Content
- 1. Cat suffers from heat - prevent heat stroke
- 2. Cat feels warm - Provide the cat with a cool environment
- 3. Ensure adequate hydration
- 4. Cat baths in summer
- 5. Summer travel
With the arrival of good weather, high temperatures also appear and with them the concern of guardians to keep your cat well away from the dangers of heat. To achieve this, in this PeritoAnimal article we will gather the best tips to protect cats from heat.
In this way, in addition to maintaining its well-being, we will prevent the feline from suffering the feared and potentially fatal insolation. As we will see, prevention is a fundamental tool for not taking unnecessary risks. If you think your cat is hot, read on!
1. Cat suffers from heat - prevent heat stroke
Do cats like heat? Yes of course, they love lying in the sun taking advantage of any ray or the heat of a radiator, as we can see in your conviviality. However, when temperatures are high, they also need to protect themselves from the sun, as excessive heat can cause serious complications, such as heat stroke, a problem. potentially deadly for our cat. As a result of exposure to high temperatures, hyperthermia occurs, that is, the increase in body temperature, which triggers a series of reactions in the body that can lead to death.
A cat suffering from heat stroke will show symptoms like wheezing, difficulty breathing, intense red coloration in the mucous membranes, fever, vomiting, bleeding and even shock that can lead to death. We must seek urgent veterinary attention.
As in humans, direct exposure to the sun can cause, in addition to heat stroke, burns, especially on the nose and ears and in cats with white fur. To avoid these serious consequences, we will explain in the following sections, some precautions to protect cats from heat.
2. Cat feels warm - Provide the cat with a cool environment
The ideal temperature for cats, that is, their normal body temperature is a little higher than that of humans, but you need to consider yours. difficulties in self-cooling. What humans easily accomplish through sweating, for cats, is more complex because they need to lick themselves to cool down with the help of saliva. Cats can only sweat through their phalanges.
Therefore, it is not necessary to ask what temperature a cat should be given, as this will be similar to the heat we can withstand. Thus, the ideal temperature for a cat will also be good for us, both in summer and winter. In this case, here are some additional tips to protect cats from heat that can be applied in your environment:
- The cat will do well any measure we take to maintain a comfortable temperature in our home, including the use of resources such as air conditioning or fans.
- It's a good idea to keep the blinds down or the curtains closed in the room, where the sun is strongest.
- It is advisable to open the windows to ventilate and cool the house. It is essential to take precautions to avoid falls, as it is common for cats to jump from windows and balconies. In fact, this is so common that it's known as parachute cat syndrome and can result in serious consequences and even death, so it's vital to install window protections like mosquito nets.
- Whenever we leave our cat alone, he should have a shady place and access to fresh water. The bathroom is generally a good place, as the tiles stay cool and it's not uncommon to see cats sleeping in places like the sink or bidet as well.
- If the cat has a chance to go abroad in a controlled area, such as a patio or garden, we must also ensure the possibility of shade and water.
- Finally, avoid rough exercises or games and jogging in times of maximum heat.
3. Ensure adequate hydration
Among the advice to protect cats from heat, the role of water is fundamental to cool it down during the summer. Cats are sometimes reluctant to hydrate themselves, so it's important to encourage them to drink water. It is known that they are attracted by running water, whether coming from the tap or from the sources special for cats that are used as drinking fountains.
In warm seasons, it is essential to ensure that the water stays fresh, so we should change it several times a day. some cats like to play with ice cubes, which can also be a trick to cool off and drink more water. To offer wet food or broths to drink can also help them to maintain their hydration, especially important in cats with kidney problems or the smallest, elderly, brachycephalic or sick, as they constitute a more vulnerable population.
4. Cat baths in summer
Our pet's coat plays an important role when it comes to protecting it from the sun, so one of the tips to protect cats from the heat is related to taking care of their fur. As already mentioned, fur helps to insulate heat and protect the skin from sunburn. Although cats maintain a meticulous personal care routine, we can help them with a frequent brushing. In this way, we help to eliminate dead hair.
We can also bathe our cat during the summer, however it may be more refreshing to limit ourselves to one towel moistened with fresh water (not cold) or our own wet hand on his back and head. This way, the water will act as if it were your own saliva and the evaporation in your body will help you feel refreshed.
Also, if the cat likes to get wet, we can offer a bathtub or small pool with a few centimeters of water, so that it only covers the lower part of the legs, so that he can play and cool off as he wishes. We can place this pool, which can be small in size, on a balcony or patio or even inside the bathtub or shower, if we want to avoid wetting the floor.
5. Summer travel
Finally, if we move the cat in times of high temperature, whether just to take it to the vet, we should follow some tips to protect it from the heat, such as travel in the cooler hours of the day, that is, first thing in the morning or last hour in the afternoon and evening.
If the journey is long, we must stop every time to offer water and/or cool it. If we are traveling with the feline on vacation, we have to note the phone numbers of veterinarians in the area, including those who offer emergency services. It is essential, too, never leave our furry friend alone in the car when the temperature is high, then, he can die of heatstroke, as we explained.
