Ensuring a cool and carefree summer for the cats of Cambridge
July 14, 2022
Long, hot summer days spent sunbathing or outdoors exploring may sound like heaven for your cat. Unfortunately, there are a few summer dangers such as heatstroke, burnt paws, and accidents that could scupper your cat’s plans.
The nursing team at Clarendon Street Vets have pulled together their top tips to help you ensure your cat has a cool and carefree summer.
The first ‘to-do’ on the list is to get your cat microchipped. A new law will come into force later his year making it compulsory for cats to be microchipped, but even aside from the legal obligation, microchipping is one of the most helpful things you can do for your cat this summer. Keep reading to discover why …
Why microchip your cat?
With longer daylight hours, more sunshine, and more adventuring to do, summer can increase certain dangers for cats including:
- Pet theft
- Wandering off too far and getting lost
- Looking lost close to home and being taken to a vet practice or animal shelter
- Road traffic accidents and other injuries from summer adventures
By microchipping your cat, you are giving them the best chance of being reunited with you should the unthinkable happen.
Book a cat microchipping appointment today.
Hot weather cat safety …
Cats are big sun worshippers but just like us, too much sun can be bad for their health. Even indoor cats can suffer, so it is important to take steps to avoid heatstroke.
Follow the tips below to make sure your cat enjoys a safe summer:
- Provide plenty of water in multiple locations so your cat avoids getting dehydrated.
- Set up some shady areas where your cat likes to lay, even if your cat lives indoors, and get into the habit of pulling down the blinds or drawing the curtains against the midday sun.
- If your cat likes to sunbathe, apply pet-specific sunscreen to delicate areas such as paws and noses to avoid sunburn – especially if they are lighter in colour.
- Your cat’s paws are especially sensitive so be aware of the temperature of pavements before letting them outside in hot sun – check for signs of blisters when they come in.cats tiring out more quickly – avoid letting your pet play too
- Be wary around paddling and swimming pools – while cats are not known for jumping into water voluntarily, accidents happen, and cats are not great swimmers.
- Cats can tire out much quicker in hot weather so try not to let older cats out too much on really hot days in case they wander too far from home and become too tired to get home
Fleas, worms & tick prevention.
Many parasites will become more active in the warmer weather and will quickly multiply if left untreated. As well as being very annoying for your pet, fleas, worms, and ticks can create a whole host of health issues for both you and your your cat.
Ask any of our team and they will tell you that ongoing preventative treatments are the best course of action to avoid parasite problems in cats. Contact us on 01223 359021 to order your cat’s next treatment, or to discuss the best products for your pet.
We hope you can use our advice to help your cat have a cool and carefree summer. If you have questions after reading this or want to book an appointment for microchipping or preventative care, do get in touch.