As a cat owner it is important for you to take extra precautions for your cat’s health during hot weather, otherwise, your cat may suffer from dehydration. Since your cat can’t tell you when it is feeling dehydrated, it is up to you to pay attention to your cat’s behavior and provide cooler living conditions if necessary to prevent overheating.
As the temperature outside rises, consider keeping your cat inside the house. Once a cat has become a pet, it doesn’t have the same coping skills as a stray cat. It’s up to you to provide a place for your cat to cool itself. A pet cat that has found a cool shade outdoors may not come home until after dark. Cement retains heat far too much and can cause injury to your cat’s sensitive paws or cause your cat to overheat.
If your cat travels in your car with you, never leave your cat in a parked car in the heat. The temperature in a closed car rises extremely rapidly in the heat. It can be harmful or even deadly to your cat.
Even when you try to park in the shade to prevent your car from heating up, as the sun moves throughout the day. The heat travels from hot areas to cold areas. Dogs can sometimes alert passers-by that they are in discomfort, but a cat is unable to do that and may die in as little as fifteen minutes. Always get your cat out of the car with you when you park.
Groom your cat to keep its fur short to help keep it cool. A good combing will remove shed fur that is hanging on adding a layer of heat insulation. Long-haired cats, like Persians and Siberians, almost leave you with no other option than providing a cooler environment.
Make sure your cat has access to clean water. Regardless of the season, it is important to allow your cat to stay well hydrated. Keep water cool by changing it a few times each day during hot weather. The goal is to keep your cat’s body temperature constant.
Tags: pets, cats, ragdollcats, catcare
