Summer heat and my cat

'ello all!

As of yesterday, the summer heat and humidity hit us hard.

I don't have central air unfortunately, and I really suffered, as I'm sure my cat has. She also has long hair to add this to the mix.

What, if anything, should I be concerned about with the heat and my kitty?
If it is truly unbearable, I will leave the AC on all day for her...but it makes me nervous to leave the wall unit on if I am not home all day.

Yesterday she acted normal..with a bout of lethargy at one point only.

She is an indoor cat only.

When it gets oppressively hot here, I have a small kiddie's wading pool. I put a little bit of water in the pool, enough to just get their feet wet, and I feed the cats inside the pool. At first they are hesitant to get wet, but it is only a little bit of water, and after awhile, they lay in it and play in it.

Another trick is to get a block of ice, and set it in a very large flat bowl- like the type you put grain in for livestock. Set the ice on the floor, turn a small fan on so it blows across the block of ice and directs cooler air to your cat-

Leave a little bit of water in your sinks and bathtubs and if you have direct sunlight streaming in your windows, buy some potted plants that are non toxic to put in the window and create shade for your kitty.

If your cat is pure white, put sunblock on her nose and ears so she doesn't get exposed to possible skin cancer.

Make sure that you have fresh cool water down at all times in several locations throughout your home, and wipe down your cat frequently with a damp cool cloth

Why are you nervous leaving the window A/C on? Yes, it's going to use a lot of electricity. But as far as appliances go, refrigeration units are about as safe as they come. So long as you don't have it plugged into an overloaded AC outlet, there's really very little risk.

I'm also worried about my cat through the summer. I don't have any air-conditioning. I like the small pool and ice ideas though! I was also thinking of putting ice cubes in her water before leaving in the morning to keep it cool through the day.

I dont like leaving anything on really. Call me quirky

I do the ice cubes in her water before I leave - she plays with them though.

How hot is too hot? And when is it dangerous?

It was in the 90's here yesterday and Harvey spent the whole afternoon sleeping. He at one point got down on the floor in front of the fan. Princess layed in the middle of our bed all day in there I had a fan in the window and it was blowing on her.

If it is opressively hot inside your apartment, leave the AC on- either that or you risk your cat getting heat exposure and that isn't pretty. Then it will be an emergency run to the vet if you get there in time that is.

I'm going through the first summer with cats. I've noticed since the onset of hot weather, that they've starting snoozing in different spots than before. I think last winter they sought out warm places to snooze, and now they seek out places that are cool or have fresh, moving air.

I think it depends on your home, and how hot it gets inside. If you are comfortable on the weekends with just a fan blowing, that is enough. They do not have to be kept at 70 degrees, but cannot be left to overheat.

If you have the air conditioner on all night, how cool is your apartment when you get home from work? Do you have a cool basement or other place where kitty can go? Can you leave a window open for a cool breeze? Or is it like my house, where it stays cooler inside if the windows are closed and the shades are pulled down all day.

Remember, if you leave a window open, cats can fall out through a screen or bust through the screen. Block the windows so they only open a small amount.

I love the ice cube ideas, too! Thanks Hissy, you're great!

I've read that you can freeze water in plastic bottles (like water bottles) and then leave them on the floor. If your cat is hot, she might curl around the bottle to cool down. But I've never tried it.

Moisture will condense on the frozen-water bottle and make the floor wet, so I'd recommend placing it on something, or wrapping it in a towel.

It's good that you posted about this because I was wondering about the same thing. It got unberable hot here a few days ago, no AC in our apartment, and since I wasn't feeling well I knew that Maya must not feel all that good either. I left water in the sink for her when I left and did notice that she was wet when I came home. I will have to try the ice cube as well.
How would I know if she got sick from the heat? would she vomit? or what are the signs?

That idea about the frozen water in the bottle sound like an excellent idea
Will have to try it this summer, might place it in a shallow dish to catch the drops though.
It gets soooooooo hot here compared to Akld,NZ.

My AC is broken (the repair guy is supposed to be out soon). I've been leaving the AC on, as it still circulates air and have been leaving on the ceiling fans. According to the thermastat it's about 90 in my apartment right now, but the kits and rabbit seem fine with the four fans I have going. I also leave the blinds closed during the day and put a fan in the window to suck air out during the day and pull air in at night. I've been putting ice cubes in their water bowls as well. The repair guy is supposed to come soon with some more freon, thank God! Leave on the AC, don't risk your cats' health. I always leave on the AC when I'm gone- there's no threat or danger there.