Read time: 5 mins
The sun is out. The birds are chirping. The sun cream has made it’s way out of storage. We’re sweating before we’ve even ordered our first iced latte of the day, so honestly how the fluff bags are coping in a full fur coat we’ll never know.
Cats being cats do seem to take the sun in their stride, and continue to laze the days away basking in the golden hour rays despite the extreme heat wave.
So we asked you, oh epic clan of cat people, how do your cats cope and keep cool during this steamy summer?
Unsurprisingly, a whopping 70% of you said your cats opt to venture outside more so in the summer. Sneaking out for a snooze in the sunshine is top of the list for most of our fur friends, but making sure they do so safely is essential. The big summer contradiction – hydration is key and cats can be pretty weird about water at the best of times. Insist on some shade between sunbathing sessions and read on for tips on keeping them feeling fresh. Most of you did notice your kitties taking more regular refreshment breaks at their water bowls, so though keeping fresh water topped up and available at all times is a must all year round, it’s especially important in the summer heat.
Though they have been spotted taking extra licks from the hydration station, our little ones seem to prefer a liquid lunch over the summer (don’t we all), with 58% of you noticing your mogs munching less at dinner time. A good tip to ensure they’re eating enough as well as keeping water levels tip top is to consider feeding more wet food during the summer. Wet food has a higher moisture content than dry food and will help keep your cat hydrated as well as their tums full. Dotting extra water stations around your house and outside in their favourite spots, as well as creating some homemade frozen snacks to add to your cats food bowl and entice them to eat, are some other top tips from our citizens to keep your cats as cool as possible.
Here’s some we think you might enjoy:
- Freeze some cat milk into cubes for them to enjoy
- Freeze some Lickylix for a quick DIY ice lolly
Getting through the summer in a full fur coat must be borderline unbearable. And whilst our little fur babies seem to do pretty well with the cards (and coats) they’ve been dealt, there are some ways we can help them get through shedding season. Loads of you noticed a whole lot more shedding in the summer – cat hair really does get everywhere. Keeping on top of brushing and grooming on the daily and ridding them of their flyaway floof will give them the best opportunity to keep as cool as possible.
Although not many of you have reported trying them, another great solution to keeping temperatures down is the cool mat. Convincing your cat to lie on it will be half the battle, but cooling mats are a super simple way to help them chill, especially if your home is a little too toasty. They help disperse heat from your cat’s body and stop them from getting all hot and bothered after intense sunbathing stints. You can mimic this with a water-soaked towel that you stow in the freezer for a while too. Again, best of luck getting them to settle down for a snooze on it.
If your cat is a sun worshipper, along with lots of you, we were surprised to discover cat-safe sunscreen. Almost three quarters of you had never heard of the stuff, and barely any of you had actually bought it, so what’s the deal? Cat-safe sunscreen – although seemingly unpopular – could actually save you a trip to the vets and plenty of cash in the long run. Despite being covered in hair, cats too can feel the effects of the sunrays if they’re exposed for too long without protection. So whilst they do look super adorable sprawled out in the sunshine, they can be at risk – especially those felines with white, thin or no fur at all! Areas that are most exposed are where you should apply, ears, nose and tummy. Whilst it may seem ridiculous applying SPF to your favourite feline, too much sun exposure to these areas with no protection can unfortunately lead to skin cancer, so think of the greater good and take your own precautions against those unimpressed claws when you’re lathering them up.
Although watching them snooze away in the sun for hours on end is adorable, it’s super important to know and understand the signs of heatstroke in cats and when enough sunbathing is enough. If you notice some of the following in your cat after a stint in the sun, we recommend getting in touch with your vet asap – unsteadiness, vomiting, drooling, panting, low energy, diarrhoea or collapse. These are all the tell tale signs of heatstroke and are not to be ignored. Keep a close eye on your sun worshipper, and know when to call time on the sunshine.
Our favourite stat from our summer survey was knowing that the majority of your kittens stay super happy all year round, whatever the weather. Happy cats, happy cat people.
