[QueenKell]

Hi All

This is Barbra's first ever summer, and I've been so worried that she'll get hot while I'm at work during the day, especially seeing that she has such a lovely thick coat.

She's an indoors-only cat, and there are cool places she can to go to (bathroom, laundry, etc), but do you think she'll find these on her own accord? I tried picking her up and putting her in the bathroom this morning, but she kept walking out again to watch me get ready for work.

I've put an ice cube in her water bowl, and set the air-con on a timer... is this going Too Far? I just don't want her to over-heat!!

Sorry if I'm being alarmist - this is my first cat ever, so want to make sure she's OK.

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[fleabag]

As you have the airconditioner, I'm sure she'll be fine ..she just doesn't see the need to cool down yet ..but cats are smart and you'll come home and find her in the bath or shower, enjoying the cool.

[scrappinmom19]

Mine always find their way to the basement to sleep on the tile floor. She will be fine with the air timer, don't worry.

[Merri]

I don't worry too much about it, as I find that even if I provide a cool environment, they will more often than not still seek out the hot places. Eg - I will be inside with the air conditioner on, and they will lie in the sun in the garden. If they are hot enough, they will look for tiles or concrete.

[Lela n Mitz's Servant]

I understand your concern. This will be Mitzy's first summer, and he is my first fur baby too.

A few weeks ago I caught Mitzy sleeping in the bathroom sink. He has since claimed it as his new bed, much cooler than his warm fury cat bed.

I think your furry will also find the bathroom or laundry when she's feeling hot enough.

[Bibby]

Dont panic
She'll be fine.
Mine are Persians and I dont leave the air con on when I am at work.
Their coats thin out over summer- and they do tend to sleep in cooler parts of the house then.
Remember one Xmas when it was 45 degrees outside- my Persian with the thickest coat wanted to be outside in the enclosed area!!

[jemappelle]

We have had a very hot day here today (40 at lunch time). So I let the stud boys out into the yard so they could find a cool spot and they were busy running around in the wind with their tails up and one actually caught a lizard - obviously not bothered by the heat.

The inside cats moved off the bed into the lounge room once I had turned the AC on though - within 5 minutes they were there

[Paulsragdoll]

Kell,

You are so kind,
Iced water and air conditioning,
If I come back as a cat in my next life which I hope I do I want to live at your place,

last summer my girl was only a very young kitten but always found the coolest spots in the house,
We had almost two weeks straight of 38 - 42 degrees,
I hated it, Niki seemed fine although less active than normal but then so was I,
She would sprawl out on the bathroom or laundry tiles,
I must admit even on the hottest days the tiled floor is still cool so would take heat from her body,
Guess the concrete slab the house is built on stays pretty much at ground temp,
We also work all day and leave our girl lots of water all year round but in summer we are extra carefull to make sure she wont run out,

The ice is a great idea to keep it cool over the day,
Can imagine my girl flicking the ice cubes out and playing with them though,

Cheers,Paul

[princess-bluey]

That's all I do, we live in the tropics, so I leave the swampie (evaporative air-cond.) going 24/7 & supply a couple of bowls of iced water. The dog & cat are able to take refuge inside when it's too hot outdoors. They can come and go inside or out whenever they please. The dog takes the icecubes out & actually enjoys crunching on them!

This post has been edited by princess-bluey: 03 October 2008 - 10:36 PM

[QueenKell]

Thanks for your replies, everyone! I'm so lucky to have a place like this, where we can all swap experiences and tips!

Mitzy's Human Servant, I LOVE the photo!! Had to hide the computer monitor from Bab's eyes, or she'd get ideas and I'd never be able to wash my hands again!

Thanks for your kind words, Paul! It's funny the lengths we go to for our furrkids!

Hope you all have a great long weekend (those who live in NSW, that is!

[meowpall]

I have always put a cube of ice in my bubs water as well, and put the fans on with a wet towel or two in the bathroom and the kitchen. But yes I am sure she will be fine, as my bubs always seem to find somewhere they are cool and comfortable.

[Flittykitty]

We found freezing water in 1lt containers and then when we are ready to go out we place then in an ice cream container or something similar with a little water in it took care of any water needs throughout the day. The iceblock melts slowly. If we were going to be out all day we would leave one in every room the cats had access to. Otherwise I normally had 3 around the house. I also made sure the bathroom and laundry doors were wedged open and couldn't accidently close so the cats had access to cool tiled floors. Nowadays though my entire house is tiled so that doesn't matter anymore for me. We now have a massive 10.5kw reverse cycle air conditioner which keeps our house at a pleasant 26 degrees through summer. The cats are funny as they argue over the the prime positions in front of the air flow. I have even been growled at by my aby Flitty when I dared to move her so I could atctually sit on the lounge as I impeached on her cool air. As everyone has said before me though, cats are smart creatures and if they feel too warm they soon find the place they need to be to cool off.

[bigred]

My two are excellent at funding the cool spots. Rufus loves the top of the washing machine in the laundry which is always cool. But, like others, they are very happy when the airconditioning comes on. I can set it to come on at a particular time which I do if I know it's going to be a very hot day, but only in the late afternoon when the sun is coming in the front of the house.

[ChocolateDots]

Mine lay in the sun on very hot days and avoid the a/c at all costs so I don't bother leaving it on for them when I'm at work.

Several times last summer I wanted to put the a/c on but they were sunbathing in front of the screen door and I just couldn't move them to shut the door.

[Pongo45]

We have just come through a very hot summer! My inside cat, Nala would lie around the house while I had the air conditioner on, but there were sometimes she must have been cold. Reason?? Mid day I would find her under the blanket that I have on my bed...sleeping away!

The cats who are outside, the little strays and ferals around, I worried about them constantly. I had my husband hang a ceiling fan in the storage room last year for them. I also kept chunks of ice floating in their ice water, and then they had complete shading under my carport. Where they could come and lie around. I also kept extra food out for them 24/7..

Your baby sounds like she has a wonderful home! I'm sure she will be fine!