Cat Community Wisdom: Purrfectly Helpful Tips & Tricks to Keep Your Felines Fresh and Cats Cool in Summer

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Aug 1, 2025 9:00 AM EDT

It's been a real scorcher outside for the past….month. It feels like there's no escape from the heat, and no matter how high we put the air conditioning, it still feels hot. And if it feels pawsitively warm for us, imagine being a cat with several layers of fur on top of that! Cats have their own ways of staying cool, but as their pawrents, it's up to us to help them as much as pawssible during these months (that feel like years) of intense heatwaves.

The most impurrtant thing is to know when to recognize heat stroke in your cats and how to react to it. In the post below, you'll find several tips and tricks to help keep your felines fresh and cats cool this summer - everything from brushing to games with ice cubes. We've been worried about our kitties at home while we're at work, and now, we feel purrfectly safe leaving them at home, knowing they won't overheat. Tell your cat not to worry, a "lion cut" is not the answer.

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    Cats and Hot Weather

    'What are signs of heat stroke and how should you respond?'
    via Изображения пользователя Vitaliy Pakhnyushchyy

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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    Hi Imgur, I'm your friendly neighborhood feline behaviorist. Cats are often misunderstood creatures- I can't tell you how much misinformation I see out there about them. Part of this is because cats have NOT been studied scientifically nearly as much as some other species, such as dogs!
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    I want to help cats by making sure that humans have a better understanding of them, and thus don't have unrealistic expectations for their behavior. I figured why not share some info on Imgur :) even if you don't want to read it, you can at least enjoy a few pictures of some shelter kitties!
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    It's HOT. In a lot of places across the world, including many where it usually isn't this warm. A lot of people are worried about their pets, understandably. So what are some things you should (or shouldn't) do to help keep your cat cool, and what are signs of heat stroke and how should you respond?
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  • This is one of those things you never want to have to Google (which is exactly why we're informing you about it now!). It's better to read through it and never have to use it, than not know and frantically try to understand something new while panicking. Nobody panic! 

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    Lion Cuts/Grooming In general, you don't want to give your cat a lion cut if it's hot out. As said by James H. Jones, an expert in comparative animal exercise physiology and thermoregulation at UC Davis, “Fur acts as a thermal regulator to slow down the process of
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    heat absorption." Cats will shed and make their coats more suitable for heat protection instead of warmth by getting rid of their thick undercoat. A lion cut can also result in outdoor cats, or even just those who sit in sunny spots, getting a sunburn.
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    One time that you SHOULD get a lion cut for your cat is if they have mats. Mats or heavy tangles will prevent a cat from thermoregulating properly. I advise you get a vet or groomer to shave your cat for you rather than attempting it yourself, unless you have trained your cat to accept electric trimmers.
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    What about brushing your cat? Yes, please! Helping them get rid of the fur they are shedding will help keep them cooler. A furminator or other style of brush that is good at removing that heavy undercoat can help in the summer.
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    Be sure to have multiple options for water- bowls, water fountains, cups if your cat is one of *those* cats, whatever they like best. Refresh the water daily so it is fresh, as it's better for your cat and will make them more likely to drink it. You can also take a damp towel and gently wipe their body/feet, if they will tolerate it.
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  • “If they will tolerate it” is key here. One of our cats (the orange one, obviously) would not mind at all. The other would scream at us as if we were telling her the world was ending. She's not dramatic, no, not at all. She does, however, love playing with ice cubes, so that's helpful!

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    You may also encourage them to play with ice cubes, or ice cubes made out of wet food/pet-safe broth or other yummy treats. Frozen water bottles wrapped in towels and placed near them can also provide a cooling effect.
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    The things that you would do to keep yourself/your home cool will benefit your cat. Running oscillating fans even when you aren't home, and making sure you close blinds/windows will help. If you have linoleum, tile, hardwood, etc. encourage your cat to be in these areas. If you don't, consider getting them a
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    cooling mat or two and putting them in places your kitty likes to be. Of course, if you are lucky enough to have AC, then you're golden!
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    Avoid encouraging them to play in the hottest parts of the day. Try to stick to early mornings/late nights for exercise.
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    This is more a problem for dogs than cats simply because they are in cars more, but NEVER leave your cat in a car, as the temperature inside a car grows much hotter than outside.
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    I also suggest that if you normally let your cat outdoors, keep them inside during a heat wave. You will have greater control over the temperature they are in, and will notice if they start showing signs of heat stroke.
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    Signs of heat stroke If you see these signs, administer emergency 'first aid' and then take your cat to the vet immediately. -Anxiety (may present as the cat pacing)
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    -BI ling from the nose -Seizures -Muscle Tremors -Dizziness -Viting -Prolonged panting -Bright red tongue -Dark red, or pale, gums -Weakness and Lethargy
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    S
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    Emergency first aid: -Get your cat to a cooler location -Put cool or tepid water (NOT ice cold) on your pet, and blow a fan on them to maximize heat loss -Wet the area around your cat down. So you could get a damp towel or two and place them around your cat in their carrier as you take them to the vet.
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cool fresh hot Heat summer wisdom cat community helpful heatwave felines cool cats cat owners Cats animals
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