Cool Cats
How to keep your cat cool during a heatwave;
When temperatures are reaching the mid 30’s you can feel it - you’re too hot! Imagine how you would feel if you were wearing a fur coat in this heat too! Our cats need a little helping hand on days like these and looking at info from the RSPCA, Cats Protection, The BVA and more, we’ve put together a little top 5 things to do to help your cat keep cool.
During cat sittings on days like these, we will do our best to ensure your cats are cool as well as safe, well, fed and watered! If you have any special or additional instructions during heatwaves - we are happy to follow them on our summer cat sitting visits. Shade you’d like us to set up, windows it may be safe to leave open etc….please, as always, just ask.
For more info please contact Love Cats Croydon - The Croydon Cat Sitter. We are happy to answer any questions or point you in the right direction for more info.
1. WATER
A nice cool drink! A lot of cats really do need encouragement to drink anyway as through the ages, cats have evolved to get most of their water from food. But on days like these make sure their water bowl is topped up. Perhaps pop a 2nd water bowl in any other areas they like to hang out and if you have an outdoor cat, leave one outside somewhere in the shade for them too. *Love Cats Croydon TOP TIP - You can pop an ice cube in the bowl so their water is extra cool and it gives them something different to experience/play with/investigate too.
If you use a cat fountain, make sure the water is topped up and keep it cool.
*Love Cats Croydon TOP TIP - if they wont drink from a bowl but will from your glass of water - by all means, give them water in a glass or beaker on days like these!
2. FOOD
If they really wont drink water - you can sneak some in without them even noticing! *Love Cats Croydon TOP TIP - Add fresh clean water to their wet food at any feeding time. As well as making the food go a little further it helps to hydrate a cat who doesnt like to drink otherwise. I very rarely spot my cat drinking any water, so I add a drop to his wet food morning and night. And when I say a drop I add about 3 tablespoons of water and mix it into the food. Remember too, a lot of cats wont drink from their water bowl if its next to their food bowl. Water and food sources are usually seperate in the wild and a cat is most vulnerbale when eating and drinking, so as well as water in the wet food, you can try seperating the food and water bowls - try putting the water somewhere quieter in the house, or where the cat doesnt have to have its back to the room when it drinks.
3. TREATS
How about treat time? Dry treats may make your cat thirsty on hot days which we dont want to encourage, especially if they dont like to drink water too much. *Love Cats Croydon TOP TIP - freeze wet food pouches or cat soups and offer them in small frozen chunks or as an ice lolly! Holding onto the food pouch and letting them enjoy the frozen food as an ice lolly is also great bonding time with your cat - doing something together that they enjoy! If you’d like us to share ice lollys when cat sitting, just pop a couple wet food pouches in the freezer and let us know when booking your visits.
4. SLEEP
Where does your cat like to sleep? If they have a special sleeping spot you can try poppping a cool mat there. (We found one via Amazon for £4.99, so theyre not too pricey). Its just a simple cooling gel mat that you can keep in a cool shady cupboard or pop in the fridge before putting out for your cat to snooze on. Once they get used to it, they will really appreciate it in this heat - but it may take a little time to get used to. Its not just my cat, but lots of poeople Ive spoken to have tried and not had a lot of luck - but persevere. *Love Cats Croydon - TOP TIP - You could pop the cooling mat under a sheet/pillowcase/blanket or layers of their bedding to hide it and encourage your cat to sleep more comfotably OR if they really dont want to use it, once chilled, pop it in your own pillow case to help you sleep on these hot sticky nights!
5. SHADE
If you have an outdoor cat, please make sure there is adequate shade in your garden before letting them out all day. Although cats can be sun worshippers, its not the best idea for them to be sat outdoors in direct sunlight all day - they will seek out shady areas where the ground is cooler and they can flop down and rest. *Love Cats Croydon - TOP TIP - if you dont have garden plants/shrubs creating a shaded area, you can make one yourself and its best to leave a drink of water in this shaded area too. And remember - if you have a white or fair cat, they WILL need suncream especially on their ears. Sphynx cats lurrrrrve the heat, but with no fur will also benefit from suncream before letting them outdoors in these temperatures. DONT use human sunscreen on cats - the ingredients could be toxic when injested and cats WILL lick it off.
