How do you Cool off a HOT kitten?

[ginger's mum]

MAN it's hot here!

My son just got in from school drenched in sweat and Ginger is stretched out on the sofa as long as she can go, I have every single window open and can still feel sweat trickle down my spine. The thing is it's gonna get hotter, it hit 40degC last summer.

What can I do to help my girl keep cool?
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
We keep her in the kitchen at night as it's the coolest part of the apartment and she can't get into trouble while we're sleeping, we leave the fan on for her and a dish of water.
She used to join us in the shower about once a week but is over that "walking thru the poop" stage and hasn't needed one for a while.
Do cats enjoy a little water play?

HELP! I"M MELTING!!!

 

[coaster]

Originally Posted by Ginger's Mum

Do cats enjoy a little water play?

Well, some do, but it's pretty rare. But you can use water to cool the cat -- use a washcloth damped with cool water to rub on your cat and get the fur damp. (Actually, licking themselves is one way they cool off, so you're just helping a natural process along). Remember to rub with the lie of the fur, not against.

 

[jcat]

Originally Posted by coaster

Well, some do, but it's pretty rare. But you can use water to cool the cat -- use a washcloth damped with cool water to rub on your cat and get the fur damp. (Actually, licking themselves is one way they cool off, so you're just helping a natural process along). Remember to rub with the lie of the fur, not against.

That's what I've been doing, too - we're having a heat wave. Jamie really appreciates it (though I don't appreciate being awakened 2 o 3 times a night to cool him off, especially since he could sleep downstairs, where it's cooler).

 

[ginger's mum]

Wet cloth, GREAT, keep them coming, its a long hot summer.

I put some ice cubes in her water dish last night and she was fascinated with them.
Sniffing, licking and tentative touches with her paw, she kept circling her dish as she did this, very cute!

 

[hissy]

Some tips:

Buy a big block of ice and a tub to put it in. Set the tub in a room, turn on the fan so it runs right through the ice- the cool breeze will cool her down

Freeze small containers of water and set them out for her early in the morning, they will melt at varying degrees depending on where you put them

Buy a large litter pan, and put water in it, just enough to cover the pads of her feet. Throw some toys that float in the pan or feed her inside the pan to encourage her to go in for a dip

You can also get a large pan and do the same thing with potting soil, bearing in mind the cat will more than likely use it as a potty spot of dig into it and throw dirt all around the room.

 

[abnihon]

I'm in Japan too and it's so humid!! My kitty is all clammy when I get home from work. Luckily I have air conditioning, so I can keep it on for her when I'm out.

Do you have A/C? If not, you should get one, for your own benefit as well.

Japan summers are awful!!

 

[ginger's mum]

Yeah we AC too but most days can get away with just opening every single window as they all have bug screens and I'm a SAHM anyway so its no bother.
We have it on 25 at night to cool down the bedroom and had Ginger in with us but all she did was attack various body parts so got put in the kitchen again.
The kitchen and bathroom windows have bars on them so we can leave them open to try and catch the breeze for her as well as a fan.We're in Chiba, where are you?

We live in a poky apartment so the dirt thing is out but when the weather heats up some more will definately try the block of ice thing. We move to a bigger apartment in about 3 months so will just have to make do till then.Thanks Hissy

 

[wellingtoncats]

Lucky it doesn't get that hot in NZ. Best of luck - HOT kittens aren't fun.

 

[abnihon]

Originally Posted by Ginger's Mum

Yeah we AC too but most days can get away with just opening every single window as they all have bug screens and I'm a SAHM anyway so its no bother.
We have it on 25 at night to cool down the bedroom and had Ginger in with us but all she did was attack various body parts so got put in the kitchen again.
The kitchen and bathroom windows have bars on them so we can leave them open to try and catch the breeze for her as well as a fan.We're in Chiba, where are you?

We live in a poky apartment so the dirt thing is out but when the weather heats up some more will definately try the block of ice thing. We move to a bigger apartment in about 3 months so will just have to make do till then.Thanks Hissy

I live down in Kyushu in Saga-ken. But I'm moving back to the States in 4 weeks (with kitty) and am very excited about it. Living in Japan wasn't as good as I thought it would be.

Oh, and when I got home from work today I tried rubbing my kitty with a cool wet cloth and an ice cube and she looooved it. Try it!

 

[rosiemac]

I'll have to try the cool damp cloth and the water in the litterpan with Rosie and Sophie as well

 

[jcat]

This is a subject very much on my mind right now. We had a small oscillating fan on in the bedroom last night (no A/C), and Jamie spent the entire night "hogging" it, meaning he got right in front of it, and complained when it wasn't blowing directly on him. I went out this afternoon and bought a huge oscillating fan on a stand that should cool all three of us down. Once I had put it together, he stretched out on the bed and meowed till I turned it on. "Dumb" animals! How much do you want to bet that he'll expect to have it turned on 24/7?
This is a good suggestion: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55218