ALLEY CAT RESCUE
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      • TNR: Do It Yourself!
      • Targeted Trapping
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      • Where to Buy TNR Equipment
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      • Where have all the birds gone?
      • Debunking the Myths and Misinformation: Cat Predation
      • Why Eradication Methods Fail
    • Handbook Download
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        • Testing for FeLV/FIV
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      • Ringworm Myths Debunked
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      • Indoor/Outdoor Cats >
        • Winter Tips for Protecting Cats
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    • Cats and COVID-19
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    • Solutions to Prevent Surrendering you cat
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Summer Tips for Keeping Your Cats Safe

Picture
While you prepare for summer by planning vacations, holidays and activities, take a second to prepare your colony cats for the season. The warmer days can bring cats some serious problems if they aren’t properly taken care of. Here are some tips and things to be aware of so that your companion can enjoy the summer.
 
In General:
  • Cats with paler fur are more vulnerable to sunburn, particularly on the ears, nose, and sparsely haired areas.
  • Older cats are particularly vulnerable to dehydration. Kittens, pregnant mothers, older cats, obese cats, and cats with heart or respiratory issues have an increased risk of heatstroke.
  • Signs of overheating include heavy panting and loss of energy. If you recognize these signs, encourage the cat to drink water.
  • Signs of heatstroke include stumbling, collapse, excessive panting, bright red tongue, and dribbling. If you recognize these signs, move the cat to a cool place, wet their coat with cool (not freezing!) water, and contact a vet immediately.
 
Companion cats:
  • Keep your cats indoors when the sun is strongest, between 11:00am and 3:00pm.
  • Cover vulnerable areas, or regularly apply a non-toxic waterproof human sunscreen. There is also sunscreen specifically for pets.
  • Make sure clean water is available to your cat at all times.
  • Grooming is important, especially cats with longer coats. Some cats may need their coats trimmed. A tangle-free coat helps to protect the cat’s skin and keep them cool.
  • Check your cat’s paw pads for signs of burns from walking on hot asphalt.
  • Speak to your veterinarian about flea preventative and which product would be best for your cat.
  • Sometimes cats seeking a cool breeze fall out of open windows and get injured or killed. Install tip and tilt windows that allow air into the room without offering access outside to cats, or use a screen across windows when they are open.
  • The risk of cats getting shut in sheds, greenhouses, and garages increases during the summer because more cats are left to wander outside. Make sure that your cat is microchipped, with the details up to date. If your cat goes missing, make inquiries and contact local vets and animal shelters in case your companion has been taken to one.
 
Community Cats
  • Make sure the feeding station and shelter are in a shaded and cool place. If it’s too hot for you to stay there, it’s too hot for the cats!
  • Provide lots of fresh, clean water at all times. You can out ice cubes in the water to keep it cooler for longer.
  • Use light-colored bowls if possible. Dark colors absorb heat.
  • If you see fleas on the cats, ask your veterinarian about flea preventative for the cats you can handle safely.
  • Keep insects off of cat food: if you place the food bowl in the center of a tray that’s filled with an inch of water, the cats can lean over the water to eat, but ants won’t be able to cross it. Don’t leave wet food unattended.
  • Trapping community cats: schedule spay/neuter appointments before you trap, and trap during the cooler hours of the day to avoid keeping the cats in small quarters when it’s hot. Don’t place traps in sunny spots or on asphalt, which gets extremely hot! 

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  • Home
    • About >
      • Email Sign-up
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • History >
        • Our Team
        • Board of Directors
        • Financial Information
        • Privacy Policy
        • Partners
    • Press
    • Our Stories
    • Action Alerts >
      • Welfare Programs >
        • Petitions
        • California Declaw Bill
        • New York Declaw Bill
        • PACT Act
        • Spay Neuter Pledge
        • Michigan TNR bill
        • No Declaw Pledge
        • Toxoplasmosis gondii, Cats, and the Threats Posed to Pregnant Women
        • Adoptions >
          • Cats available for adoption
          • Adoption Inquiry Form
          • New Cat Checklist
          • Introducing A New Cat
        • Campaigns >
          • Working Cats Program >
            • Shelters with Working Cat Programs
          • African Wildcat >
            • Press Release on African Wildcat Campaign
            • Differences between AWCs and domestic cats
          • The Feral Fix
          • End Deadly Eradication Methods Campaign
          • "Fix the Family" Campaign
    • News >
      • ACR Newsletters
      • Press Releases
  • Spay/Neuter
    • COVID-19 Protocol for S/N Clinic
    • Early Age Spay/Neuter
    • Misconceptions About Spay/Neuter
    • Types of Spay and Neuter Procedures
    • State Low Cost Spay/Neuter
  • How to Help Community Cats
    • Find a Stray Cat?
    • What is a Feral Cat? >
      • Feral vs. Stray Cats
      • Benefits of Feral Cats
    • TNR-- What does this mean? >
      • TNR Statistics
      • TNR Step-by-Step
      • TNR: Do It Yourself!
      • Targeted Trapping
      • TNR Tips
      • Hard to Catch Cats
      • TNR Equipment Resources
      • TNR/Community Cat Care Financial Resources
      • Where to Buy TNR Equipment
      • Helping Shelters Implement TNR Programs
      • Adopting Adult Feral Cats >
        • Feral Kittens >
          • What to do if you find kittens
          • Stages of Kitten Development
          • Orphaned Kittens
          • Socializing Feral Kittens
          • Fostering Kittens
        • How Rescuers Can Effectively Adopt Out Cats
      • Common Complaints
      • Providing Shelter
    • State Resources
    • Health Care
    • Cat Overpopulation
    • Relocation
    • Feral Cats and the Law
    • Cats and Wildlife >
      • Cats and Predation
      • Where have all the birds gone?
      • Debunking the Myths and Misinformation: Cat Predation
      • Why Eradication Methods Fail
    • Handbook Download
  • Cat Health
    • Health Care for Your Cat >
      • Vaccines
      • Wellness Vet Checkups
      • Microchiping
      • Nail Trimmings
      • Effects of aging
      • Hospice Care and Euthanasia Decisions
      • Financial Assistance
      • Cat Supplies
      • How to Prepare for an Emergency
      • Pet Food Banks
    • Common Cat Health Issues >
      • Feline Panleukopenia
      • Fleas
      • FIP, FeLV, FIV >
        • Testing for FeLV/FIV
      • Zoonotic Diseases
      • Rabies
      • Toxoplasmosis
      • Ringworm - Symptoms and Treatment
      • Ringworm Myths Debunked
      • Obesity in Cats
      • Diabetes
      • Indoor/Outdoor Cats >
        • Winter Tips for Protecting Cats
        • Summer Tips for Cats
    • Cats & Claws
    • Animal Cruelty Against Cats
    • Hazardous Poisons
    • Poisonous Plants
    • Pet Disaster Preparedness
    • COVID-19 Pet Food Banks
    • Cats and COVID-19
  • Cat Behavior
    • Solutions to Prevent Surrendering you cat
    • Common Cat Behavior Issues
    • Litter Box Problems
    • Scratching and Destructive Behavior
    • Meowing and Yowling
    • Urine Marking
    • Aggressive Cats
    • Cat Enrichment
    • Introducing Cats
    • Cat on Cat Aggression
    • Behavior Issues in Elderly Cats
    • Tips for Entertaining an Indoor Cat
    • Cat Supply Resources
    • Lost Cat
  • Donate
  • Store