What Is the Best Way To Look After A Feral Cat During The Summer?

Caring for stray cats throughout the summer can be challenging. Because these cats flee the smallest human encounter, it's difficult to know if they're thirsty, hungry, or injured until you trap them. However, there are several easy acts of kindness you can perform to keep the wild cats in your community healthy throughout the hot summer months.

Top 12 Summer Care Options for Feral Cats:

1. supply Water The most important thing you can do in the summer for wild cats is to supply water

Providing a few watering stations will keep these kittens cool without requiring them to travel far for hydration.

2. Position water bowls in the shade

The sun both warms and evaporates water. The feral cats will have less water, and you will need to refill the water bowl more frequently. A simple solution is to place the water in the shade.

3. Make Use of Narrow, Deep Bowls

Because light reaches the surface of the container, shallow water warms up faster. As a result, utilize narrow, deep water bowls to keep the water cool and lasting longer.

4. Provide some shade

If you don't have a large tree to share, an umbrella, an awning, or a table can provide some shade. You can also grow trees or vegetation to give natural shade. Finally, a plant or building that produces constant shade is preferable since it gives a deep shadow during the hottest part of the day.

5. Keep the garage windows open

People enjoy working on outdoor projects throughout the summer, which frequently necessitates the use of equipment from the garage. There's always that one cat who gets lost inside and becomes stuck. To avoid being trapped in a hot garage, leave the doors or windows cracked and filled with water.

6. Mow the Lawn

If you have a lawn, don't allow it to turn brown and dry. Even cats enjoy well-watered grass during the hottest part of the day.

7. Only feed a small amount at a time

Cat food degrades quickly in the scorching sun. Leave enough food out for 30 minutes and call it a day. More food can always be placed outside later.

8. Replace with dry food

Although wet food keeps cats hydrated, it attracts flies and dries in the bowl. To avoid bug infestations, provide dry food instead.

9. Provide Cool Treats

Try feeding cool treats like berries or chilled chicken to a stray cat who is warming up to your interactions. Remember that you don't want to leave fresh food out for too long, so serve these goodies during dawn or dusk when the temperature is at its lowest.

10. Never leave traps in the sun.

If you participate in the TNR (trap-neuter-release) program, do not leave traps out in the sun. During the hottest days of the year, it may be advisable to avoid trapping entirely. Otherwise, the cat will suffer from heat exhaustion.

11. Never Leave Trapped Cats in a Car

During the heat, trapped cats should never be left in a car. Bring confined cats inside where they can stay cool.

12. Avoid leaving traps on hot surfaces

Because of thermal mass, even in the shade, hot summer days will heat hard surfaces. If you must trap, do so in grassy places in the shade.

Heat Exhaustion Symptoms in Cats

Keep an eye on your wild cat community by becoming familiar with the symptoms of heat exhaustion: