Keeping Your Cat Cool in Hot Weather

As the seasons change and the weather gets warmer, extremely hot weather can come out of nowhere, and each year seems to just keep getting hotter. The Met Office recently reported the hottest spring on record, meaning that when summer rolls around, temperatures are likely to be even higher. For cat owners, this raises an important question: how do I keep my cat cool during hot weather?

Overheating poses a huge risk to your feline friends, so it’s extra important when the weather picks up to take extra care to look after them. Here are some of the most crucial things to look out for during the warmer seasons.

How To Keep Your Cat Cool in Hot Weather 

1.  Keeping Your Cat Hydrated

Hydration is the best method of protecting your cat from the hot weather. Cats naturally don’t feel thirst or replenish with water as much as other animals, with a majority of the moisture they take on as obligate carnivores coming from prey. This is why when temperatures rise, it’s important for owners to find ways of encouraging them to drink more water.

Fresh water should always be available, and one trick to get them to drink more is having more than one water bowl for them to drink from around your home and garden. This can help their hydration as they’re more likely to drink when convenient to them, rather than seeking out their bowl. Make sure wherever they’re placed is within shaded areas so direct sunlight doesn’t cause it to evaporate. 

A pet water fountain is a great alternative investment during warmer months. Similarly, if you notice your cat isn’t drinking water from plastic bowls, making a switch to metal or ceramic could inspire them to drink. While cats are creatures of habit, they’re also creatures of preference. Your cat may not like the odour or texture of a bowl, so trying different materials can help find the one for them.

Diet is one of the most effective and natural ways to improve your cat’s hydration, and raw food such as ours at Purrform has a naturally high moisture content close to what would be consumed in the wild. Through raw feeding, they can stay hydrated through just eating during the warmer months.

2.  Stay On Top of Your Cat’s Grooming

Keeping on top of regular grooming can be a huge difference-maker during the summer. When your cat’s fur gets too long and the temperature rises, cats shed their winter coat and it creates a build-up of loose, dead fur, creating a layer of insulation. Regular brushing helps to remove excess fur and keep air circulating regularly around their body.

Similarly, matting and tangling in long-haired breeds can make it harder to regulate their body temperature, which is where professional grooming is worth consideration. 

If you find your cat grooming themselves way more than normal during warm weather, don’t panic. This is a natural way of cooling themselves down, as saliva they lick onto their coats evaporates and draws heat away from their body in a similar way to sweating in humans. To aid this cooling method, making sure their coats are clean and free of tangles will help them regulate their temperature better.

For longer-haired breeds in particular, matts and tangles can make it much harder for your cat to regulate their temperature. If your cat has a particularly thick or long coat, a professional groom at the start of summer is worth considering. And if you notice any dramatic changes in your cat's coat or patches of hair loss, always seek advice from your vet, as these can be signs of underlying health conditions.

3.  Recognise the Signs of Heatstroke 

Heatstroke is one of the most serious risks that hot weather poses to cats, and it can prove fatal. Knowing the signs of hyperthermia, which is when their body temperature rises above 40°C, it can save their life.

The key warning signs to watch out for are:

• Excessive panting or laboured breathing
• Increased salivating
• Lethargy, weakness, or an unwillingness to move
• Vomiting or diarrhoea
• Unsteadiness, staggering, or seeming confused
• Very red or unusually pale gums
• Muscle tremors or seizures

The first thing you should do if you notice any of these symptoms is relocate your cat to a cool and shaded area and offer them cool, but not cold, water. Dampening towels and placing them on parts of their body can help to cool them down, particularly their paws, armpits, and back of the neck that soak in temperature the fastest. Then, contact your vet as soon as possible.

Ice-cold water or ice can cause their blood vessels to contract and make the symptoms of heatstroke worse, so cool water is recommended. It’s also important to be aware that some breeds are more vulnerable to heatstroke, such as flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds like Persians and British Shorthairs, as well as:

• Elderly cats
• Kittens
• Overweight cats
• Long–haired breeds
• Cats with pre-existing health conditions

4.  Be Aware of Peak Heat Times

Midday heat is often the most intense and oppressive heat for anyone to deal with, but cats particularly get the brunt of this peak. Heading into midday is typically when temperatures reach their peak, usually between 11am and 3pm, and that’s when overheating is the biggest risk. If your cat has sensitive paw pads and likes to roam, pavements, patios, and garden surfaces can become incredibly hot and even burn their sensitive paws.

For outdoor cats, it’s safer to keep them inside and encourage them to either play and explore inside and make the most of the cool, shaded spaces. Keeping them engaged with puzzle feeders, toys, and climbing spaces can stave their boredom without exposing them to oppressive heat.

If you have outdoor spaces that your cat likes to frequent like a shed or a greenhouse, make sure to keep them closed during the day. Heat rises quickly in those enclosed environments and avoiding your cat being trapped in there prevents dangerous scenarios.

Keep Your Cats Cool This Summer

We all want to keep our cats as cool as possible when the temperature rises in the summer, and while encouraging them to stay hydrated and engage with cooler areas of your home can be the difference-maker between your cat enjoying and suffering in the heat.

Purrform’s raw cat food offers better hydration throughout the summer thanks to the natural moisture. Whether you’ve got an adult cat, a senior, or a kitten, browse our huge range and start switching their diet today.