How do you keep your cat cool in the heat

[truthisouthere]

With the recent hot weather making for some potentially dangerous situations when it comes to animals in the heat I was wondering how you're all coping; some of us have elderly, or perhaps physically challenged 'special needs' cats who may find this heat a bit too much to adapt to.

I have found a (well rinsed) and wet baby wet-wipe massaged gently onto my 2 at various times of the day goes down a treat. Whether it makes them feel any cooler or not is a mystery, but they seem to enjoy it! Also Mitzi is banned from the conservatory any time after 8 as it just gets too hot in there. I keep the blinds most way down in the bedroom and the lounge with the window open so there's always a cool room to chill out in with a breeze it if it gets too hot outside.

Anyone have any tips up their sleeve they'd like to share?

[lynz85]

half of our house is pretty cool, so pip has somewhere to go if he gets too hot, just making sure we have windows open as wide as possible (he sneaks out them!). shame for us humans its the bedroom and living room that are too hot!

[truthisouthere]

Originally Posted by lynz85

half of our house is pretty cool, so pip has somewhere to go if he gets too hot, just making sure we have windows open as wide as possible (he sneaks out them!). shame for us humans its the bedroom and living room that are too hot!

Yes, I expect you'd have to shut them so he doesn't escape! ..and I expect these are his favourite rooms too..
My lounge and bedroom are the coolest rooms in the house, none are hot being in a bungalow (except the conservatory) because I have no upstairs, there's a blast of hot air from the attic when I open it tho, but I don't think I could go back to having an upstairs bedroom on hot summer nights with a house cat; been there, done that, too hot for a fresh air freak.

[angieh]

I have kept the blinds and curtains drawn in the study for the last couple of days and today Pip took advantage and curled up on a chair for most of the day.

Some time ago, I asked one of our Australian members how they cope with keeping their cats cool and the reply was a towel wet with cold water and rung out and applied to the cat! I've had the same advice re keeping dogs cool too. I've found over the last week or so that cats are far more sensible than dogs at staying cool!

[Velvet]

I have stone floors in the cooker room and utility room and have found in this heat that both rooms are very popular

Having a roof on the cat run has been a boon in this weather too as the run is shaded now so in between the stone floors, they go in and out to the run

Here are some tips given to me by a vet nurse for dogs

a. Put a wet towel in the freezer overnight then drape over pets shoulders

b. ice cubes in the drinking water

c. Plant spray bottle to spray water over the pet on finest spray

d. Fill empty plastic bottles with water and freeze overnight, remove from freezer and wrap a light teatowel round the bottle/s. place in pets bed or near to pet to help,keep them cool