With the arrival of summer, our dear friends spend more time than usual resting, whether on the sofa, in their bed or even on the floor. By sweating only from their pads, it is very difficult for them to regulate their temperature during these months, so they look for any cool place to lie down.
We, as their caregivers, have to take some measures so that the furry ones can better cope with the heat of this season, which are what we are going to see now. Let us know how to prevent heat stroke in cats.
How to prevent heat stroke in cats?
Fill your drinker as many times as necessary
Cats must always have clean and fresh water freely available. To stay properly hydrated, it is very important that we make sure that the drinker and its contents are cleanotherwise you will most likely not use it.
One trick to get them to drink more is to change the water two or three times a day, or choose to buy a cat drinking fountain. This type of drinkers, as the water is in motion, the cats tend to like more.
Give him wet cat food
Wet food (cans) has 70% humidity, while dry food is 40% more or less. Cats in the wild get virtually all the water they need from their food, which is why it is sometimes so difficult for them to drink enough from the waterer. Therefore, at least during the summer it is important, or at least highly recommended, to give them cans.
A good alternative is soak their feed with water or homemade chicken broth (boneless).
Do not leave it in the locked car
It may seem obvious, but during the summer from time to time you hear or read news about people who have left their animals in the car and when they return they have found them either unconscious or lifeless. Therefore, since Noti Gatos I'm going to insist on this: never leave them locked in the car in summer, and much less in full sun.
The car acts like a greenhouse, absorbing heat quickly. Inside, the temperature can be several degrees higher than outside, which can be too much for a cat. If it is really necessary to leave them, let it be only a little while (no more than 5 minutes), in the shade and with the windows downBetter yet, someone who can stay in the vehicle to get the air conditioning running.
And what do I do if they are suffering from one?
If we see that they have trouble breathing and keeping their balance, if they pant, and / or have dry gums, the first thing we have to do is take them to a cool place. Then we will offer them water and we will pass a damp towel (with fresh water) over their head and legs. We never have to wrap them with a cold towel as otherwise they could have cardiovascular problems.
As soon as they stabilize, or if they are unconscious, we have to urgently take them to the vet.
I hope this article has been useful to prevent heat stroke in your friend 🙂.