Caring for cats in the heat

Ex GAAS cat Coco2 in a shady spot in his garden.

It's easy to tell when a dog is suffering from the heat, but cats make it less obvious. We have some suggestions on how to care for your cat during heatwaves, and to protect them from sunburn, heatstroke and dehydration.

Cats can only sweat through their paws, so they keep themselves cool by grooming and by stretching out on cool surfaces.

How can I keep my cat cool and hydrated?

• Keep your cat indoors when it's hottest (usually from 10am - 3pm). Make sure your home is at a comfortable temperature for them and that they can get away from the sunshine, especially if you're leaving them alone.
• If they want to go outside, make sure they have plenty of shady spots and safe ways to reach them - if the ground is too hot for your bare feet, it's too hot for their paws!
• Use a fan indoors if you're there and put ice packs or frozen bottles of water, wrapped in towels, near where your cat sleeps. You could also try using a cooling mat.
• Never, ever, leave a cat in a car, and make sure you never shut one into a greenhouse or shed by mistake. These can all get very hot very quickly.
• Make sure they have access to fresh water, inside and outside, and encourage them to drink. This may mean taking their drinking preferences into account - does your cat like to drink from a watering can, a birdbath or any other unlikely source? and keeping those topped up too. You could also offer broth or flavour the water with the juice from tuna packed in water (never in oil or brine).
• Keep their water well away from their food bowls and also litter trays. Cats like to keep them all separate.
• Make cat ice lollies by freezing yogurt treats.

How do I know when my cat has heatstroke?
Your cat might have heatstroke if:

• They're drooling
• They're panting or breathing fast
• They're restless or confused
• Their gums are red
• They're vomiting or have diarrhoea
• They have tremors or seizures
• They collapse

This is a medical emergency. Put your cat on a cool, wet towel, rub them with a lukewarm wet cloth, provide drinking water and phone your vet. Don't try to cool your cat down too quickly.

How do I know if my cat is dehydrated?
Your cat might be dehydrated if:

• Their eyes look dry and sunken
• Their paws feel cool or cold
• Their gums feel sticky or tacky
• When you gently pinch their skin, it doesn't snap straight back into place.

How can I protect my cat from sunburn?

• Light-coloured cats, cats with white ears or noses and cats without much hair on their ears are most likely to get sunburn. Sunburn in cats needs vet treatment and can lead to skin cancer. 
• The best way to protect them is to provide plenty of shade and ideally keep them indoors during the heat. If you use suncream it should go on ear tips, noses, belly, groin and anywhere without fur. The cream needs to be waterproof, SPF 30 or higher and most importantly, pet-safe so check with your vet first.