7 Tips How to Keep Your Cat Cool in Hot Summer Months

Learn how to keep your cat cool in the summer months with our top tips!

Hey, that is one cool cat! And we’re not talking about the saxophonist playing ‘Baker Street’ on the corner. You might be wondering how to keep your cat cool in the summer, and if there are any steps you can take or things you can buy to make your cat’s life a little more comfortable.

In this article, we will talk about how to tell if your cat is overheated and the steps you can take to keep your cat cool in the summer when temperatures rise. We’ll also be answering the question: How do cats keep themselves cool?

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How to Keep Your Cat Cool in Hot Weather

Cats can handle hot weather much as we do, and luckily, there’s plenty of sensible advice you can follow to help your cat beat the heat. These tips are primarily for indoor cats. But, if you are wondering how to keep outdoor cats cool in the hot weather, there is some overlap.

7 tips on how to keep your cat cool in the summer!

1. Move Your Cat’s Items to a Shady Location

Keeping your cat cool during the summer months starts by providing shade and cool areas for your cat.

It’s important to move your cat’s accessories and supplies to shadier areas in order to keep them cool.

Is their bed by a sunny window? Consider moving it, at least during the day. This gives your cat the option of moving themselves away from the source of the heat. Although you might find they want to bask on the windowsill regardless!

You can also achieve this by closing the curtains. However, if you decide to do this you may end up making the room even hotter.

In order to solve this, let’s look at air flow.

2. Use a Fan or AC to Help Keep Your Cat Cool

On those particularly punishing summer months, consider placing a fan in the room. A cool breeze will help remove any stifling air. Just don’t let them hog it all!

Using a fan or turning on the air-conditioner helps to cool cats down just as it does humans.

If you don’t have electricity or power, then you can always try more energy-saving alternatives like the one below.

3. Rub Down Your Cat with a Wet, Cold Towel

Cats will know how to stay cool in the summer for the most part. But there are particularly hot days when we can give our cats an extra hand.

Keep your cat cool by wetting a towel with cold water and gently rubbing your cat with it.

If you need to cool a cat down fast, make sure to apply fresh water around the back of their eyes, along their nose and cheeks, and under their chin and around the neck. Don’t forget the paws! These areas will help cool your cat down much faster.

Most cats won’t go within ten miles of a bathtub, so this is the next best thing.  This is an effective measure if you’re wondering how to keep your cat cool, and if they like it you can wrap them up and treat it like a mini spa-day.

4. Keep Your Cat Cool By Providing Fresh Water 24/7

The best way to prevent dehydration in cats during the summer is by ensuring they have access to fresh, cool drinking water at all times.

Remember, cats who eat primarily a dry-food diet will have less water intake than cats who eat wet canned food. Consider this especially during those hot days when extra water intake is crucial.

5. Ensure Airflow in the House

Keeping cats cool in the summer is relatively easy to do if you have good airflow in the house. If you don’t use fans or air-conditioner, keeping the house fresh for your cat can be achieved by opening windows to allow air flow.

You should never keep your cat in a confined space where they can’t move. This means in a hot car or in a locked room which is directly in the sun.

6. Get a Cat Cooling Pad to Keep Your Cat Cool in the Summer

The last way you can ensure your cat stays cool in the summer is by providing a cat cooling pad.

Cat cooling pads are an innovative invention that will fulfill two of your cat’s greatest hobbies: being cool and lounging around. Filled with a gel that activates when compressed, a cat cooling mat is a great way of making sure they can get out of the heat whenever they need.

One of the best on the market is the Hugs Pet Products for dogs and cats. (Click here to see on Amazon).

Available in multiple designs, you’ll find one to fit the taste and size of your cat. It’s also water resistant and durable, and you can fold it for easier storage and travel. You should check it out, even if just too see the pictures of satisfied pets!

7. Whip Up Some Ice-Cold Treats!

Get creative with ice by adding them to your cat’s water bowl or even making homemade icy treats with unsalted chicken bouillon cubes.

Throughout the day, you can give a cold treat to your cat and let them lick away at the tasty flavor!

Icy water or treats will help cool down a cat’s internal body temperature for a while. Wait a few hours to give another ice pop or as needed if it’s really hot out.

The meaty flavor of a bouillon ice cube might tempt your cat more than just plain water. But be careful to not give salty bouillon or too many treats as those are high in calories.

Can Cats Handle Hot Weather?

Cats like to maintain similar internal body temperature to humans, so around 99.5-102.5 Fahrenheit (source).  When trying to judge if your cat is overheated look at it this way: if it’s too hot for you then the temperature is too hot for your cat.

When wondering how to keep your cat cool in the summer, you’ll find that cats often know how to do this themselves.

Cats are experts at going where they want when they want. So in order to cool down, a cat will probably move itself to a shady area.

Have you ever wondered why they spread themselves out on concrete like that? It’s to maximize their surface area and thus their ability to cool down. It’s a lot of work staying cool with all that fur!

How to Tell If Your Cat Is Overheated??

If you sense that your cat is hot or overheated you should look for any of the following signs.

• Vomiting, stumbling, and lethargy
• Cats like this may be suffering from heat exhaustion and may fall unconscious.

Cats have survived all forms of weather since Egyptian times thanks to their ability to adapt, but they’re not as well suited to heat as we are.

So just how do cats keep cool in the summer?

Much like other four-legged companions, cats have limited sweat glands compared to us. In fact, they will sweat primarily through their paws – so that clammy handshake your kitty gave you doesn’t mean he’s nervous, he may, in fact, be too hot. 😉

Cats will pant in extreme cases. If this happens you should look to move the cat out of the heat as quickly as possible.

How to Keep Outdoor Cats Cool in Hot Weather

We’ve seen how to keep your cat cooler inside the home, but outdoor cats can present a different challenge. Luckily a lot of cat cooling pads are also suitable for outdoor use, so you can place one down on your lawn.

The same rules apply for keeping outdoor cats cool in hot weather!

Instead, you should provide a good amount of fresh, cold water, and make sure there is a shaded area they can retreat to. If there isn’t a tree or porch available, consider setting up an umbrella or shelter.

Outdoor cats will find cool areas such as in the garden, in shrubs, or underneath cars in garages.

Final Thoughts: How to Keep Your Cat Cool in the Summer

In this article, we’ve asked and answered the question can a cat handle hot weather and how to keep your cat cool during the summer when temperatures rise.

We’ve seen what you can do if your cat is overheated, and looked at measures you can take to keep your cat cool in the summer.

Your cat will be able to keep themselves cool for the most part. A major step is staying away from heat sources in the first place. Cats handle hot weather about as well as us, so next time its boiling outside, spare a thought for them.

By carefully managing their environment, keeping them hydrated, and purchasing a cat cooling pad, you’ll be helping them a lot.

They’ll be enjoying their summer alongside you in no time, just don’t forget to skip the ice cream!

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