Mewsings, July 30, 2018: "No one can have experienced to the fullest the true sense of achievement and satisfaction who has never pursued and successfully caught his tail." - Rosalind Welcher

Keeping kitty cool this summer.
by Hattie Gladwell

It's summer, and it's hot. And while lots of cats get to go out to hunt and play in the sun and the shade, others would rather stay indoors.

If this is your cat, it’s important you keep them cool, especially during a heat-wave, with our without air-conditioning

Your best bet is to create a shaded space for your kitty if they end up spending too much time sunbathing in the window.

Use a cardboard box to create a cool, dark spot for your cat, line it with a towel and surround it with water bottles filled with cool water and ice cubes to make it the perfect spot for your fluffy friend to cool down.

You can also create cool treats – by putting canned cat food in an ice cube tray, making it the perfect ice treat for your feline.

Of course, it’s super important that you have fresh water out for your cat all the time, making sure it’s as chilled as possible (which you can ensure by adding ice cubes).

During this heat, you might also find that your kitty isn’t eating as much.

This is because cats do not need as much energy during the summer months as they do during the winter, when they burn a lot of energy trying to keep warm.

But if you are wanting to make sure your cat keeps up its appetite, remember to store dry food in a cool, dry place, and use it as quickly as possible so that it doesn’t go stale.

Feeding wet food can also be great for a cat’s hydration due to the water used in it – which is great for cats in the heat.

It’s also really important to make sure you look out for any signs that your cat could be unwell during this heat; these are very easy to spot, and once you do, you should head to your vet immediately.

Clare Hamilton, a practice owner and head vet at Cherry Tree Veterinary Practice, in Lane End, Buckinghamshire, says there’s no need to worry as long as they’re not unusually quiet, vomiting, or having diarrhoea after eating.

Clare adds: ‘One way to tell is by feeling the top of their ears, if they feel hot to you compared to normal, then your cat may have some form of temperature or fever.’

So, unless your cat is looking unwell – don’t panic.

If they’re enjoying the indoors, keep them cool, keep an eye, and let them have fun.

Mewsings, July 31, 2018: "Unlike us, cats never outgrow their delight in cat capacities, nor do they settle finally for limitations. Cats, I think, live out their lives fulfilling their expectations." - Irving Townsend

Mewsings, August 1, 2018: "Cleanliness in the cat world is usually a virtue put above godliness." - Carl Van Vechten

Mewsings, August 2, 2018: "Pure herring oil is the port wine of English cats." - Honore de Balzac

Mewsings, August 3, 2018: "Cats mean kittens, plentiful and frequent." - Doris Lessing

Cat postumously awared Cat of the Year.
From Sky News

Paramedics said Theo helped save owner Charlotte Dixon, from Redditch, Worcestershire, as she suffered from a blood clot.

The eight-year-old feline spent the night pawing at his owner's body to stop her falling asleep as he sensed her deteriorating state.

Ms Dixon said she owes her life to Theo and the posthumous award "is a truly wonderful way to celebrate his life".

She described how she woke up in the night feeling unwell and was confused and shaky "but thought I should just get some sleep".

"Theo wouldn't let me and was behaving very strangely and out of character," she said.

"He kept batting me with his paw, meowing and jumping on me - keeping me awake. Eventually I decided to call my mum and she called an ambulance.

"The paramedic recognised the signs of a blood clot straight away and said it was a good thing I hadn't fallen asleep as I probably wouldn't have woken up."

Ms Dixon then spent a week in a high dependency unit before making a full recovery.

Theo won a public vote in a separate category at the Cats Protection annual National Cats Awards.

A panel of judges then selected him for the top prize.

Ms Dixon said: "I'm devastated that he's gone but I'm so proud of him for winning. It shows I'm not the only one who thinks he was a really special cat."

She was presented with a trophy on his behalf during a ceremony at London's Savoy Hotel on Thursday.