When the mercury climbs into the danger zone, pets feel it too. Extreme heat doesn’t just shorten your temper and obliterate your will to move: It can put dogs and cats in serious risk. The number of heat-related fatalities in dogs has risen steadily over the last 20 years, and vet visits spike when temperatures climb. Cats tend to fare somewhat better when it’s baking than dogs, but heat-related illness in our feline friends is also on the uptick.
Heat waves put pet parents in a tough pinch. The average utility bill in the U.S. can jump by 8% in the hottest months of the year, and analysts expect the costs (that’s energy, dollars, and emissions) to keep trending in the wrong direction. AC alone accounts for about 17% of a home’s electricity draw, which means it’s also one of the first places folks might look to start trimming. Makes sense: Every degree you adjust the thermostat can translate to a corresponding dip of 1% in your bill.
We know that finding ways to minimize AC use while still staying comfortable is entirely possible for people, but what’s an animal lover who cares about keeping both their furry friends and the Earth cool to do? The good news, says Houston-based relief veterinarian Maggie Canning, is that our four-legged family members generally have a strong instinct for regulating their own temperature. But you need to give them the tools to do so. Here’s how to keep your dogs and cats cool and comfy when the temperatures climb.
1. Familiarize yourself with how dogs and cats naturally cool down
Pets don’t naturally cool down the same way humans do. When a person sweats, the moisture evaporates off the skin and draws heat away from the body. While dogs do have glands all over their bodies, only those on their paw pads will sweat when a pup gets warm. The rest, which are all over the body, produce the scent-marking pheromones essential for canine-to-canine communication. Rover’s best way to regulate is through panting, which creates airflow to help moisture in their mouths, noses, and lungs evaporate and cool them down.
Cats do have some sweat glands—mostly on their paws, chin and lips—to help regulate body temperature. But a kitty’s primary means of cooling themself down is grooming. When Fluffy licks herself clean, her saliva acts the same way sweat does on a human, pulling heat from the body as it evaporates.
2. Understand your pet’s specific needs
A housepet’s heat tolerance isn’t a one-size-fits-all-situation, so Canning says it’s important to know your pet’s habits as well as any concerns related to its breed. For dogs, overheating can happen more easily in those with short snoots and flatter faces (called brachycephalic breeds) like French bulldogs, boxers, bulldogs, and pugs, because their anatomy makes panting less efficient. Meanwhile, Persians, Burmese, and other smoosh-faced cats might run hotter than others, and the same goes for long-haired kitties.
It’s also important to ask your vet about any overheating concerns specific to your pet, including any conditions that impact its breathing. But remember: No one knows your furry friend better than you, so pay attention to their normal behavior—where and when they sleep, how they move around, how much they eat and drink, how playful they are—and get comfortable checking their vitals. Canning recommends buying an ear or tushy thermometer to use just for pets and getting a sense of their normal running temperature (for both dogs and cats, it’s between 100 and 102.5 degrees F), so you have a baseline to check if they’re running too hot. It’s also a good idea to get a read on their heart rate, because a rapid ticker can also indicate heat stress.
3. Learn the signs of heat stroke in pets
When is a pet’s temp cause for concern? The signs are similar in both cats and dogs, but felines are usually better at hiding their discomfort, says Canning, so telling if a cat’s too hot depends a lot on you, as its pet parent, knowing them feline ways well. For dogs and cats, a temperature above 104 degrees is cause for concern. If you think your fur baby may be suffering from heat stroke, call the vet immediately.
Signs of heat stroke in dogs
Early signs of heat stroke in dogs include heavy and/or frantic panting, bright red gums, excessive drooling, diarrhea and/or vomiting, and a rapid heart rate. (Normal for most adult dogs is between 16 and 160 beats per minute; the ideal range for small dogs, toy breeds, and puppies is between 180 and 200.) Their condition could be more severe if they experience muscle weakness, intense lethargy, tremors or seizures, and loss of consciousness.
Signs of heat stroke in cats
A too-hot kitty will generally be lethargic and not have much of an appetite; they might also drink more water than usual. But the biggest cause for alarm is a panting or drooling cat or one with an elevated heart rate (normal is between 140 and 220 beats per minute). “Open-mouth breathing in cats is never normal and should be treated as an emergency,” Canning says. Other signs of heat stroke in cats includes bright red gums, disorientation, vomiting, shaking, diarrhea, trouble walking, or all-out collapse.
4. Make them comfy
Just like people, there’s no perfect temperature for every critter. But a general rule of thumb: If you’re comfortable, they’re probably comfortable, too. Canning notes that while there’s no strong consensus in the peer-reviewed research about where to set the thermostat—this is thanks to the wide variation in breeds and sizes—but some does indicate that 78 degrees F is a good upper limit. Translation: If you keep your home within the World Heath Organization’s recommended range for healthy adults—that’s between 64 and 75—you can probably safely kick up the temp a few notches when you’re not at home.
Climate control aside, there’s a range of things that can help keep both dogs and cats more comfortable when it’s extremely hot:
Keep them groomed
Make sure your dogs and cats get a regular brushing to remove any excess fur and prevent heat-trapping mats from forming in their coats. For breeds with double coats—think dogs like labs, retrievers, and huskies and cats like maine coons, persians, and ragdolls—brushing helps thin their undercoat, which is what keeps them toasty in the cooler months.
Set up a ‘water buffet’
Hydration is key, but a dog isn’t going to proactively chug water in anticipation of getting hot. “They are reactive drinkers,” Canning says. “They don’t drink until they’re thirsty.“ Cats are also infamously un-thristy beings. Her solution? Give them lots of options—or what she calls a “water buffet.” Set out multiple bowls in different rooms, and mix up what’s in each to some degree. She recommends one with regular water, one with ice water, and one with some kind of enticing flavoring like a splash of bone broth. And, when you’re out on walks, be sure to carry a collapsible water bowl so they can have a sip if things are steamy.
Make a little mist
Just because a dog doesn’t sweat like a person doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy the benefits of evaporative cooling, Canning says. Set an ice bowl in front of a running fan to create a nice misty spot for them. As the ice melts, it creates a cooling cloud. No, this doesn’t guarantee they’ll camp out in that exact spot, but providing them cool-down options is important. For cats, you might not even need the ice: A running fan can speed up their natural cooling system, as the breeze can hasten saliva’s evaporation. One vital PSA: Opt for fans with covered blades, for the love of all things tailed.
Give them shady spots
Keeping your windows covered is key to preventing the sun from overheating your home, but pets also appreciate a dark, quiet nook or cranny—especially cats. “Give them options for places to be,” says Canning, noting that animals are generally pretty good at regulating their own temperature. If your kitty doesn’t have a condo or other hidey-hole, just flip an open cardboard box on its side to create a li’l cave.
And maybe a nice, cool surface
You’ve probably seen cooling pads everywhere from the petshop to your Instagram feed. These promise to deliver instant relief from the heat via internal cooling gels, but Canning says there’s little research to back up how effective they are. Her suggestion: DIY it. If your pup or kitty gravitates towards tiled floors in the summertime, they might appreciate one or two that are extra-frosty. Stick a piece of tile or other hard-surfaced slab in the fridge, give it a couple hours to chill, and then set it out for them to lie on.
Freeze some treats
Show us a dog or cat that doesn’t try to steal a lick of ice cream in the summer, and we’d probably keel over. Frozen treats are a great way to help pets cool down from the inside out. Sure, they might enjoy licking an ice cube, but a pup-cicle made with peanut butter, fruit, or puréed pumpkin is definitely a step up. You can also freeze a filled Kong. For cats, consider stashing puréed treats like Churus in the freezer.
Avoid overexertion
Everyone loves play time, but a full-on session in peak heat is probably not a good idea. Limit exercise or play to the early morning or late evening to avoid any overexertion, which can lead to overheating. Even if you have a breed of dog or cat that’s on the more heat-tolerant side like a chihuahua or a Chinese crested, they probably don’t want to be outside during the peak heat any more than you do, Canning says. This means prioritizing walks in the early morning or late evening, too—and keeping any midday outside time brief.
Apply cold compresses
Good news: You don’t need to drench a dog or cat (phew!) to help it beat the heat. Instead apply cool, wet cloths or towel-swaddled ice packs to places where a pet’s blood vessels are close to the skin’s surface. This will help bring down their temperature before a walk or stint in the yard—or cool them down more quickly if they’re getting hot. This works because they rely on something called vasodilation, which is the dilation of blood vessels, to regulate. The key spots to hit: the ears, groin, bottom of the belly, and paws.