Keeping your furry pal cool in summers

While summers are the time to chill out, it is important to keep our felines cool. The cat’s normal body temperature is approx 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit, or 38.2 to 39.2 Celsius. If the outside temperature is hotter than this, then there is a high possibility that your cat may be susceptible to a heat stroke. But, a little love ‘n’ care can keep our felines cool and make summers enjoyable for both of you.
Here are a few tips to make summer easier for your furry felines:

• Senior, young and obese cats are more susceptible to heat stroke and so are the cats with health problems and certain breeds with short snouts such as Persian cats.

• Keep your furry pals in a cool area, providing plenty of fresh water and avoiding strenuous activity.

• Some of the symptoms of heatstroke include panting, drooling, red tongue and lips, lethargy, convulsions, vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, high body temperature and coma.

• If any of these symptoms occur, try to bring down the body temperature of the cat to normal.

• Bring the cat from the hot area to a cooler place.

• Wrap her in cool wet towels and apply ice packs to the head.

• Once the body temperature return to normal, stop cooling or you may cause hypothermia in your cat.

• Monitor your cat’s rectal temperature every 5 – 10 minutes.

• Put a fan or air-conditioner on.

• Offer plenty of cool, fresh water.

• Do not force-feed the cat.

• Rush him to the veterinarian for a check up since a heatstroke may cause severe damage to the internal organs.

(Sudhersena is a volunteer at Blue Cross since 1998; an avid animal lover, she has 9 cats and 3 dogs. For more info, contact: Blue Cross of India, 72 Velachary Road, Chennai or email bci@bluecross.org.in)