9 Summer Cat Tips for our Nine Lives Friends

Summertime means hot sunny days. When the temperatures rise, you will seek out cooler settings and know the importance of keeping yourself hydrated by drinking water. Your pets also get hot and thirsty so make sure you remember their needs on those hot days too.

With summer approaching, here are some tips to keep you cat healthy and safe during the heat.

1.  Keep water bowls full of fresh water. Put out extra water bowls, especially for multiple pet households. For outdoor cats, make sure the dishes are in shady areas, so the water doesn’t heat up too much.

Change the bowls often to keep the water clean and cool. You may want to consider an outdoor cat house if your yard has no trees or shady spots for your cat to hang out.

2.  Put ice cubes in water bowls. A simple way to keep the water temperature down is to toss some ice cubes in your cat’s water bowl. The ice will help the water from getting too warm.

However, remember the idea is to cool the water. You don’t want to put some many in that it looks like a bowl of ice water.

3.  Check screens to be sure they are secure. With warmer weather, we open up the windows to let in the fresh air. Cats love to sit in windows so make sure the screens are secure so your cat won’t fall out. Also, cats like to claw screens so check for tears in the screen.

4.  Check for and remove ticks. When your cat comes in the house, check for ticks by petting the fur and inspect around the ears. If you discover a tick on your cat, remove it immediately.

Outdoor cats should have flea and tick treatments to protect them from bites and infestations. You don’t want fleas getting a free ride into your house on your cat.

5.  Don’t leave your pets in the car. Temperatures inside a car rise quickly, even with the window cracked. Pets should always be kept at home. If you do need to take your cat somewhere in the car, then try to do so earlier in the day before it gets to the heat of the day.

6.  Let your outdoor cat in the house on really hot days to get access to air conditioning. Pet can suffer from heat exhaustion and become dehydrated.

For indoor cats, make sure your home is ventilated or you have on the AC or a fan. Small apartments that are closed up all day can heat up. Having access to areas where there is hardwood floors or tile will provide a cooler surface for your cat to rest.

7.  Watch out for lawn and garden care poisons. Fertilizers and pesticides can be poisonous to animals. If you put these down on your lawn, read the labels to determine whether you need to keep your pet inside until it is absorbed into the soil.

8.  Decrease play time and exercise. For those extremely hot summer days, try to keep activity levels lower. You don’t want to have your cat running and jumping around too much.

9.  Brush you cat. Keeping your cat groomed with remove the dead undercoat, prevent mats and help avoid hairballs. I’ve found the best grooming brush to be the Furminator deshedding tool. It costs a bit more, but boy does it work. It lifts the excess cat hair off easily with fewer strokes than conventional cat brushes.

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