The temperature is beginning to rise, and it is only going to get hotter. Make sure you know how to keep your cat safe in the summer heat.

In the Northern Hemisphere, summer starts on June 21. During the summer heat, while you can adjust your clothing according to the weather, your cat is still wearing her fur coat. This can easily become a health issue. Just what can you do to keep your feline friend comfortable during the summer?

If you are going to be away all day and it is going to get warm in the afternoon, drop three or four ice cubes into kitty’s water bowl before you leave the house. An iced gel pack may seem like something good to leave out near her bed, but although gel cold packs are made with ingredients that are considered nontoxic for humans, the gel could be harmful to your cat if she pokes a hole in the plastic with her claw and ingests it. Instead, try a more holistic pet remedy for the heat; fill a small plastic bottle with cold water and leave it in the freezer overnight. Before leaving the next day, wrap the bottle in a towel and put it in your cat’s favorite spot. If she gets overheated, she’ll appreciate the kitty cooling space. Be sure not to fill the bottle to the top because the water will expand when it freezes, and there will be a mess left behind if you don’t leave some air space.

A cat that becomes overheated in summer can suffer from dehydration, heatstroke, and shock. Unlike people, a cat cannot sweat and therefore it can become a struggle for her to keep cool when summer temperatures start to climb. A cat's main methods of cooling off include staying out of the sun, being inactive, drinking water, and panting. None of these methods are effective if your cat is left inside a hot house or car without a means of escape. She will become overheated and at risk of heat stroke. Symptoms of heat stroke include panting, lethargy, drooling, fever, vomiting and collapse. To help cool your cat down in a more natural manner, take a damp washcloth or paper towel and stroke your cat with it. Most cats do not mind a little bit of moisture on their fur especially when they notice how it cools them off. One of the ways a cat naturally cools herself down is by grooming, which is nothing more than wetting her fur with saliva rather than water. If you think your cat may have heatstroke, take her to the veterinarian as soon as possible — the condition can cause permanent organ damage and death.  Do remember that very young and very old animals can have a more difficult time keeping cool during the brutal days of July and August. For kittens and older cats, wet a hand towel and wrap the animal in it for a minute or two. This cools down the animal and when released, and she will often lick the leftover water off, cooling down even more.

Summer is also a good time to cleanse your pet’s system. Because our pets eat less in the summer, especially during days of high heat, it is the perfect time to take steps toward insuring their health with VIAND’s pet Detox Diet for dogs or a micro nutrient rich cat food. that contains no artificial flavors, colors or fillers.

Since summer time also offers warm lovely days, our pets tend to stay outdoors longer and unfortunately they may come in contact with different types of bacteria that are not prevalent during winter time. Para-Yeast an herbal, natural cleanser for cats and dogs controls yeast growth and is a natural wormer and cleanser for pets that contains a mixture of cleansing herbs.

Much like with humans, seasonal changes in daylight and temperature can trigger hormonal changes in cats thus altering metabolism and influencing her food intake. As the summer temperatures rise, she will become less active and need less energy. Lengthening daylight signals this change to the most primitive part of the brain and its hormonal responses, resulting in decreased food seeking behavior and shifts in cellular metabolism. Keep your pet healthy using the most natural, holsitic cat foods available. VIAND Cat Food is a meat-rich, dry cat food made with no artificial flavors, colors or fillers. It is scientifically formulated to be used alone or with raw meat. Viand has a bio-available, micro-nutrient profile that can be fed to any breed of cat at any stage of life.  Even if your feline friend is an indoor cat, windows will still allow her brain to react to daylight changes that in turn trigger behavior and metabolic responses. Her activity levels may still decrease during the summer despite the cooler temperatures inside, so do mind her caloric intake.

Remember, while you might love a day spent in the gorgeous summer sun, chances are, your cat is less enthusiastic about the idea. More than other pets, cats are not equipped to deal with heat and humidity. Therefore, it is important to exercise caution and common sense every time you take your cat outdoors, especially if it involves a trip in the car. A cat will suffer from issues in the heat such as dehydration, heat stroke, hyperthermia, and even sunburn, so it is important to remember that even a few minutes of summer sunshine may be a few minutes too much.