FROZEN HOTTIES – may sound daft, but one of our experienced fosterers uses these with kittens in extreme conditions. Fill them half-full, freeze, then when frozen, wrap in a blanket or cloth of some sort, and the cats/kittens can lie on them. 

FROZEN PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES work as well – you can roll them in a towel and put by their favourite sleeping place.

FROZEN TREATS – you can make up your own recipes as you know what your cat likes but this is a great example – Drain canned tuna juice into a container and add a little water – then pour into an ice-cube tray or small mould of some sort – pop into the freezer. You could leave some chunks of tuna in too for extra taste. Once frozen, pop into your cats’ feed bowls – only a very small amount at a time.

COOLING MATS – Place a cat cooling mat in your feline’s favourite sleeping area. You can also use it in a cat carrier if you need to move them around in hot weather.

HYDRATION – obvious but please make sure you have plenty of fresh water both inside the house and out. Water fountains are good but the water should be topped up to make sure it isn’t too warm. Put ice-cubes in a large water bowl in the house.

SUN SCREEN – yes you can get this! If your feline has lighter-coloured fur, they are more likely to be at risk of getting sunburn. Apply animal-friendly sun screen to areas most exposed to the sun, such as the end of the nose and tips of the ears. The sun screen should be titanium dioxide-based; avoid any that contain zinc oxide. If in doubt, always consult with your vet.

ICE-CUBE TOY – just put some ice cubes on the floor and let them bat them around – good for cooling paws and noses!