5 Expert Tips to Keep Your Cat Cool and Comfortable This Summer

Short coat or long, your cat feels the summer heat and needs relief from the rising temperature. Ensure your kitty doesn’t overheat with these tips to keep her cool this summer.

Summer is always a difficult time to be a pet owner. Your cat can’t exactly tell you “Hey human, I’m hot – can you toss me a cold one?” That’s why you often spend a lot of time trying to gauge her reaction. And with a black cat, it’s even worse.

When the temperature starts to rise, make sure your kitty stays comfortable. Here are five ways to keep your cat cool this summer.

1. Hydration: Helping your cat stay cool this summer starts by helping your cat stay hydrated. Make sure there are lots of water dishes available to your cat. Place them in shaded, but well trafficked areas away from your cat’s food.

2. Ice Water: Think of this tip as a slow release solution. One of the water bowls is my frozen ice bowl. Every night I fill up this plastic bowl, put it in the freezer, and let it freeze overnight. Then, in the morning, I take it out and let it melt throughout the day.
3. Shaded Area: Make sure that at least one of your cat’s beds in located in a shaded area. That’s the best way to encourage her to stay out of the sun. An extra fan or two blowing in her general direction will help while she’s trying to take a nap.

4. Cooling Mats: On especially hot days, make sure that the bed stays cool. Sometimes that means putting some ice under it – place some ice cubes in a Ziploc bag and place in under your cat’s mat, blanket or pillow. There are several amazing cooling mats made just for pets on the market. A good cooling mat doesn’t really feel cool to the touch, but it absorbs your cat’s body heat, and then lets it dissipate in the environment.
5. Daily Brushing: Another great tip is to brush cat daily. Even if you have a short hair cat, she’ll benefit from a daily brushing. By keeping her hair sleek and well maintained, your cat will really feel the breeze.

As a final note to all you worried cat parents out there, let me assure you two things: your cat probably wouldn’t suffer in silence, and she would definitely let you know she was uncomfortable, even if it wasn’t through loud yowls. The three clearest signs of overheating are dilated pupils, yowling, and vomiting, so keep an eye out for those symptoms.