Cats are good at hiding discomfort. That's part of what makes summer tricky — by the time your cat is visibly struggling with the heat, things have usually been off for a while.
Unlike dogs, cats don't pant efficiently. They sweat only through their paw pads, which does almost nothing at scale. Their main cooling trick is actually grooming — spreading saliva across their fur — which works fine on a mild day but falls apart fast when it's 90°F and the AC isn't keeping up. So before summer actually arrives, it's worth doing a few things now rather than scrambling in July.
Figure out how hot your home actually gets
Most people think their home stays comfortable during the day. A lot of the time, it doesn't. South or west-facing apartments especially can climb fast — close the blinds, leave for work, and you can come home to a 90°F living room without realizing it's been that way since noon.
Worth doing: leave a cheap indoor thermometer somewhere your cat likes to hang out and check it when you get home for a few days. If you're consistently seeing 85°F or above, that's something to fix before it's a problem. The general guidance from vets is to keep it under 80°F on hot days, ideally closer to 75.
Take hydration more seriously than you probably do
This is the big one. Cats evolved in dry desert environments, which means their thirst drive is naturally low — they were built to get most of their water from prey, not from a bowl sitting in the corner. That instinct doesn't serve them well in a hot apartment in August.
Dehydration in cats sneaks up quietly. Early signs include lethargy, dry gums, and skin that doesn't bounce back quickly when you gently pinch it. By the time you notice, they're already behind.
A few things that actually move the needle: put water somewhere away from their food bowl (cats instinctively avoid water near where they eat), refresh it more frequently in hot weather, and if your cat consistently ignores still water, consider a fountain. Moving water mimics a natural stream, and cats that won't touch a bowl will often drink steadily from a fountain. The Wireless Stainless Steel Pet Water Fountain BF25M is stainless steel — easier to keep clean than plastic, and it doesn't hold onto bacteria and odors the way plastic tends to after a few weeks. Worth considering if your cat is a reluctant drinker heading into summer.
Know what heat stress actually looks like
Excessive grooming out of nowhere, restlessness, hunting for the coolest surface in the house — tile floors, the bathtub, the inside of closets. Those are the early signs. If you see your cat panting, that's an emergency. Panting is not normal for cats the way it is for dogs. It means they're in serious distress.
Other red flags: drooling, vomiting, pale or bright red gums, stumbling. If any of those show up, move them somewhere cool immediately, drape a damp (not ice cold) towel over them, and call your vet. Don't wait it out.
Set up your home to give them somewhere to go
Cats will find the coolest spot available — your job is just to make sure one exists. Close blinds on south and west-facing windows in the afternoon, keep at least one room accessible that has decent airflow or AC, and if your cat likes a sunny window perch, a light sheer curtain can block the direct sun while still giving them the view.
Fans help more than people think, as long as the room isn't already an oven. In a shaded room with some airflow, a fan makes a real difference.
Adjust how you're feeding them
Cats naturally eat less when it's hot — their metabolism slows a bit and big meals make them feel warmer. Smaller portions more frequently tend to work better in summer. If you feed wet food, don't leave it out more than 20–30 minutes in the heat; it turns fast and an upset stomach on top of heat stress is not a fun combination.
If your cat goes off food entirely for more than a day during a heat wave, that's worth a call to your vet. A little less appetite is normal. A full food strike isn't.
Summer with a cat is pretty low-maintenance once you've got the basics covered. Most of it is just paying attention a little earlier than you normally would — before the first real heat wave hits, not during it.
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