Tips for Moving With Pets: Ideas for Pet Owners

Boarding your long-haired cat for the summer

17 November 2016 by Lily Berger

Summer can be a great time to get away for a well-deserved break. Finding the right cat boarding facility means that you can relax knowing that your cat is being well cared for while you are away.  If you have a long-haired cat, it's especially important to find a boarding facility where your cat will be able to cool down on hot days. 

Lots of cooling or shade

If the facility is outside it's important to have a lot of shade, so that the cat can spend some time enjoying the warmth but doesn't have to be in the full brunt of the sun the whole time. This shade can take the form of trees and bushes as well as shade sails or manmade shade covers. It's also a good idea to look for outside area with natural groundcovers such as grass, because pavers and artificial grass can get extremely hot in the peak of the summer heat and can radiate heat at night making the area feel hotter. 

In indoor facilities, it can be good to look for a facility with air conditioning, especially if a heat wave is forecast. 

Plenty of water

Cats cannot pant to cool down as dogs do, so they cool themselves by grooming and cooling with the evaporation of the saliva. This means that they need a lot more water when the weather is hot and they are grooming more. Access to free-flowing, cool water can help them to cool off in the hot weather. 

Regular checks and processes

In addition to physical characteristics of a cat boarding facility, it is important to find a facility that has a strong and proactive approach to checking your cat for heat stress. You may also like to leave them with an authorisation that they can shave your cat if they seem to be in distress after a number of consecutive hot days. 

Some facilities will also place in cool packs into the animal's bedding during hot spells so that they have a place that they can head to lay and cool down if they feel overheated. 

Finding the right cat boarding facility for a long-haired cat in summer involves finding a facility with the right cat quarters, a good approach to hydration and appropriate processes and procedures to monitor heat stress. This three-pronged approach is the most effective way to ensure that your cat has a healthy and enjoyable stay at the boarding facility. 

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