What to Do With a Cat During a Heatwave: Keeping Your Cat Cool and Safe

Cats cope with heat better than they let on, but a summer heatwave still puts them at real risk. Knowing what to do with a cat during a heatwave helps you keep yours comfortable, spot trouble early, and act fast if things go wrong. This guide is for everyday cat owners in Austria, Germany, and similar climates, whether your cat lives fully indoors or comes and goes outside.

Cats are less efficient at cooling themselves than we are. They can't sweat through their skin the way people do, so they rely mostly on finding shade, grooming, and slowing down. When indoor temperatures climb into the high twenties and above, an ordinary flat can turn into a heat trap, especially under the roof.

How do cats cool themselves, and why does heat hurt them?

A cat's normal body temperature sits a little higher than ours, around 38 to 39°C. To lose heat, cats seek out cool surfaces, stretch out to expose more skin, groom themselves so saliva evaporates, and sweat a tiny amount through their paw pads. These methods work fine on a warm day but fall short in extreme heat.

That matters because cats don't pant to cool down the way dogs do. A relaxed cat almost never pants. If you see open-mouth breathing, treat it as a signal that your cat is struggling, not as normal behaviour.

How can I keep my cat cool during a heatwave?

Most of this is about making the cool option the easy option. Set things up in advance so your cat can regulate its own temperature.

• Water everywhere: Put out several bowls of fresh water around the home and garden. Wide, shallow ceramic bowls stay cooler than plastic. Some cats drink more from a pet water fountain, and a couple of ice cubes in the bowl can tempt a fussy drinker.
• Shade and cool spots: Make sure there's always a shaded, well-ventilated place to lie down. Cats often seek out tiled bathroom or kitchen floors, which stay cooler. A damp towel laid on the floor gives another cool surface, but let your cat choose it rather than forcing them onto it.
• Manage the indoor climate: Close blinds, curtains, or shutters on the sunny side of the flat during the day. Open windows in the early morning and evening to let cooler air through. If you use a fan, point it near (not directly at) your cat and leave an escape route so they can move away.
• Window safety: Tilted windows are dangerous. A cat trying to slip through a tilted window can get trapped and seriously injured. Use secure window screens or protective grilles so you can ventilate without the risk.
• Feed and play in the cool hours: Offer meals in the cooler morning and evening. Keep play sessions short and gentle at the hottest times of day, roughly late morning to late afternoon, and let your cat rest.
• A little help with grooming: Gently stroking your cat with a damp cloth, especially along the back, chest, and paws, can help. Extra brushing removes loose undercoat so heat escapes more easily. Do not shave a cat unless your vet advises it: the coat also protects against sunburn.
• Sun protection: Cats with white or thin fur, especially on the ear tips and nose, can get sunburned and are at higher risk of skin cancer there over time. Keep them out of direct sun at peak hours and ask your vet about a pet-safe sun protection product.

What about outdoor cats?

Cats with outdoor access usually sort themselves out by finding shade, but a heatwave changes the maths. Encourage yours to stay in during the hottest part of the day if you can. Make sure sheds, garages, and greenhouses are shut so your cat can't get locked inside a space that turns into an oven. Check any outdoor water bowls stay full and out of direct sun.

Which cats are most at risk in the heat?

Some cats overheat far more easily and deserve closer watching:

• Flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds such as Persians and Exotic Shorthairs. Their short muzzles make breathing and heat loss harder.
• Kittens and elderly cats, whose temperature control is less reliable.
• Overweight cats, who carry extra insulation and tire faster.
• Long-haired breeds such as Maine Coons and Persians.
• Cats with heart, breathing, or kidney conditions, or any ongoing illness.

If your cat falls into one of these groups, keep them indoors in the coolest room during a heatwave and check on them more often.

What are the warning signs of overheating and heatstroke?

Heatstroke happens when a cat's body temperature climbs too high to cope. It can develop quickly and become life-threatening, so learn the early signs.

Early signs your cat is too hot:

• Panting or open-mouth breathing
• Drooling or a wet chin
• Restlessness, or seeking out cool floors and hiding away
• Grooming more than usual, especially the belly and paws
• A fast heartbeat and rapid breathing

Signs of serious heatstroke, which is an emergency:

• Heavy, distressed panting or struggling to breathe
• Very red or, later, pale gums
• Drooling thick saliva
• Vomiting or diarrhoea, sometimes with blood
• Wobbliness, stumbling, or weakness
• Confusion, tremors, or seizures
• Collapse or unconsciousness

If you can safely take a rectal temperature and it is above about 39.5°C, your cat is overheating. Anything around 41°C or higher is a medical emergency. Don't delay care to hunt for a thermometer, though: if your cat looks seriously unwell, start cooling and get to a vet.

What should I do if my cat is overheating? First aid steps

Act calmly and quickly. The goal is to bring the temperature down gradually while you arrange veterinary help.

1. Move your cat somewhere cool and shaded straight away, ideally a tiled room, with air moving from a fan or open window.
2. Offer cool water to drink, but never force it. If your cat won't drink, don't worry, cooling matters more right now.
3. Wet the coat with cool, not ice-cold, water. Use lukewarm to cool water on the fur, or lay a damp towel over your cat. Very cold water and ice can make blood vessels tighten and actually slow cooling, and can cause shock. Focus on the belly, armpits, paws, and inner thighs.
4. Keep air moving over the damp fur with a fan to help evaporation.
5. Phone your vet or the nearest emergency clinic now, ideally while someone else cools the cat. Tell them you're coming.
6. Stop active cooling once your cat is more comfortable and breathing settles, so you don't overshoot and make them too cold. Then transport them.

Even if your cat seems to recover, still call your vet. Heatstroke can cause internal damage to the kidneys, gut, and blood clotting that only shows up hours later. A cat that has overheated badly needs a check-up regardless of how it looks afterwards.

When should I call the vet?

Contact a vet urgently, and travel to a clinic, if your cat shows any of these:

• Persistent panting or any difficulty breathing
• Gums that are bright red, pale, or bluish
• Vomiting, diarrhoea, or drooling thick saliva
• Wobbliness, collapse, tremors, or seizures
• Confusion or unresponsiveness
• A measured temperature around 41°C or higher

Phone ahead so the clinic is ready when you arrive. In Austria, if your regular practice is closed, look for the veterinary emergency service (tierärztlicher Notdienst) for your region; in Germany, search for the local tierärztlicher Notdienst or Tierklinik. Keep the number saved before summer starts.

Heatstroke is one of those situations where minutes count. It is always better to phone and be told your cat is fine than to wait and see.

The one thing never to do

Never leave a cat in a parked car, even for a couple of minutes and even with a window cracked. The interior heats up fast and becomes deadly. The same goes for conservatories, greenhouses, sheds, and any small closed space in the sun. If you're travelling with your cat in hot weather, keep the journey short, use a well-ventilated carrier out of direct sun, and bring water.

The takeaway

Getting your cat safely through a heatwave mostly comes down to preparation and paying attention. Set up cool spots, shade, and plenty of water before the heat arrives, take extra care with flat-faced, older, overweight, or long-haired cats, and learn the difference between a cat that's simply lounging and one that's in trouble. Panting, drooling, and wobbliness are your cue to cool your cat and call your vet. When in doubt, make the call. This guide is general advice and can't replace an exam by your own vet, who knows your cat's health history.