Keeping cats cool in hot weather

[Desley (booktigger)]

The other thing I do is only open one curtain in each room, so that they can have some shade.

[ChrisB]

Gizmo (persian) and Bubbles (half persian) really enjoy being sponged and come running over to me meowing as soon as they see it - they don't seem to care how wet they get and roll over so I can do their tummies too.

[blackcat]

the secret to the damp cloth approach is to make sure there are no drips. With no drips they don't realise they are getting wet ... trust me, it works. They think you are just giving them a bit of a stroked all over. Just don't make a big production out of it. Even the 'tossing them in the bath' approach I adopted when in Queensland worked, after the second drenching they were hanging around underfoot to be tossed in - really!

Oh, and for 'toss' read gently lowered ... I am not that brutal, 

[Christine (Blip)]

I'm getting worried as our top flat is right into the roof and gets very hot. Last 'summer' wasn't a problem. The hot summer before the boys were younger and healthier. I'm not sure they'd let me wipe them with a cool, damp cloth and also wouldn't that make them lick themselves and get more dehydrated doing so?

Blip doesn't lick herself afterwards - she seems to know instinctively just to let the dampness evaporate.  No less an authority than Wizz http://wizz-catz.co.uk/ endorsed the damp cloth idea when I first asked about it the summer before last  and it really seems to help Blip.

[Corporal Smokey]

Any tips for persians? He didn't have much hair on him when we got him last summer but now-although moulting like mad-he has quite a full coat. He seems ok but I worry what he'll be like if it gets any hotter.

[tigerbaby]

I wonder if Jameson would like the sponge idea, might try it out actually as he totally adores being outside and as soon as the sun is out he'll lounge in the garden and find a shady spot to snooze in. He doesn't seem bothered, but his fur is so thick he is bound to be a little too hot for his own good...

[hOrZa]

It a lot cooler here today still vewry warm but overcast with it so no worries about them for today

[swampmaxmum]

I'm getting worried as our top flat is right into the roof and gets very hot. Last 'summer' wasn't a problem. The hot summer before the boys were younger and healthier. I'm not sure they'd let me wipe them with a cool, damp cloth and also wouldn't that make them lick themselves and get more dehydrated doing so?

[Kirst]

Beavis is moving round the conservatory foloowing the sun but as he is mainly white he loves the sun , and he goes and lies under a chair if he gets too warm. he is not liking the sunblock on his nose tho!

Fredcat is snoozing under bushes in the shade mostly , he is a big black boy and he doesnt like it too hot!

[blackcat]

Too bad snuggle safe don't do a gizmo that you can freeze and give to the cats to snuggle.

You can get Kongs for dogs that you can fill with water and freeze in the freezer, they may work?

[Sabrina (Auferstehen)]

We've got a room with a conservatory roof that the cats love when its sunny.

They've got boxes etc to hide under when it gets too warm for them. The girls were in there this weekend while the boys were in the bedroom with the ceiling fan on.

Too bad snuggle safe don't do a gizmo that you can freeze and give to the cats to snuggle.

[Leanne]

When ours are in the garden (in their harnesses) Milo won't go in the sun at all and Jess will sit there for hours.

When indoors we're fairly lucky that our lounge is north facing so its very cool even in the hot weather so the boys have somewhere so cool down. I can't leave windows open when we're not there but I do leave the water fountain on

[Mark]

It's only our attic that gets really hot but the basement is freezinf in the winter. It's a blessing in the summer though 

If it gets too hot, I may have to rethink Alice's living arrangements 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I wish I had a hot house, mine is cooler than outside all the time ........what am I doing wrong LOl

[Desley (booktigger)]

Mine dont seem too bothered - Moses loves to be outside, but will only sit in the sun for a few minutes, she prefers to lie in the shade - I did take a bowl of water out this morning but no one was interested. Rolo and Rosie have been happy to play outside.

[Moggy73]

my 3 are all acting very different ..
Boris can't get enough of the sunshine and spends the day lounging in the sun or under the bushes cooling ..
Poosha is quite grumpy and sleeping beneath the bed in the spare room .. which is the coolest room in the house ..
Chicken .. out for the count all day on my bed !!

What a life !!

[hOrZa]

mine are all indoor they are certainly quieter  with the warm weather  but they feel much cooler than me

[blackcat]

having lived in hot climates, I would really only be concerned about indoor cats in these temperatures, as they have nowhere to go to get cool by themselves. Esther has spent much of the day lying under a bush in the shade on gravel which is on top of damp soil - the perfect natural coolant. But if you have indoor cats, then certainly consider keeping them damp - even wiping a damp cloth over their coats is good as it provides an evaporative surface which cools them down with a light breeze. When temps got past the mid 30s I used to toss mine in the bath and drench them right through. Mind, that bath had a fixed glass panel all along the side, so escape was impossible  Wouldn't like to try it with the current bath 

[Mark]

I am a bit concerned about Alice as she lives in the attic - not like a loft space. It is a proper room + an ensuite that would have been the maids room atone time. Anyway, it gets very hot up there. There is a window at the front but I am worried about opening as I think the noise will scare her. At the back there is a velux that I keep open but with the blind down. There is a casement window in the bathroom. I have tried to open it a bit to get a breeze but can't seem to fix it securely. I am scared that she will jump onto the ldge at push it open and fall (30+feet  ) I haven't even seen her jump onto a chair but can't take any chances. I do need to sort something out before the temperatures really soar.

[koscha (Ruth M)]

Have got my eye on my 3. They're not particulary active ATM in this weather. I've had to cool cats down in hot weather before (kittens are a real doozy for getting too warm with all thier chasing around  ).
That reminds me, where did I put the icecube trays??? 

[hOrZa]

theres no way two of mine are going to let me wet them they are using the fan though

[Christine (Blip)]

Just for the benefit of any new cat owners, please keep an eye on your cats in this hot weather.  They can - and do - get heatstroke.

I keep Blip cool by gently sponging her down with lukewarm / cool water.  She loves this.  We also use an electric fan in the house and put Blips bed in a shady spot in the garden during the day, but the wet sponge tip is worth passing on, I think.

In fact, I use two sheets of good quality kitchen paper - ideal.