{"id":72396,"date":"2026-06-29T23:46:38","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T03:46:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/?p=72396"},"modified":"2026-06-29T23:46:48","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T03:46:48","slug":"when-a-record-breaking-heat-wave-hits-cats-need-a-little-extra-help-staying-safe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2026\/06\/29\/when-a-record-breaking-heat-wave-hits-cats-need-a-little-extra-help-staying-safe\/","title":{"rendered":"When a record-breaking heat wave hits, cats need a little extra help staying safe"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

When a record-breaking heat wave hits, cats need a little extra help staying safe.<\/sup> While they are naturally better at tolerating heat than humans, extreme temperatures can quickly lead to dehydration or heatstroke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the most effective ways to keep your feline companions safe, hydrated, and comfortable when the mercury soars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Upgrade Their Hydration Game<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cats are notorious for having a low thirst drive, making dehydration a major risk during intense heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Add Ice Cubes:<\/strong> Drop a few ice cubes into their water bowls to keep it chilled.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Create Multiple Stations:<\/strong> Place extra water bowls in shaded zones around the house. Keep them away from their food and litter boxes, as many cats prefer to drink in separate areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Switch to Wet Food:<\/strong> If they usually eat dry kibble, switch to or supplement with wet food. It provides a massive boost to their daily moisture intake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Running Water:<\/strong> If your cat loves standard faucets, consider a pet water fountain. The moving water entices them to drink more.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
    \n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    2. Creative Cooling Tactics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Most cats hate being submerged in water, but you can use their grooming instincts and environment to cool them down gently.<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • The Damp Washcloth Trick:<\/strong> Mimic their natural cooling mechanism (saliva evaporation) by wiping them down with a damp, cool washcloth. Focus on their belly, armpits, and paw pads, which is where their sweat glands are located.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • DIY Ice Packs:<\/strong> Freeze a plastic water bottle, wrap it securely in a thick towel or blanket, and place it in their favorite lounging spot. This gives them a “chilled oasis” to lean against if they get too hot.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Uncover Hard Floors:<\/strong> Cats love tile, linoleum, and concrete during a heat wave because these surfaces stay naturally cooler than carpets. Roll up area rugs to give them more cool floor space to stretch out on.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Keep the Fur Brushed:<\/strong> Give your cat a good daily brushing. Removing dead undercoat fur improves airflow to their skin and prevents heat from getting trapped.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      3. Manage the Indoor Climate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      If you are trying to keep the house cool, minor adjustments can make a big difference for your pets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • Block the Sun:<\/strong> Close all blinds, curtains, and shades during the peak afternoon hours to prevent a greenhouse effect inside the house.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Circulate the Air:<\/strong> Use floor or ceiling fans to keep air moving.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Check Traps Before Closing:<\/strong> Double-check laundry rooms, pantries, sheds, or garages before shutting the doors. Cats often sneak into dark places looking for shade and can accidentally get trapped in stagnant, dangerously hot rooms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
        \n

        \u26a0\ufe0f Know the Signs of Heatstroke<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        If a cat gets dangerously overheated, they cannot sweat like we do. Watch closely for these warning signs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • Excessive or heavy panting (cats should rarely pant like dogs)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Extreme lethargy or weakness<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Drooling or dark red gums<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Vomiting or an unsteady, wobbling gait<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          If you notice these symptoms, move your cat to a cool room immediately, wipe them with cool (not freezing) wet towels, and contact your veterinarian right away.<\/em><\/sup><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          When a record-breaking heat wave hits, cats need a little extra help staying safe. While they are naturally better at tolerating heat than humans, extreme temperatures can quickly lead to… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":72398,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"wpai_generated_summary":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","default_image_id":71799,"font":"","enabled":true,"token":"eyJpbWciOiJodHRwczpcL1wvaTAud3AuY29tXC9sYWtlbGFuZGdhemV0dGUuaW5mb1wvbmV3c1wvd3AtY29udGVudFwvdXBsb2Fkc1wvMjAyNlwvMDZcL2ltYWdlcy00LTUud2VicD9maXQ9NTQ3JTJDMzY1JnNzbD0xIiwidHh0IjoiV2hlbiBhIHJlY29yZC1icmVha2luZyBoZWF0IHdhdmUgaGl0cywgY2F0cyBuZWVkIGEgbGl0dGxlIGV4dHJhIGhlbHAgc3RheWluZyBzYWZlIiwidGVtcGxhdGUiOiJkb2lzIiwiZm9udCI6IiIsImJsb2dfaWQiOjE2MzA0MDY2MX0.1EPHWU_5ROnpGxdyy_aFEN9yEJGWNBHIaZpXMf5fq2oMQ"},"version":2,"media_source":"sig","attached_media":[{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/jetpack.com\/redirect\/?source=sigenerate&query=t%3DeyJpbWciOiJodHRwczpcL1wvbGFrZWxhbmRnYXpldHRlLmluZm9cL25ld3NcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMjZcLzA2XC9pbWFnZXMtNC01LndlYnAiLCJ0eHQiOiJXaGVuIGEgcmVjb3JkLWJyZWFraW5nIGhlYXQgd2F2ZSBoaXRzLCBjYXRzIG5lZWQgYSBsaXR0bGUgZXh0cmEgaGVscCBzdGF5aW5nIHNhZmUiLCJ0ZW1wbGF0ZSI6ImRvaXMiLCJmb250IjoiIiwiYmxvZ19pZCI6MTYzMDQwNjYxfQ.K6vQlTvPL8aeCVycOw2SVopeWHe5mM68uV-tUa9Slm8MQ","type":"image\/jpeg"}]},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[14],"tags":[15058,15057],"class_list":["post-72396","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-cats-need-a-little-extra-help-staying-safe","tag-when-a-record-breaking-heat-wave-hits"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72396","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72396"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72396\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":72399,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72396\/revisions\/72399"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/72398"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72396"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72396"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72396"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}