Should I keep my cat inside in this heatwave?

[Sparkles29]

Or do I let him wander around outside and sleep under the trees as he normally would?

I have struggled to keep mine in all week. I think he must go and sleep under a bush in the local school.
I wish he would jump into a Paddling pool like a dog!

He will find a cool spot under the trees

Yes, let him make his own decisions - sleeping under the trees sounds lovely. Wish I could do it myself!

Give your cat the choice.

Even our heat adapted Arabian Mau has started to look a bit less energetic and arrived home early to flop about yesterday.

He's bundled out this morning a bag of energy but we will see what happens - prediction is a lot of sunbathing and rolling in the dirt.

Mine are out but looking very tired they really need to sleep more. They drink loads of water and I’m giving more wet than dry food. They are very active and vocal orientals so if I kept them in I would get no work done as they would talk to me relentlessly until I let them out. One pees on beds when she is not happy so it’s not worth it.

Cats Protection say keep them in. Just had a fight with mine in the garden, and she has now turned her back on me and is snoring loudly to annoy me

Forgot to say she is now inside and in the best chair

Mine are out sleeping in the undergrowth. They are out all day at the moment and come back when it's dark. They nip back for food and water.

Mine is out in the shade. There is a faint breeze so cooler outside.

My idiot cat on the other hand is cross I won't let her go under the duvet to bake. So I'm not sure she does make the best decisions.

My mog has been in prison in a cattery for 2 weeks* while we're away. I wish I could let him know we will be breaking him out tomorrow so he can find his best shady spots in the garden again.

*before anyone berates me he's been loads of times, chirps at the staff when he sees them again and I know he will have been perfectly well looked after.

I think it’s going to be cooler sleeping under bushes than it is in the house. Cats are sensible creatures and will choose the best option for themselves.

I wondered this. The thing is we have all our windows and doors open so they will get out if they want to. I think they will find somewhere cool and shady if they're out.

Ours have been out most of the night, they are now going in and out of the open door. I suspect they'll all be inside in a few hours when it gets really hot. They aren't daft though, they will usually find the coolest spot available.

I have a cat flap so my 2 come and go as they please but I have put two cool mats down on kitchen floor for them if they want them.

Mine is out somewhere but he comes back for water. I called him to come in the other evening and he emerged, rather guiltily from a garden where there is a paddling pool, trampoline and bushes. He could have been stalking sparrows though.

Mine isn't good with making sensible decisions.

She was out from 4am - 7am but I've brought her inside now and she's fast asleep in the shade.

Mine are out at the moment and the back yard is still mainly in shade - I’m out there too.
Once the sun moves round I will call them in and shut the back door.
Old cat is pretty sensible, but young cat (who has black fur) spent a lot of time yesterday afternoon racing round in the full sunshine trying to catch butterflies, until I brought him back inside. So I don’t fully trust him to be sensible.

We're having some work done at the back of the house.

Our cat is sleeping under the cement mixer!

😹

Blimey I wouldn't even consider bringing them in. They will go in the shade if they're too hot. Mine tend to like slowly baking in the conservatory. But they are desert animals after all

Mine is asleep under the trampoline which is set on woodchip so it retains moisture and is cool. He will wander in and out during the day.

We have barely seen ours in the last couple of weeks but last night (after having fun killing a mouse ) she slept on my bed so I think they will know if it's too hot for them. Just leave some water outside for them. They're not stupid and will find shade.

Mine alternate between a shady bush and a boiling conservatory!

Mine is free to choose where he wants to be. His brother died just a few days ago so it's been very difficult knowing what is grief and what's heat as his food intake has changed and he's very restless. Won't sleep alone at night so comes and bothers me! We live where there's plenty of shade to be found so I think it's good for him to get out for a bit.

Mine are all out. They could go and lie in a nice cool place in the house but no. My elderly black cat is currently sunbathing in full sun. He lives for this time of year. I think he should have been born in Greece