Helping cats feel comfortable during a heat wave
By scribe1
@scribe1 (1203)
United States
July 10, 2007 8:39am CST
A few years ago, my central air pooped out during the hottest week in July. Naturally, I tried to get it fixed. To make a long story short, it took more than a week for that to happen.
In the meantime, I did all that I could to help my two now-deceased fur babies, Leo and Tabitha, to feel comfortable. I opened up all of the windows wide and fanned poor 11-year-old Leo. There was little else I could do.
Those cats, like my Waffles, Columbus and Mimi, were strictly indoor cats.
Since then, my central air is working just fine and each cat is resting comfortably --- Columbus is in the sunporch, Waffles is on my bed, and Mimi is resting under the table.
Has anyone found other ways to keep cats comfortable during a heat wave?
1 person likes this
2 responses
@viliux27 (103)
• Lithuania
11 Jul 07
Opening all the windows on a heat wave wont help much.If the house doesent get much sun inside then it gets cool and even colder than outside.Trust me.
@scribe1 (1203)
• United States
11 Jul 07
I didn't think so either, but I wanted a breeze. All of my shades were down too. Unfortunately, my home traps heat after two or three 90-degree days. Without the central air, the indoor temperature would easily reach 90-plus.
My cats were also indoor cats and I preferred to keep them that way.
@lilaclady (28206)
• Australia
10 Jul 07
Somebody once told me that animals have their own way of keepng cool completely different to us and sometiomes when we do things to keep them cool we are doing more harm than good. Like I told shaving a dog is doing more harm as the fur on a dog is important now I would think with a cat you have inside apart from fan maybe a damp towell for them to lay on, I will be very interested in what ansers you get as it gets pretty hot here in Australia and one never knows when we need to use preventative ideas.
@scribe1 (1203)
• United States
10 Jul 07
You're probably right in saying that animals have their own way of keeping cool. For example, my Tabitha used to stretch herself out on the rug and lay very still. Leo sat very still in the sunporch. When my central air was fixed, the cats' appetites picked up and both cats became more active.
Yesterday, the cats slept all afternoon and I took a two-hour nap. I didn't feel like doing anything. Maybe cats' feelings are similar.
And like you, I would also be very interested in seeing what others have to say about keeping their cats cool and comfy during a heat wave, especially.
