Health – Page 4 – Maine Coon Central

It is important to learn how to keep a Maine Coon cool, especially during those hot summer months. Cats are far more susceptible to heat and cold than humans are, and extreme weather can easily kill a cat. Maine Coons can become overheated and dehydrated when it's hot out. To keep a Maine Coon cool, you should offer lots of freshwater, cool, shady places to sleep, and possibly even a cooling mat. If it's incredibly hot outside, you should keep your Maine Coon indoors to prevent heat stroke or even death. There are a lot of other ways you can keep your Maine Coon cool during hot weather, as well. Read on to find out some surprising and helpful ways you can help your cat regulate temperature even during extreme weather conditions. How To Keep A Maine Coon Cool The Maine Coon is a rugged breed that originated naturally in the cold state of Maine. These cats, with their long, thick fur, are perfectly built to survive harsh winters. However, dealing with the heat can be a lot harder for these cats. During the hot summer months, it's your responsibility as an owner to keep your cat nice and cool. An overheated or dehydrated cat can easily suffer heatstroke, or even die! Here are the top 11 ways you can keep your cat comfortable even in extreme heat: NumberCooling Tips1Air Conditioning2Shady Places To Rest3Provide Water4Limit Exercise5Cooling Treats6Close Curtains7Avoid Car Rides8Pet Cooling Mat9Keep Cat Indoors10Avoid Shaving Cat11Regular Grooming11 Ways To Keep Maine Coon Cat Cool Keep reading to discover more about these 11 effective Maine Coon cat cooling tips. 1. Air Conditioning You might be tempted to save money and keep the air conditioner off, even when it's hot out. Keep in mind, however, that turning off the air conditioning and fans in your house can actually cause harm to your cat. It's a good idea to keep cool air circulating so that your cat doesn't become overwhelmed by the heat. What might be a comfortable temperature to humans can actually be incredibly uncomfortable to cats. Anything above 80 degrees Fahrenheit will be too hot for a cat. It's a good idea to keep the temperature of your house between 75 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, so you can provide a comfortable environment for your cat. 2. Offer Shady Places To Rest Create safe havens for your cat by offering plenty of shady places to rest. While your cat may love resting in the sunshine when it's cooler out, that certainly isn't the case when it's incredibly hot out! Place your cat's beds in shady, cool locations. You might even make a cool retreat by placing a box on its side. Keep in mind that cats also like to lay on tile or other cool surfaces to help cool down, so try and make these surfaces more available and accessible to your cat. Overall, it's a good idea to offer your cat many cool, shady options for rest. 3. Provide Plenty Of Water Of course, it's absolutely essential that you provide your cat with lots of clean, freshwater. Maine Coon cats are well known for loving to drink from moving / flowing water. A cat water fountain like this one is ideal for your precious Maine Coon cat. (Click here to read the Amazon reviews of this cat water fountain). If your Maine Coon is anything like ours, they will likely love to pat the water from this fountain all over our utility room floor too! When it's especially hot out, you should take care to set out water bowls in multiple rooms, so your cat doesn't have to trek from room to room if it's thirsty. Another way to provide moisture for your cat is to give it wet food. Dry food has a very low moisture content, but wet food is high in moisture, and can help keep your cat hydrated. 4. Limit Exercise As tempting as it might be to play with your cat to distract from the heat, this can actually make your cat even hotter. Try and keep your cat calm when it's hot out, so it doesn't overwork itself into heat exhaustion. It's best to play with your cat early in the morning and in the late afternoon when temperatures have receded so that your cat can still get playtime without getting overheated. 5. Make Your Cat Special Cooling Treats You can make special cooling treats for your cat by putting wet food in an ice tray and allowing it to freeze overnight. You can also freeze chicken broth if you wish, but make sure it's sodium-free. These treats are perfect for keeping your cat cool, while also encouraging it to stay hydrated. Some cats also love to play with ice cubes! Although it is best to limit exercise while it's hot out, if your cat is determined to play, you can encourage your cat to play with ice cubes to stay cool. 6. Keep Curtains Closed Of course, you should be taking every possible precaution to keep your house cool. Your cat may love to soak in the sun during normal temperatures, but this isn't the case when it's hot out! With this in mind, make sure that you keep your house curtains closed. This is important because a closed curtain will block the sun from getting in, thus helping to keep your home cooler. Closed curtains help trap any heat that comes through the windows. You should also avoid using the oven or stove as much as possible when it's hot out, as this will only make your house warmer. 7. Avoid Car Rides Cars are heat traps during hot months, so you should avoid taking your cat on car rides altogether when it's warm out. Unless you have to go in for an emergency veterinary visit, it's best to keep your cat away from these hot vehicles. If you do need to transport your cat in the car, it is vital that you use a large shady cat carrier. Only use a carrier that enables plenty of airflows, to help keep your Maine Coon cool. Finally, and most importantly, NEVER, EVER leave your cat alone in the car while running errands. Many pets have died from being left alone in a car, even in only mildly warm weather. 8. Pet Cooling Mat You might want to consider investing in a pet cooling mat. Cooling pet beds are a great way to allow your cat to escape from the heat if needed. There are different kinds of cooling beds, some of which are made with gel, while others are made from water. Gel Activated Pet Bed Gel-activated pet beds release cool temperatures when exposed to the pressure of your cat laying down. When your cat gets back up, the gel begins to self-cool again. There's no point purchasing a small mat because your Maine Coon can grow up to 40 inches in length! I personally love this 35" x 55" dog-sized gel-activated pet cooling mat, sold by Amazon. Not only is the mat really effective at its job, but our Maine Coon 'Pippin' also loves to lay on it when it gets really hot! Water Cooling Mats Water cooling mats also absorb heat from your pet's body. However, keep in mind that both kinds of pet cooling mats only stay cool for so long before they need to be rested or cooled down again. 9. Keeping Maine Coon Cat Indoors If you have an outdoor Maine Coon, this is not the time to let your cat roam around outside. While cats are great at regulating their own temperatures, it's simply not worth the risk to let your cat go outside when it's incredibly hot out. You should avoid letting your cat outside when it's above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Your cat may not have access to water or shady spots while outside, and it can suffer from heat exhaustion, heatstroke, or even death all too easily. Even if your cat wants to go outside, it's best to keep it indoors where it's coolest. Are you thinking of moving to an apartment, and wondering if a Maine Coon cat is suited to apartment living? If this question is preying on your mind then make sure you read my article 'Can Maine Coons Live In An Apartment?'. Can Maine Coons Live In Apartments 10. Don't Shave Your Cat's Fur One surprising (and often controversial) tip that I hear people recommend on the internet, is that owners should shave their Maine Coon cat, to help the cat keep cool during the hot weather. Please NEVER do this! A lot of people will shave their cat, or even get a Maine Coon lion cut, in the belief that it will keep their cat cool. In reality, however, this can actually cause more harm than good. The Maine Coon's thick fur actually acts as a way to regulate temperature. Their fur is able to trap cold air, which can keep them cool as temperatures rise. Furthermore, their fur protects them from sunburn. A shaved Maine Coon will be far more vulnerable to the sun, and might even be more likely to suffer heat exhaustion. Discover some important points to note regards the controversial Maine Coon lion cut, by reading my article 'Maine Coon Lion Cut Facts'. Maine Coon Lion Cut 11. Grooming While it's a bad idea to shave your cat, you can still help keep your Maine Coon cool through grooming. You should regularly brush your Maine Coon about twice a week, using these cat grooming tools. If it's hot outside though, you might want to brush your Maine Coon three or even four times a week! The reason for this is that grooming helps to remove dead fur which can add weight and heat to your cat's pelt. Wiping your cat down with a damp towel, or even giving your Maine Coon a bath is also a way you can keep your cat clean and keep it cool at the same time. Most Maine Coons love water, so this shouldn't be an issue, but if your Maine Coon hates water, then you might want to avoid bathing altogether. Conclusion Learning how to keep a Maine Coon cool is essential to your cat's health. These thick-furred cats are surprisingly good at regulating their own temperature, but they'll still need help staying cool in extreme heat. Keeping your cat inside during hot days can prevent heatstroke and even save your cat's life! It's also important to provide lots of cool, shady places to rest, as well as plenty of water. Related Questions Do Maine Coons Get Cold? Despite their long, thick fur, Maine Coons are still capable of getting cold. While they're more resistant to cold than other cat breeds, they shouldn't be allowed outside in weather below freezing.