Look after your pets in a heatwave or hot weather 

You can’t fail to miss, if you are in the UK, that we are in the middle of a heatwave. It’s hot, it’s sunny, people are being warned to take care and look after themselves in the heat, use common sense when out and about and not take risks and become unwell whilst the weather is hot.

Our pets also need to be looked after in this heat. They can’t tell us they are hot (although you can spot signs they may be suffering)

This is Layla, the grumpy cat star of the blog. She’s a dark chocolate (she looks black, she’s actually not) part Persian cat. She’s fluffy and furry. She hates the heat. You can’t really blame her.

heatwave
At the moment she’s on my bed. It’s cool in my room, and I have a fan running. Normally she hates fans but she’s not silly, so she will tolerate a fan when she’s hot. If she’s not on my bed, she can be found on the floor in M’s room where it’s sometimes coolest, next to the wall. She won’t go outside until much later when it’s cooler, in the evening.

Pets feel the heat just as much as we do and we need to remember that they also need help to stay cool and don’t become unwell. (Heat can be lethal for animals)

In our house we are looking after the various creatures in the heat by

– making sure there is fresh drinking water available. The cats have a bowl in our room, the kitchen and we have a bowl outside for them too.

– the cats can come in and out of the house freely, so if they are hot outside they can come in to keep cool. They also have shady spots in the garden which we don’t move or disturb so they have a safe spot to say cool. I also know what to look for if I am worried they are getting hot or dehydrated. Both basically spend most of these hot days lying in the shade, I don’t blame them!

– the hamster has been moved to the coolest spot in the house I can find that also is quiet enough not to disturb him and I check on him regularly. He gets fresh water and a tiny piece of fresh fruit every day which helps to keep him hydrated.

– the leopard gecko loves the heat but needs water daily and his cool cave needs to be kept damp and cool for him especially when it is hot.

– the snails love the heat and thrive in a heatwave because they are actually used to a warm climate, but cannot dry out. So we make sure they have fresh food daily and that we spray their tank with water to keep them happy and moist.

– the fish are pretty much ok although I am keeping track of the water temperature in their tank so that it doesn’t get too hot for them. They are cold-water fish, too warm could be harmful to them.

All pets need to be kept an eye on in this heat and as pet owners, we have a responsibility to make sure they are safe and well when it’s hot. Humans need to keep cool, our pets do too. There are some useful tips and advice here… (I don’t have a dog, but I do know you can’t leave a dog in a hot car, for example!)

How are you helping to keep your pets cool in the heat? Do you live somewhere hot where it’s common sense to take steps to help them or do you have a pet that is struggling in this heat? Feel free to share in the comments.

Enjoy the sunshine and keep those pets safe when it’s hot or you are facing a heatwave. You can also find some cat care tips that might be helpful both during the heatwave and for everyday care of your feline family members too.

Posted in Pet's Corner and tagged being a good pet owner, Being a responsible dog owner, heatwave, pet care in hot weather.

3 Comments

  1. Great post and hope this raises awareness more on the subject. I think the most important thing is to make sure your pet has regular water access for a drink (dogs/cats etc) and they have access to a shaded area to keep cool.

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