Australia is melting....I need help for my cat!

satan

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The 8th +35 degree day over the space of 3 weeks is melting Australia and I want to try to help my cat. Would it be safe to mix a tiny bit of horse or greyhound liquid electrolyte in his water? His heart rate is very very fast and I can see he's struggling to cope with his first summer. Is their anything available in OZ to get for rehydrating cats?
Ta, for any suggestions at all.
 

sar

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I don't know about products over there in Aus, but I would recommend that you try to encourage your cat to drink!

You can buy cat fountains (as many cats prefer to drink moving water) such as the Drinkwell, Freshflow and CatIt. You might also want to add a small ammount of tuna juice to his water.

Feeding wet food also helps to keep them hydrated, but I guess with such high temperatures, you'll have to feed very small portions often!

I found a good way to help my cats stay cool last summer (not quite as hot as yours, but hot for us!) was to buy marble chopping boards - I put them in the freezer on the very hot days and lay them around the house. All my cats would lie on or near them to stay cool
 

neetanddave

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On really hot days, mine don't seem to mine being wetted down so it cools their sking. I would use the mister to give them a light coat of water, and it would cool them as it was absorbed through the fur to the skin.
 

mooficat

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If you have a fan, put some water & ice in front of the draught, hopefully kitty might sit in front of the cooling air (as ever be careful with water & electric) If you are worried about electric & water, then just use fans dotted about the house.

keep your shutters / curtains closed, that can help keep the temp down in a house
Sorry if you already do these things, just a thought from another hot country
 
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satan

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thanks guys! all great suggestions, thanks heaps.
 

tuxedokitties

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If he seems to be behaving abnormally, or seems overheated, please get him to the vet ASAP.

Originally Posted by Mom of 4

We freeze some water in large plastic coke bottles. The critters will drape themselves over them or lay down next to them. Only fill them 3/4 full or they will expand too much.
That's a good idea.

There's also a cool mat called a 'canine cooler' that is very nice for cooling off, and the cooling lasts a long time. Just tell the cat it's a 'feline cooler'


canine cooler
cool bed II

(warning-they aren't puncture-proof, so you'd probably want to trim the cat's claws or put on soft paws if he's an indoor-only cat)

They're US products, but perhaps you could find a similar Australian product, or order online?

A couple of Australian sites:

CoolChampionsâ„¢ K9 Cooling Mat

Heat Relief
 
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