Hello,
I'm a first-time house kitty owner, so am glad to have found this forum.
I was wondering if anyone could tell me how warm is too warm for a cat. My cat (9 week old kitten, actually) is left at home during the day, and I do not have air conditioning so the house can get quite warm, even with windows open. I've read many warnings about not leaving cats in cars, because they get heat stroke, and obviously, I'm not going to do that, but how do I know if my house is too hot? I estimate that it may sometimes be about 90 degrees inside in the daytime.
As long as you have a window or two open, the air will circulate, but also I would suggest leaving on a room fan if possible (in a safe area so she can't knock it down or have it be a dangerous obstacle for her).
A couple tips....have an area available for her that has tile flooring, tile stays cool (you can even get a tile sample at your local home and garden outlet, keep it in the coolest room of your home, or in a shady room)
Leave plenty of water available for her before you leave, put icecubes in her water dish before you leave for work each day
Keep all drapes, blinds, etc closed during the day when you know it's going to be really hot.
If you have tile in the bathroom for example, you can put a damp towel on the floor so she can lay on it if she overheats.
Start saving to invest in an A/C or at least, a window fan you can easily install
Signs of heatstroke:
panting; cats do not have sweat glands, so heat must be expelled through panting. It is not enough though, heatstroke in pets can be life-threatening in a matter of minutes.
disorientation: as the core body temperature rises, fever develops, shock sets in (normal core body temperature by rectal thermometer = 101 - 102.5 ...anything above 103 or 104 when you know the heat is extreme in your home, warrants a prompt ER vet trip)
drooling, weakness and lethargy: another method of expelling heat is drooling. Weakness and lethargy occurs when fever or shock set in
Tips for reducing signs of heatstroke until vet attention is given:
cool the body with cold, wet towels
moisten the mouth and gums with cool water, but do not force water in a heatstroke pet, they could choke or aspirate
Congrats on your new kitty and welcome to the board!!
Down here in Florida, outdoor cats tolerate temps well up into the 90's but I do know that I'd worry about a cat being closed up in a room or house without any sort of circulation all day. Three of my cats seem to love to spend a large portion of their time in our garage during the day...and I know it gets above 90 degrees. However, they do have the option of coming indoors if they get too hot. I don't think your kitty is going to be harmed in anyway, but to be on the safe side you may want to find a way to have a cool spot for her/him...maybe a room with some wet towels on the floor for her/him to rest on? Do remember that cats are desert animals by evolution...and they are fairly tolerant of higher temps, but I like to give them some way of cooling off if they need to.
Traci may have better input about cats temp tolerance
Tina B and "what a crew!"
How we behave towards cats here below determines our status in heaven ~Robert A. Heinlein
Well, when you note kitty is sleeping all the time, not eating, seeking a cool area, or any of the above mentioned ER signs, then you know the house is too warm. When you know YOU are too hot and seek to cool down, expect your pets are feeling the same. The tolerance is lower though, and I wouldn't want a home to get higher than 90 for the pets' sake.
Again, I strongly suggest at least a room fan in any home where temperatures are as warm or warmer than outside (an oscillating fan will help to circulate the air). Garages are much like the inside of a closed car, heat is retained by the concrete. I realize you have kitty doors or keep the main door open for your kitties.....
Thanks for the reply posts. I was hoping kitties were more tolerant than humans because we can always tolerate our house, but the fan suggestion is a great one and I will do that. Thanks again!
jess
