Keeping your Cat Cool in the Summer Heat

Summertime is when you see your cat grooming itself more than often. This is a technique cats use to cool down. With a change in temperature comes a change in care. Here are tips to allow your cat to prevent dehydration and heat stroke in the summer heat and to keep your cats safe for a PURR-fect summer:

Put a few ice cubes in their water bowl to ensure that the water is continuously cold and change the bowl frequently to avoid the growth of bacteria.
Keep your house cool. Use fans or air-conditioners to get the temperature down, especially if you plan on leaving your cat in the house for large parts of the day.
Freeze water bottles! This is a simple task you can do to keep your kitty cool. By freezing water bottles, you can wrap them up in towels and lay next to your cat to cool them down.
Use SUNSCREEN if your pet is outside! All pets can get sunburned. Apply just a little pet-safe sunscreen to the cat’s ears and nose, a little sunscreen can go a long way.
If you open windows, make sure they have a secure screen to avoid an escape.
Keep activity to a minimum. Cats love to play and run around but it may be too exhausting on a hot summer day. Encourage your kitty to take it easy on high temperature days!
Ticks and mosquitoes are a big problem in summer months. Make sure you keep an updated preventative schedule to decrease tick infections and decrease the chance your cat can contract heartworms.

Do Not...

Leave your cat in a parked car! Even with the windows open it is still a heat chamber for animals and can be extremely dangerous!
Forget to leave fresh water for your cat.
Ignore signs of heat stroke! Signs include walking funny, panting, drooling, vomiting and red gums. Take your cat to your veterinarian ASAP if you notice these signs!