Sun and high temperatures are what awaits us for at least a couple of months.
Some people can become overwhelmed and suffer heat stroke, but they are not the only ones; cats also have a hard time in these summer months.
For this reason, we must help our cat during the hot months and introduce certain changes into our daily routines so that this summer season passes as well as possible. During this past season we have stayed at home throughout the day, but now that we can go outside, we must control our pet and take care of it more than ever.
Do cats sweat?
Cats do not have sweat glands throughout their bodies, which means that they are concentrated in their pads, chin, lips, or armpits and therefore can only remove excess heat through those glands and through their breathing.
Although cats cannot sweat like we do, they can regulate their own temperature. Even so, we advise to be aware of your pet and control that it does not hyperventilate.
How to spot heat stroke in cats
Detecting heat stroke in cats is very simple, just look at the behavior of our feline.
When a cat has a heat stroke it begins to hyperventilate, which results in many gasps and shortness of breath. Whenever we see these symptoms we must urgently refresh our cat to prevent it from going further.
If you notice that it also has a rare color in its mucous or vomiting, it is better to go to a vet to hydrate and alleviate the symptoms that can be very dangerous.
Tips to help your cat during the summer
We are going to show you some necessary tips to help your kitties to cope with so much heat.
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Fresh Water
We must control that our cat drinks enough water throughout the year, but certainly in summer this intake is more important.
As we said in previous articles on “Things Needed for a Kitten to Come Home“, the water should be kept fresh at all times to avoid being rejected. It is convenient to change it regularly as it will be a great ally of our cat to combat heat.
In the event that we have to leave the house for several hours, it is better to add some ice to the water so that it stays cold for a longer time. It is preferable to add it in a separate drinker, and simply leave another with water, since if it is too cold the cat could refuse to drink.
If your cat has problems drinking water, we leave you an article in which we offer several recommendations in this regard.
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Maintain a cool environment protected from the sun
Whether the cat has access to the outside or is going to stay inside the house, it is very necessary that it have a cold place away from the sun’s rays to be able to rest and relax during the day.
If your pet is going to stay on a terrace or balcony, this advice is doubly important, since a cat that constantly stays outdoors without shadows and without water can suffer from heat stroke.
Just as you keep your home cold and the environment pleasant to you, that will do well for your pet.
Preventing light from entering during the hottest hours of the day by lowering the blinds or a small source of fresh air, whether it be a fan or air conditioning, will contribute to the well-being of the cat; always taking care that it do not hit it directly and that it has the opportunity to walk away if it want.
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Check and do a good brushing.
People put on or take off clothes in different months of the year to cope with the low or high temperatures, but the cats maintain their fur throughout the year.
It’s completely normal for cats to shed more hair during the summer months, so a daily brushing can help them during the process.
In addition, it would be ideal for our pet to get used to this care routine from a young age, in this way they will take it as a pleasant moment with their family and even claim it.
Not only brushing helps them lower their body temperature, running a towel or our hand dipped in cold water over the head and body will help you feel fresh and relaxed.
We know that most cats do not like water at all, but this advice will be very helpful if you see that your feline is hyperventilating more than necessary.
Do not wet the towel or hand too much to avoid that the result is just the opposite of what was expected.
Another option is to leave a cool, wet towel on the floor and let the cat itself come over to cool off. If you want to do this, you can always leave a basin with a little fresh water for the cat to wet the pads if needed.
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Prevent your cat from exercising during the hottest hours
We recommend that your pet reserve its activity for the first hours of the morning or the last hours of the afternoon when temperatures are lowest.
If we play with them in these time zones they will get used to it and thus we will prevent them from being more active at noon.
It will also help lower your energy level and let you sleep without interruption at night.
In conclusion, we must always be aware of the care of our pet’s needs, but even more so during the hot summer months. It is important that we take all these tips to the letter to avoid possible problems in our kitten.
If you have still wanted to know more about cats and their needs, we have a blog in which we write about all kinds of topics and give advice for a life with our cat, as pleasant and calm as possible.