How to keep my Persian Cat Cool?

Question

Recently the weather in my city has gone extremely hot and humid and that has started to concern me. I have a Triple Coat Persian Cat and he is most definitely not enjoying the summer. He usually sleeps and stays around cool areas of the house including the laundry area and the bathroom. Although the laundry room is clean however the bathroom isn't and is dangerous for him. I've tried discouraging him however he still prefers it. How do I keep my cat cool effectively without hurting him?

Answer 1

I have a long-haired cat too and this is a constant problem for us! If you have the money to afford a cooling pad, I'd highly recommend one, however, I've worked out a few other cheaper solutions through the years that may help you out.

First of all, I'd recommend making your bathroom safer for your cat. I'm not sure exactly what's making it dangerous for him, but the cool porcelain tub is one of my cat's favorite things on hot days.

I've also built a home-made "cooling pad" for him with good results. I simply made a few ice packs by filling large freezer zip-loc bags with water and freezing them so they're flat and thin. I double-bag them so they won't leak. (I'd generally advise against using commercial ice packs as they tend to not use plain water as filler -- if they break they could be dangerous for your cat depending on what's inside.) I then wrap the bags in a towel (to protect from sharp claws) and place it near his favorite napping spot. it's a big hit. I keep a couple frozen bags in the freezer at all times, and stick one in his towel in the late morning when it starts heating up. Obviously, don't use this in a small-kennel situation where the cat can't move away from the ice pack.

More options: does your cat have any tile or stone floors to lie on? My house doesn't have too many, which is why he spends so much of his time in the bathtub. At night, he likes to sleep on a slab of Masonite (compressed particle board) that I place at the end of my bed. It has the cooling benefits of a hard surface but still allows him to be needy and sleep with me. If your house is mostly carpeted, consider investing in a masonite (or better yet, granite or marble) slab for him to lounge on. You can buy big pieces of masonite from your local hardware store, and have them cut it to whatever size you want for pretty cheap. You can even put an ice bag under it for extra oomph.

Finally, remember that the best solutions are often the easiest. I have a small table fan that I have pointed at his favorite nap spot. I leave it on all day in the summer. If it gets turned off for whatever reason he will come find me and complain until I turn it back on. If you go with this option, make sure there's a good "cage" around the fan with bars that are close enough together that a paw can't slip through. Cats do really stupid things sometimes, and it's best to assume that if they can injure themselves they will.

Answer 2

There are a few little things you can do and a few that require a lot of money. First and foremost: Keep your house at around 20-22 degrees Celsius! This will help quite a lot. Second, I have tried this with my own cat and it worked very well: put an ice cube or two in your cat's water dish. This cools him off and also encourages him to drink lots of water. I also really like keshlam's idea:

Think about what he finds attractive about the bathroom and duplicate it elsewhere. Tile floors, or tub, that soak up and diffuse heat better than other surfaces? ...Unless you keep the bathroom door closed continuously, the only answer to "it's dangerous" is "make it less dangerous"; that will make it safer for humans too. Cat proofing and childproofing are similar. -keshlam

That will definitely solve your problem of your cat going into the bathroom. Another idea, make sure your cat has some nice cool places where he feels safe and where you don't mind him being. Find a nice spot of shade and put a bed or blanket or even towel there. You can also purchase blankets and beds that have built-in cooling tech. They all work in various ways. Here are some good ones:

http://www.amazon.com/Green-Pet-Shop-Cooling-Small/dp/B0047LFDQO

https://www.amazon.ca/Aspen-Pet-80134-Cooling-16-Inch/dp/B00DJRCQ3U

http://www.amazon.com/Furimals-Warming-Cooling-Pet-Large/dp/B00CXHQC8C

Yes, they are all from Amazon. Apparently Amazon is the top exporter of pet cooling (and heating) mats.

Hopefully these helped you. There may be other ways of solving your problem, but these are definitely the most efficient. Unfortunately, those cooling pads can get quite pricey. However, they are totally worth it! Stay cool,