Hi Folks, This is Sunshine Kitty. You haven’t heard from me before – I’m a kitty friend of Mango’s. I told Mango I’d help out with newsletters.
Most people don’t know, but it’s hard to blog every month AND keep up with the care of the yard cats or working at the store, like Buddy & Taylor do.
Anyway – Mango is my latest caregiver. He’s the best! I help him with the other strays that visit our Human’s yard. It’s a little bit sad – many humans go north for the FL summer. Some of us kitties get to go with them, some not. And, honestly, some kitties don’t want to leave here, so they hide when it comes time for Go-North. Not to worry – Mango and Judi welcome all who come by. Mango is so good at teaching the younger ones about traffic, finding food, and staying healthy.
I want to tell you feline friends how to deal with the summer heat and storms. We live here, right? We love the tropical climate, right!? But – here are some things you should know…………
In the summer here, it gets warm and even humid. Mango told me, ‘You know it is Summer when you go out first thing in the morning and the day already feels like a big warm hug.’
Three Summer Tips for Cats
Did you know cats are considered desert creatures? Yes! We tolerate heat as well as Humans do, and better than dogs. However, we too can suffer heat exhaustion and stroke the same way people do.
Tip #1: Stay hydrated!
For us cats, it’s important to drink a lot of water. If you don’t like what’s in your bowl, I say – Dump it! Put your foot on the edge of the bowl and push down. Hehehe, it will go over! (Oops, sorry Mango, I was just trying to be funny) – LOTS of clean water is important.
If you’re an indoor kitty, the AC might dry you out. Drink! If you’re an outside kitty, the warm temps will make you sweat. Drink! We should also learn how to find a cool, shady spot to sprawl out. Cats sweat through their paws. When it’s really hot, we do pant. (Like a dog…. Ooo I hate admitting that.)
Tip #2: Watch out for hot streets and sidewalks!
I mean, you’re already sweating through your feet – don’t walk on pavement that is hotter than you are. Mango teaches the kitties here to find a safe, shady bush to sleep away the day, and then hunt at night. C’mon, the rodents are doing the same thing! House kitties in air conditioning might not understand this.
For dogs too – walking on the street in a 92⁰ day is HOT. The pavement can make you feel like it is 145⁰. Whoa – I think you can cook an egg at that temperature!
Here’s a quick test your Human can do: Tell your Human hold their hand on the street or sidewalk for 7 seconds. If it’s too hot for their hand …it’s tooooooooo hot for your feet!! Buddy recommends, “go out, do your business in the yard, GO BACK INSIDE!”
What to do if you get too hot
Getting your hair brushed keeps it summer-ready. Most of us felines shed our underhairs that keep us warm when it’s cool outside. We get rid of this hair when it’s hot outside.
Petting us with a slightly damp towel or hands can put some cooling moisture on us. I do NOT like water, but mommy cats know to lick their young to help with a hot day.
Here’s an great idea! Give us an ice cube to play with – this is best if in a shady spot. Oh, and see my Icy Treats Recipe below!
Note from Taylor:
“I think everyone in FL knows NOT to leave their cats n dogs in the car.
Even with the windows ‘cracked’ a bit, the car becomes an oven-turned-on-high, going over 100⁰ even within 10 minutes. That’s hot enough to be fatal to us cats n dogs!”
Rule #3: Storms:
We have LOTS of storms everyday in the afternoon here in FL. They can range from a little rain to wicked thunderstorms, and also (I don’t want to even say it) the Hurr- word. It’s well known in the kitty world: Thunderclaps, pelting rain, and flashes of lightning are SCARY!
Mango taught us outdoor cats to find a safe, warm spot, like in a car’s engine compartment – or even better, in our neighborhood – Thank you Judi, for keeping the garage door open a crack for us strays to get in and hide. AND SO, Humans – before driving your car after a storm, would you mind banging on the hood to awaken us so we can get out of your way?
Buddy found this tidbit on the Internet for me: “Humans can experience sinus pressure and headaches when the pressure drops with an incoming storm. Cats n Dogs might feel these effects too, especially if they have a longer snout and larger sinus cavities. There’s no proof that this happens, but many vets think it’s probable.” Our resource
For help with the anxiety of a storm, Cats n Dogs Store recommends CBD oil or chews. They have several in the store to choose from – and Nancy is very knowledgeable about whether it might work for you! It’s not habit forming or addictive. And it has nothing to do with cannabis or THC (which is dangerous for us cats n dogs.)
I wrote these tips just for my feline friends because there is a lot of info for dogs but little for cats. If your doggy friends need some tips, Taylor wrote a great article on dogs in the summer here. They can learn more about using suntan lotion, handling heat exhaustion, water safety and attending summer parties.
Cat Treat Recipe
Speaking of parties, here’s my recipe for kitties on a hot summer day. It’s a YUMMY ice cube treat your Human can put in your bowl or feed you on a popsicle stick.
- Squeeze the juice out of a can of tuna (for Humans, water packed, no salt). You can also use low-salt chicken stock.
- Dilute with water
- Pour into an ice cube tray or Popsicle maker
- Freeze and serve
Thanks for reading my very first blog! This was FUN – and I even learned stuff. Hope you did too.
Stay cool and have a great Independence Day weekend!! It’s going to be a hot one……
With a Meeoww Meeoww and a Wuf Wuf,
Sunshine Kitty, Mango, Taylor & Buddy
Human: *Sobbing* One minute he loves me and the next he wants nothing to do me!
Therapist: That’s pretty typical cat behavior
+++
Q: What do you call a feline with a short haircut?
A: A bob cat, of course
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