Ways to Keep Your Cat Safe This Summer

June 3, 2021 9:24 pm Published by

Extreme heat isn’t good for anyone, including your cat. During the summer months, cats can experience heatstroke, dehydration and a variety of other issues. To prevent these problems, it’s important to make sure your pet has plenty of water and shade options. They should also have a proper grooming session from time to time. It’ll be easy to keep your pet safe this summer as long as you follow the safety tips below from our cat clinic in Alexandria, VA.

Keep their hair trimmed

Proper grooming is especially important for long-haired cat breeds. Cats with thick fur will have a harder time cooling off during the summer heat. Bring them to a professional grooming service from time to time to have their hair brushed and trimmed. If you prefer grooming your cat on your own, be sure not to cut their hair too short. Cats, like humans, can experience painful sunburns.

Make sure they have plenty of water

While it’s always important that your cat has water, they should have plenty of it during the warmer months. Your cat will likely drink more water when it’s warmer, so be sure to check their water bowl more frequently than usual. You might also consider giving them water with an ice cube to cool them down even more.

Keep them inside

While many cats love being outside in all kinds of temperatures, you may want to keep your cat inside if it’s extremely hot. Cats are usually good about finding shade, but even shady spots could be too warm during the summer. If you’ve decided to keep your cat inside, be sure they have plenty of ways to entertain themselves. Consider buying your cat a new toy and also playing with them from time to time.

Risk factors of extreme heat

As mentioned above, heatstroke is a major concern when it comes to cats and extreme heat. Heatstroke may cause your cat to become disoriented, and is even fatal in some cases. When suffering from heatstroke, your cat may exhibit a variety of symptoms, including excessive panting, vomiting, lethargy and drooling. Dehydration can also occur during extreme heat if your cat doesn’t have enough water available.

What to do if your cat has heatstroke

If your cat is exhibiting any signs of heatstroke or any other strange behavior, bring them inside and place them in a cool room. Also, make sure to have plenty of water available. The next thing you’ll want to do is contact your cat veterinarian Alexandria, VA and see what they recommend. Your vet may recommend taking your cat’s temperature, which is usually done with a rectal thermometer.

It’s usually best to bring your cat to see the vet after exhibiting signs of heatstroke or dehydration. These issues can sometimes result in organ failure or even death if not treated right away.

Make your cat’s safety a top priority this summer. Keep them out of the heat and make sure they have plenty of water. For all your cat-related veterinary needs, contact the experts at Kingstowne Cat Clinic in Alexandria, VA today.

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