Thankfully, making felines comfortable during the hottest months of the year is simple, and your kitty will appreciate your efforts to make sure they stay the cool cats they are at heart. Water is not only refreshing—it helps cats sweat. Just like dogs, felines only sweat through their paw pads; but unlike pooches, cats lick their feet to stimulate sweating and cooling, which is why they need to drink more than usual when it’s hot out. And although a cat’s risk of succumbing to heat stroke is lower than that of their canine counterparts, it can still happen. If your cat refuses to come home and has found a place to hide in, say, a tree or shed, make sure you check on them regularly and keep fresh water available to them at all times. If you live in a particularly hot area, clipping your cat’s hair—even just the fur around their bellies—can be a good next step to keep them comfortable. But unless you’re a professional animal groomer, never clip your cat’s hair yourself. Your furball’s skin is delicate and can rip very easily, so one wrong cut can turn into a bloody trip to the vet. To maximize the effect, close your curtains, drapes, and blinds to let in as little sunlight as possible. If you don’t want to buy one, you can turn any bed or blanket into a cooling pad by freezing a bottle of water and wrapping a towel around it. Put it in your cat’s favorite spot and watch them chill. The towel must be thick enough that it’s comfortable for your pet and the pad isn’t too cold. To test this kind of DIY cooling device before you put in your cat’s favorite spot, hold it in your hand or keep it on your lap for a couple of minutes. You should feel a chill, but it shouldn’t be uncomfortable or feel like you’re putting an icepack on an injury. If it does, wrap the bottle in a bigger or fluffier towel, or wait until the ice has thawed a little. Keep in mind that condensation will eventually soak the towel and your cat’s bed, so having a second water bottle in the freezer to replace the first one before everything gets drenched is a good idea. If you want, you can also make your kitty some icy treats. Freeze some tuna brine or chicken broth in an ice cube tray or a popsicle mold, and serve it as a tribute to your feline overlord. Just make sure to put it inside a bowl or container so your entire place doesn’t reek of tuna for the foreseeable future. You can dab it on their pads, chin, underarms, and outside their ears, or you can gently stroke them with it. If your kitty doesn’t like the feeling of a wet cloth, you can produce a similar effect by wetting your hands and petting them. Needless to say, if your cat doesn’t like the towel or your wet hands, they’ll let you know. For their sake (and your safety) stop any attempt to cool your furball down if they start scratching or biting you. Some panting can be normal in hot weather, but you should worry the moment your cat starts doing it excessively and is clearly in distress. Other symptoms include drooling or salivating, vomiting, diarrhea, and agitation or lethargy. If you’re not sure if your cat is suffering from hyperthermia, it’s better to be safe than sorry, so contact a specialist as soon as possible.
