Cat in a bird cage

Dear Fisher,

Hot weather is coming soon and I have a great back yard with a patio and swimming pool. My humans have it covered with screen that they call a bird cage. I think that’s pretty funny because it keeps the birds out and the cat (me) in. I love to stay out there when the weather is nice, but in the summer it gets pretty hot. How do I know when to yowl at the door before I get overheated?

Plato

Dear Plato,

Precaution is a key issue here. Your people need to know that even though you might choose to sleep all day inside the house in a nice warm sun spot, you are protected from direct sun. It is much different if you are outside for long periods of time with the sun beating down on your favorite nap spot on the patio. A good rule of paw is in a quote from Charles J. Brady, “The real measure of a day’s heat is the length of a sleeping cat.”

Stretching your body as you nap helps you cool off. It is true. Should you get trapped in the “cage” while everyone else is inside with the air conditioning, you need to get pretty creative with keeping your cool. A word of caution: stay out of the pool. A word of precaution: your people should install some sort of ramp in case you wander in for a quick swim and suddenly remember you do not know how to dog paddle!

Heat can cause serious harm to all critters. We all know animals should never have to stay in a hot car. Unfortunately, we still hear horror stories. Some of us know that cats can get sunburn because they do not have enough color pigment to protect their skin. A little sunscreen on the tips of the ears and on the nose will help if you really must be out there.
It is very important to monitor your reactions to the heat. Cats exhibit many of the same symptoms as dogs – or for that matter, humans, when they are over exposed to the heat and sun. Panting, anxiety, increased heartbeat and lethargy are some of the early signs of heat stroke. Often cats will drink less rather than more water. You must drink. Order up a water-on-the-rocks pronto if you start to get overheated. And, of course, get inside!

A few good safety tips for your people from Pets America include:

• Get to know your pets normal pulse, breathing patterns, etc – it helps you recognize pending emergency situations
• Keep animals out of direct sunlight during the heat of the day – if you are uncomfortable, your pet is uncomfortable
• Know the signs of heat stroke and immediately wrap your cat with cool towels and offer an ice cube to lick for re-hydration
• Test the heat radiating from the sidewalk or street on your own two bare feet

Hot summer is not the time to play “where on earth is the cat?” You know you can disappear in front of your humans and it is a good sport for you – sometimes. If your fun and games cause you to spend a hot day in the bird cage, you are not going to get the last laugh.

Your friend,

Fisher

published in tbt Tampa Bay Out There weekend edition