Wearing a heavy fur coat all through a hot Australian summer doesn't sound great to most people. Your cat may be having similar thoughts this summer! Cat owners are often confused about whether their cat needs to be shaved down in winter.

Here are some tips about whether you should be shaving your pussy this summer. 

Can they get cool by themselves?

Cats don't usually pant in the same way that dogs do to get cool. Instead they keep cool by licking themselves and using their sense to find some extra cool spots to lay down and chill out. You'll often find cats curled up under air conditioning vents or in the corners of a kitchen or bathroom enjoying the tiles. If your cat seems to retreat to these spaces during the heat of the day and can groom themselves, then they might be dealing with the heat at the moment. Try placing a cool pack on the floor (wrapped in a towel) on a hot day to give them a very cool place on the warmest days. 

Can they still groom themselves?

Another aspect of summer that long haired cats and older cats can and challenging is that many weeds and plants grow seeds which can be easily caught up in the fur. If not groomed out these can form the basis of painful fur tangles and knots. Unfortunately many cats love meandering through the long grass and weeds so they can find it easy to get heavy load of seeds through their fur.  If your cat can groom themselves easily they can remove these quickly but if they find it overwhelming (and don't live to be groomed by their owner) then they need to get shaved down. 

Do they seem frustrated?

As cats get older, particularly if they are long haired, they can find it very tiring to keep their fur groomed. Cats that are getting tangled and knotted can often be frustrated and cranky as they find their normal movement tiring. They can start tearing out their fur to stay streamlined and may be less affectionate than normal. 

If you are wondering if it makes sense to shave your cat this summer it can make sense to chat to your vet. They can let you know if it will be a good idea and if it's more likely to stress your cat out, or help to relieve their stress.