My two cats are home alone (together) all day.

How warm can I set the thermostat for them while I'm out of the apartment?

If possible, I'd like to save money, and not cool an apartment all day, unless the cats really need it.

Right now I set it around 70 degrees, which seems to please them, but causes me to have unusually high gas/electric bills. How high might I be able to set it without causing them any discomfort or harm?

When we use the AC, I keep mine set at 80-85 degrees, depending on how hot it is outside. With the ceiling fan on it never feels too warm. I figure if I can be comfortable in that temperature the cats certainly can, as their body temperature is about 101 degrees.

I set mine to 78 when I'm not home - they seem to eat ok at that temperature. I've got a friend who sets hers at 83 and hers seem fine as well.

I have no a/c. The windows are open and fans are on, thats about it. I live on the third floor of an apartment but get a good breeze. So far everyone has been fine. I've done it a few years in a row. I just watch them to make sure they don't get sick. They seem to tolerate the heat very well. On really sweltering days I put down ice cubes in a dish and they love batting them with their paws which cools them down.

You can keep the a/c down really low in my opinion. They should be fine. :)

when i'm not home, i keep my a/c on 85, & the heat [when it's winter] is on 60. there are plenty of snuggly places for them to go if they're cold. since they lay there even in summer, i don't think that 85 is too warm, either!

I rarely run my a/c, even with weeks of temps in the 100's that we get in summer the cats would much rather lay in the sun than be in a room with a/c.

I set mine to 78 when I'm not home - they seem to eat ok at that temperature. I've got a friend who sets hers at 83 and hers seem fine as well.

:yeah:
Right now it's set to 78 but I guess it's a little low for her.
Ku Ku meows a lot when AC starts kicking, as if saying "mommy I'm freezing!!". I always have to turn it off when she does that... :sweat:

I'd usually set it to a little higher(approx. 80) when I'm out and she's totally fine with it. :)

We set our thermostat to 85 during the day in warm weather too.

Thanks for answering my question. I guess though my cats are "chill," they don't have to be "chilled".

I wish I had posted this earlier in the year. I'd have saved myself a lot of money in utility bills...money that could otherwise have bought more cat toys!

...money that could otherwise have bought more cat toys!


:lol3: either way, it goes to the cats!

My kitties don't seem to mind my turning the thermostat up to 85 deg F when I'm away for the day.

I'm curious about how they'll handle the upcoming winter, when I turn it down to 55 deg F.

My ACs don't even kick on until the trailer reaches 90 degrees and everyone seems very comfortable, even the dog.
I can tell you though, after a power outage that 110 is about where the cat started getting over heated, this was without any fans though, so that may have made the difference.

The outside cat I am caring for starts panting at around 110-120.
If you have no other pets in the apartment, you can keep it quite warm (85-90) and the cats won't be uncomfortable as long as the air is moving.
Cats handle the heat far better than other pets do.