Cats and the Hot Weather

[Eastender]

Hi I know the cats fur is supposed to keep their tempreture cool in hot weather and vice versa in the cold. But due to the extreme heat they do look sorry for themselves, anything cat owners can help do in this extreme heat they don't seem to be even eating as per normal. Thanks

[smudge]

All the cats we've had, including our dear Smudge, used to go off their food on very hot days too - most cats do.

They will usually find themselves a nice cool place to sleep & will eat when they're ready, so don't worry too much Eastender!

Also, none of our cats like fans & would run a mile, so that one didn't work!

[WendyS]

We have had two black cats over the years, both of whom suffered terribly in hot weather as the colour black tends to attract the heeat. I used to gently towel mine down with a very damp cloth, leaving their fur slightly wet. The evaporation of the moisture has a cooling effect, and once they got used to the idea, they were happy to let me do it. On hot days, it also used to make grooming less of a physical effort for them.

[tinkertontom]

try giveing them an extra grooming with a cat comb, because they are moulting this time of year you'll be supprised how much loose fur you can get out and they will feel so much better for it

[smudge]

Unfortunately, we haven't got a cat now & I do miss doing that tinkertom - it's so therapeutic for cat & owner!

[annavc]

I just wanted to thank Eastender for asking this question as I was about to ask a very similar one when it appeared!

This is the first summer I've had my cat and he has very long hair. He spent most of yesterday lying flat out on his back trying to cool his tummy off with an expression on his face of "just too hot to move". He also hasn't been eating much.

[alfiebrady]

Well, the fur-cooling thing isn't working for mine (how does that work?). He was up out of his normal sleeping place and shifting around all night, so I had to rig up a platform for him (a thin board on legs) which he seemed happier on.

[Litchick]

You could also try putting some ice cubes in the water dish.

[NACL]

can you keep your kitty inside?

[zee]

I had a long hair cat once and when it got hot I just decided to have the cat groomed "shaved". He had short hair now and was cooler, though I think he was kinda embarrassed by how he looked!!! But he was cool!! Try it.

[feliciacats]

when i notice my cats really feeling the heat (i don't have
an air conditioner) the best thing i have found to do to cool them is to fill the bathtub with about 6 or 8 inches of semi cool water and first put the kittys feet in (most likely they will try to keep at least one foot out)... until they realize how nice it feels. Then i slowly and gently push down on their back to let the belly feel the cool water. Usually by then the cat understands that this is not a torture trick but a wonderfully cooling effect. try it - it has always worked for my babies. The other thing it will do is to rehydraite them since they will be licking their fur till it almost dries.