How hot outside is too hot.

2721 Views 6 Replies 7 Participants Last post by LaurulFeatherCat, May 23, 2012

hal1

Discussion Starter · May 21, 2012

This may be best answered by those of you who have indoor/outdoor cats.

We went out today for a little look around, and Toby seemed a bit more slow to move than usual, with a few more "I think I'll lay downs" than usual.

It's 105 today. Yes, I know that's hot. We're only out for less than 5 minutes. I don't know if it's the heat, OR, his new walking jacket that we got today. - He's always fine with his harness a,d very calm;y let me put this new jacket on him.

I'm leaning towards thinking it's the new jacket but am curious of anyone who has had an indoor/outdoor cat in this type of heat?

Save

1 - 7 of 7 Posts

cinderflower

· #2 · May 22, 2012

i knew you had to be in phoenix before i even looked. i know that's not hot hot for you but if 113 is "small animals spontaneously combusting on the sidewalk," 105 isn't exactly jaunty weather lol.

just guessing, i'm gonna say it's better to keep animals inside with a/c when it's over 100? i'd think the cat would just be miserable. try to imagine how you'd feel if you were covered with hair and you couldn't sweat. it's only going to be 93 here tomorrow and if i have to stay outside any length of time i'm going to lie down. lol no wait, the occupy wall street people are everywhere and i don't want a SWAT officer to haul me off.

Save

dweamgoil

· #3 · May 22, 2012

Just to give you a point of reference. We live in NY, high temps in the Summer average in the high 90's but usually not above that...thank goodness! In the Summer, my cats overheat in anything about 87 degree weather. This is the first year we will have A/C in the apartment so I know they will be much more comfortable, but they used to spend almost the entire Summer laying about on the kitchen tile (no playing, no running, just very lethargic, and uncomfortable). Any play sessions at all made them pant.

Save

Carmel

· #4 · May 23, 2012

I imagine my cat would be curled up in the shade unmoving, like she is at any time when it's getting hotter out... but we don't get weather like that here. 30 (86) is about our summer high.

I'd say if your cat isn't accustomed to that kind of heat, or even if he is, he could just be trying to tell you it's not an ideal like to be wandering outside.

Save

MowMow

· #5 · May 23, 2012

Anything over 85 and both my guys shut down. They cease play and spend their time laying around looking unhappy.

Save

spotty cats

· #6 · May 23, 2012

If he seemed happy enough and is used to heat should be ok, sounds like he was good with pacing himself and not getting too hot/panting?

Mine are well used to high Summer temperatures, and we don't use the air conditioner much, they still race around the house madly and go outside in the later part of the day (enclosure or harness) and have shade available so not in full sun.

Save

LaurulFeatherCat

· #7 · May 23, 2012

There is one fact that does make cats more resistant to heat problems. The original wild ancestor of the domesticated cat is Felis lybica, the south african wild cat. They evolved in a very hot environment and therefore most cat breeds are heat stress resistant. However, remembering a cat's normal temp is between 102 and 105F, any heat situation over 85 degress is going to stress their physiology. Also remember Persians are NOT resistant to heat stress at all but Siamese and Oriental Shorthairs, etc are very resistant.

That said, allow each cat to determine their own comfort in a hot enviornment. Just make sure adequate clean water is available for them in any hot situation.

I had one Persian, Vincent the Beast, who used to love to sleep on the hearth of the fireplace with his side pushed up against the fine wire mesh of the spark screen when I had a fire in the fireplace. He would lie there in bliss until he baked his one side until it actually felt uncomfortably warm to the touch. Then he would get up, stretch, and lie back down with the other side of his body tight up against the spark screen. He was the most heatloving cat I ever met. On the other side of the equation was a Siamese I had who loved to sleep up against glasses of ice water or ice tea and if I put ice cubes in the dog bowls to keep their water cool, would fish the ice out of the dog bowl and lie on the ice cubes until they melted. You just never know how each individual cat is going to react to heat or cold.

See less See more

Save

1 - 7 of 7 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top Contributors this Month