The heat here is really making me sick!! Not kidding!

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

How exactly do you cool down an overheated cat? What is the best way? Maya seems to be suffering the most, poor girl

[krazyaboutkatz]

How exactly do you cool down an overheated cat? What is the best way? Maya seems to be suffering the most, poor girl

Lut, You can add some ice to their water bowls, wet them down with a cold washcloth, or mist them if they'll tolerate it. Last weekend many animals died or have come close to dying in Northern California and they said that if you have to bring your animal to the ER because they're suffering from the heat then you should put lukewarm water on them first and this will help to stabilize their body temperature. I hope that I'll never have to go through this with any of my cats. I've been keeping the ceiling and floor fan on nonstop and opening up the windows and sliding glass door when it's cooled down enough. Lucklily things are finally starting to cool down here.

[Kirsten]

Sonia, I remember that incredibly high death rate in France during the summer of 2003. About 15000 people have died in 2003.

I remember the summer of 2003, like this one, it was a long and very hot summer, but more bearable as it wasn't so humid, at least here in Germany.


Lut, to keep my cats cool, I'm stroking them with a wet washcloth. They really enjoy it!

Kirsten

[Lizzie]

I wouldn't use cold water cloths on a cat, not right away, more like tepid - which will cool on their fur/skin. I suggest this because when I was a children's nurse in the 60's (they've probably got more hi-tech ways of helping now), we used to bathe children who were having seizures from high temperatures in tepid water, not cold because it's too great a shock to the system. It's the same with frostbite, you use warmish tepid first.

It's cooled down into the high 70's, low 80's here in the Seattle area which is a great relief. Sitting out on the deck at about 7pm, when the sun is behind the fir trees, is just wonderful now - that aspect of summer I can truly enjoy. It's also wonderful to see the kittens racing around madly all the time instead of just in the very early morning.

Do they still use heavy wooden shutters in Europe, or have they disappeared except on older buildings? I remember that when I lived in Greece they were wonderful for keeping out the hot sun. Since I only have blinds and drapes on the south-west side of my house, I haul sheets of plywood over the deck door windows every morning to block out the heat, and it works well.

[NoahsMommy]

Kristen,

I hadn't seen Peggy's thread, but I'll go look. Poor Sweet Peggy!!

Luckily, CiCi was home and she brought him lots of ice and water. She put more fans in my room and let him roam the house so he could cool down a bit. I'm SOOOOOOO lucky she was there, if he was alone??? I don't even want to think about it.

I hope its getting better for you, sweetie. Its horrible being this hot.

We finally got A/C help at work!! They installed TWO HUGE window A/C units that'll cover TWICE the space we have...thank goodness!!! Its going to be sooooo cold when I get in tomorrow morning and I'm soooo Happy!!!

Hope you're cooler and feeling better.

Hugs, Kelly

[Kirsten]

There were finally some thunderstorms, and rain, so the air is actually a bit cooler. Even though I didn't manage to get all the muggy air out of my apartment, it's more bearable now, and today, our office had "only" 85°F instead of 100°! LOL

But they say the heat will be back this weekend, so I think I'll enjoy these slightly cooler temperatures as long as they last.

Kelly, good for you that you finally got AC installed at work! And I'm glad that CiCi was there to care for poor Noah!

Lizzi, usually we don't have these wooden things; like you said, only the very old houses have them. I have only curtains, but I think I need to come up with something else to keep the heat outside. We have blinds in our office, but once the heat is inside the builing, they don't help much...

Kirsten

[MajesticCollies]

Kirsten,
My Mother recently recieved a letter from my cousins in Germany. They too are complaining of the heat. They live in OLmstat? Does that sound right. My other Cousin lives in Phmgstat? It be much easier if they made the spelling easier. lol
Anyhow, I sympathize with you. I am a production Supervisor in the Nations largest Independant Bakery and we have 14 ovens that are 300 feet long, so I know what your dealing with for my Deptment has no AC.

[catland]

Is it getting better yet?

I don't really have any suggestions that haven't been mentioned yet - I knew of the cold water or ice on the wrists.

Also, I know general rules are to try to avoid caffeine or alcholol. Also, do you like spicy foods at all? Hot, spicy foods that cause you to sweat more actually help to cool you down.