Should I shave my cat during really hot weather

[skrumtuoscatlayd]

Hi, my cat is not so long haired but has lots of hair on her so she gets hot very easily. Where I live is summer now so temperature reaches over 30 degrees celcius 3-4 days in a row and my house doesnt have air condition so she pants alot and cries when she is in the room. Should I shave her coat to help her dissipate heat more easily?

 

[Furballsmom]

I've read that a cats' coat helps even in the heat especially if they go outside, they need that protection from the direct sun. Can you give her ice cubes in her water, and would a fan help? Do you have a room where the floor is cooler? Would she stay in the bathtub, it's possibly cooler there.

 

[FeebysOwner]

A number of articles I have read over the years say most cats do quite fine at temps up to 95 F/35 C. They have a higher body temp than humans, so they can actually tolerate temps higher than we can. But the older they are, just like humans, the less likely they will tolerate extremes in temps. Cats will also groom themselves more in the summer since the saliva evaporating off their body provides a cooling effect. If shaving a cat would reduce grooming, it could actually be a detriment.

Usually, the coolest rooms in your home will be on the first floor since heat naturally rises. Shady rooms are usually cooler, so keep your cat in those areas.

Along with ice cubes in the water and fans, as suggested above, there are also cooling pads you can buy.
The 11 Best Cat Cooling Pads 2021 (Gel, Alloy & Memory Foam) (stuffcatswant.com)

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Any chance of getting a portable aircon? They can keep part of the house cooler than a fan, which tends to just stir hot air up after a while. (Summer here, too, rotten weather!)