Do You Know How to Keep Your Cat Cool on Summer Day?
Do You Know How to Keep Your Cat Cool on Summer Day? Our cats suffer a rise in temperature in various ways, some of which can even be life-threatening. For this reason, we provide you with six tips to keep your cat cool on a summer day and counteract the effects of overheating.
Number 1: Maintain a suitable ambient temperature
Maintain a suitable ambient temperature to avoid excessive heat. We should ideally keep the cat comfortable in an area with an optimal ambient temperature. This should be in the range of between 16 and 23 degrees celsius. Or 62 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. If we have them available we can use air conditioning or fans. If there is strong sunlight we can lower the blinds and allow air to enter by cracking the window. Although we shouldn’t open them fully.
Number 2: Keep them hydrated
To maintain proper hydration we need to encourage our cat to drink more fluid. We can add wet food to their diet. If we don’t use it already. You can even add cat suitable broth to their dry food. We need to encourage water consumption. So using cat fountains which keep water flowing is a good idea. If we only have one water dish, we need to ensure. It’s maintained with clean fresh water at all times during the hottest times. We should replenish the water a couple of times a day. We could also add ice cubes to the water dish to ensure the water is palatable but not excessively cold.
Number 3: Avoid access to the outside
In the hottest hours of the hottest months of the year. It’s important that our cats do not leave the house when temperatures are high. There’s a high risk of heatstroke. Even if the cat is used to going outside. We will be doing them a favor to keep them somewhere. They can better maintain health.
Number 4: Moisten some parts of their body
When the temperatures are very high, we can moisten the body of our cat in certain areas. We should not completely wet them or submerge them in a pool or bathtub. This will cause them significant stress and increase their body temperature even more. Therefore we have to limit ourselves to moistening the face, neck, back, and surface between the legs to keep them cool.
Number 5: Take care of their fur
Long-haired cats or short-haired cats with dense coats will suffer more during periods of heat. That’s why they should be brushed frequently to help remove dead hair that is not yet shed. Regular brushing will make them feel less heavy and help to stay fresh.
Number 6: Maintain an ideal weight
Being overweight and obese are triggers and risk factors for several feline endocrine and organic pathologies. As well as predisposing them to heatstroke and hyperthermia. Here we discuss the symptoms and first aid of heatstroke in cats. Overweight cats have a larger layer of fat that acts as an insulator maintaining body heat. Cats with excess kilos will suffer the consequences of high temperatures to a greater degree. To keep your cat in shape you must offer them a quality diet and encourage them to do physical activity.