How can i keep my cat cool in the summer?

My house is air conditioned, but domestic rabbits are more sensitive than cats or dogs to warmer temps, so I keep several plastic bottles of water in the freezer to use during the warmer days of summer. I lay the bottles next to areas where my rabbit likes to lie down, for example next to his fabric tunnels or one of his beds. Also since I have floor vents, I'll sometimes place a bottle in front of the vent so the already cold air will blow even colder air across the frozen bottle. If you don't have floor AC vents, then such a bottle in front of a fan can help as well.Square bottles are great, since they don't roll around. Square pediatric electrolyte solution bottles (generic Pediasure) are a good size. You may want to lay any bottle on a towel, since the condensation is going to make the outside of the bottle (and anything underneath it) quite wet.Remember that water expands when frozen, so only fill the bottle about 2/3 full (maybe even less) before you put it in the freezer, otherwise the bottles will likely burst.Also remember to rinse the outside of the bottles thoroughly before you put them back in your freezer. This may be less of an issue with cats, but my bottles end up with lots of hay and some fur stuck to them after they've been out on the floor.I'll sometimes use frozen 'gel packs' (what you may use on a muscle cramp), since they can fit in tight spaces. But with rabbits, I have to be more careful where I place them, to keep him from chewing the pack, and even then I only use frozen non-toxic packs, never the chemical ones, since they can be harmful if ingested (and they don't stay cold that long anyway).By the way, even though your cat is black (as is my rabbit), that's really not much of an issue unless he's unable to stay out of direct sunlight. A black animal in constant shade is not going to be any warmer than a white animal in the same location. ---On IMDb, nobody knows you're a (I said nobody knows!).

Thank you!

"I only wish I could make you cry like I do."

I used to get a cloth soak it with cold water and place it over my cat, it really cooled her down.

I make my cat have a cold shower,she don't like it but it seems to perk her up afterwards.

Cats seem to self regulate their heat/comfort level quite well. During the summer, my 14 year old, gray and white cat prefers to be out in the hot weather than be inside the air conditioned house,hard to believe but its true. Its been 90+ degrees during the day all this week and she stays out all day,(she does have access to drinking water). She comes in for lunch and dinner, eats and then its out the door she goes, I don't get it, lol. Anyway my point is an indoor cat that is not panting with its mouth open is not overheated and should be fine.
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"F##k around, lay around." -Unknown

All the suggestions are excellent to this post. I agree that cats tolerate hot weather better and prefer to be warm. Hence they like to sleep on the TV cable box. The big problem to avoid is "dehydration" which can kill a cat (kitten especially) very rapidly. You can tell if a cat/kitten is dehydrated when you pull up the fur on the back of the neck and it just stays there or for a long time. It is supposed to bounce back quickly. If that happens, IV fluids are necessary.

I agree with the poster and the frozen bottle thing. I was at the flea market (I live in a hot state) several weeks ago and got into a fight (verbal only) with a lady giving away "free kittens". First, free kittens are very vulnerable to "snake" people who feed them to snakes. Or, Pit Bull trainers who use them to teach their fighters to kill.

The building was almost 100 degrees in there and the kittens were laying down flat panting with their mouths open and no water. I said something and a verbal fight ensued. It got very hot (the fight). This lady was apparently not giving the kittens water to try to make people "rescue" them. I would have taken them (despite my already having 22 rescue kittens at home) but they were not her kittens and someone elses who needed to be called first, etc., and besides, she was just trying to bully people with the stunt and I wasn't going to let her get away with that. You don't get people to rescue animals by hurting them. Although that is what people do unfortunately (they tell the no kill shelters, if you don't take them, I will shoot them, or bring them to get killed somewhere else, etc). Jerks. And, she could have killed them (brought them to the pound, and didn't and so I was confident she had some humanity in her and was just trying to bully people and I wasn't going to be bullied). She was just stupid. And it was JUST water for a thirsty animal for goodness sakes(as she ate donuts and sipped coffee...ugh...) Thankfully, management intervened after I made a big deal, and the kittens got water. My point is that water is very important (more than coolness) on a hot day.

I agree with the poster that cats like hot weather and can regulate their temp.

But, while at that same market, I saw some OTHER people with puppies that had large liter bottles (frozen) that the puppies were rolling around and on top of. The difference (night and day) between someone who cared about the animals and not. I mean that market was take your breath away hot in some buildings.

TIP: If you want to go the frozen bottle route. A great idea. But cats would probably like smaller frozen bottles to roll around. If you can afford it, you could go to your local hardware store and buy one of those "washing machine" pans (around $36 in U.S. at Home Depot or Lowes but maybe cheaper online). Or just stick the bottles in a large low sterilite container (open). Or tall, but open. Cats like to hang out in containers. And if it leaks, you will not get a mess. Or you could get a used container from someone or at goodwill, habitat for humanity. Something low with a lip to trap any water overflow as it melts, or even high (but open so they don't suffocate obviously) to play with the bottles.

Good luck. It's wonderful you care so much about your little buddy.

Lena

I rub my cats down with ice cubes. They absolutely love it. They come running/begging every time I go to the fridge. Try it!

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