather and it’s not only the pets with longer fur need that special care during the hot months. And you might think that cats are descendants of desert felines, which is very true, but they have evolved a lot since then, and your domestic cat cannot handle the heat the same way now. Keep reading to find some tips on how to keep your furry friend cool in the summer. 

1. Use cat-friendly sun cream

You might, in the beginning, be amazed that there is even something like that, but there are indeed sun creams that are pet friendly. Cats can suffer from sunburn, and since they don’t understand how to react, they can end up scratching themselves and making it even worse. You don’t have to apply the sun scream in areas that are well protected with fur, but the ones that are not, like nose, ears, belly, lips, will benefit from that extra care. 

2. Don’t neglect hydration

Cats don’t drink as much water as dogs, but staying hydrated is essential for them as well. Cats get most of the water they need from their food, so giving them wet food is important, but it doesn’t mean they won’t need additional water. Providing them access to a source with clean, cool water is something you should definitely do. 

It might not be that easy to make your cat drink water, but there are some tricks to encourage them. One of them is getting them a cat water fountain made of stainless steel. Cats love moving water, and you might have seen that they sometimes want to drink water directly from the tap, so a cat fountain is a perfect solution. Your pet will be kept amused, and this will encourage them to drink more water. Another thing you can try is putting a bit of chicken broth in the water or the source from a tuna can.

3. Move their bed in the shades

Cats love to lay in the sun, but this is not recommended in the hot summer months when the sun is too intense. If your pet’s bed is in a sunny place, it would be better for you to move it for the hot season. So putting the bed in a more shady spot would be perfect if it is a bit elevated off the ground which will improve the airflow. The bed should be light and made from breathable materials. You can even try putting a cooling mat under the bed pillow.

4. Take care of grooming

Cats are taking care of grooming mostly by themselves. In the summer, you might even notice they are doing it even more often. Don’t be alarmed by that, this is a way for them to cool themselves. You can help them by grooming them more regularly as well. Make it a habit to groom your cat once a day to help it get rid of some dead hair. 

This is especially important for long-haired breeds. If your cat is not enjoying this in the beginning, try to make it a game for them or do it while they eat or are calm and falling asleep. Try with different combs and brushes until you find the most useful one that your cat will like as well.

5. Don’t leave food outside

Leaving your cat’s food outside is not a good idea in the hot months. It can get bad quite quickly, and if your cat eats it, it might get sick and not feel fine. Many bacterias like the warm weather and also bugs such as flies can crawl on it. So, if your cat is not eating their whole portion of wet food at once, better put it in the fridge and take it out again a couple of hours later and offer it to your pet.

6. Try to keep your home cool

Well, this might be obvious, and you probably do it for yourself as well, but this will help your cat enormously. You can do it with air conditioning, but don’t put your pet’s bed exactly in front of the cool air stream. Also, don’t set the temperature too low because your cat might actually get chilly. Another tip is not to stop the fans or air conditioning when you are going out of the house. If you do so, your place will get again warm, and the quick change of temperature is even worse for your pet.

Wrapping up

Taking care of your cat in the hot months is crucial. Do everything you can to keep your cat cool and provide them a shady place for their bed and cold water, and everything else. Your furry best friend will be more than grateful. 

*This is a collaborative post. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.