I'm dealing with the heat, but I feel absolutely terrible for my poor cats. They just lie around all day, uncomfortably restless trying to find the most cool spot in the apartment. Hydro up here is like gold, and they will charge you up the ass for using an air conditioner between 7am-7pm (and of course, the hottest part of the day when you need it the most, runs during that time block), and with my budget currently, I really cant afford for a A/C unit AND the high cost of operating it. I needed a one-time cost to make my little fur bags more comfortable.
I tried giving them a cool bath-while they quietly tolerate a normal bath, they freaked right out when I tried to put them in cool water (not cold-slightly colder than normal room temp). I thought my one cat swas gonna tear my face off in her panic. So I started to look for a solution, other than putting ice cubes in their water tower. I went to every pet place in this crater (A real hole of a city-Sudbury) and could not find ANYTHING. So I did some online research. Petsmart (online only) had some kind of cooling "pressure activated pad" that recharged itself when not in use.... I had a hard time finding these claims believable. So, I decided there had to be other cooling pads available in the world wide web.
I did find one thing that was a really great idea-it did not have any special "cooling" super powers, but still would work to cool your feline friend. it was essentially a cot that raises your pet off the ground, and had mesh to ensure airflow all around the furry blob. The cat's belly is the spot where they hold the most heat (which is why when they sleep they will curl in a ball to retain heat-body temperatures in warm-blooded animals drop when sleeping). So, knowing this, it allows air flow to the belly underneath and will aid in keeping your cat's body temp at a more comfortable level.
There were quite a few available, some from china at low costs that I didn't take seriously, some which needed water (despite their claims of being durable, which was more aimed for dogs, I wouldn't trust it with those little ninja hooks at the end of their paws) and others which consisted of a gel.
Most that I found were meant for dogs, but I'm sure they'd be great for cats, other than the water-bed ones (the highest rated and most raved about was the K&H Cool Bed III Pet Bed) and pressure activated ones, as I'm not completely sure a cat would be heavy enough to "activate" it (they are made for a dog's weight likely). TheGreenPetShop cool pet pad was one of these pressure activated pads, and did have 4/4+ ratings on more than 1 site-so, if your cat is Jabba the Hut, why not give it a try.
Bed Bath & Beyond had Chillz™ Comfort Cooling Gel Pet Pad, which depicted a small dog laying on the mat, which I can pretty much guarantee my cat weighs more than. It is rated at 4 stars, consists of a gel core, and comes in sizes from XS to XL ($10.99-$49.99) and you don't have to refrigerate, freeze it OR use hydro. A few complaints were that it was smaller than expected (so always size up or check measurements) and that the coolness did not last longer than 30min when they tried it themselves-I'd be interested to try it myself and do temperature readings. Some said their dogs loved it, others said they wouldn't go near it. This was a top contender for me.
I found a blog that compared their so-called top 5. I will only include the 2 on this list I felt were suitable for cats. For reference, here is the website: http://www.petsgetthebest.com/cooling/
The Canine Cooler bed was rated highest on the list for a gel style pet bed (below the water bed which was #1) and boasted a 4.3 average, 5 for quality, 5 for aesthetically pleasing, and 3 for popularity, likely do to price whaich brought down its overall rating. A medium size 26x36 will cost you around $170 after shipping, but if it is as great as it says it is, it will be worth the money as it does not use electricity, and makes your kitties more comfortable, and is my first choice out of everything I have seen.
My 2nd and last choice which barely made it (only given a 3 out of 5 rating) is only on here for picky kitties that may want something a little more plush: The Furimals Warming and Cooling Pet Mat, which can be cooled in the refrigerator or warmed in the microwave to keep your dog (or cat) warm OR cool for hours (alternately, you can make a cover out of a thinner material for other pads on this list to make it more appealing if they dislike laying on plastic). A small is around $20 at amazon.ca
After researching different types, I would likely go for the Canine Cooler bed. It may be more expensive, but maybe its a good example of cost=quality: you get what you pay for. Ultimately, $170 would easily be less 2 months of hydro with an air conditioner (I normally have a 2 month hydro bill of $160 without an air conditioner-and I am very conservative with hydro use). My 2nd choice would be the Chillz Comfort Cooling Gel Pet Pad, and my 3rd choice would be to get a cot with mesh to increase airflow to aid in the prevention of overheating. Lets face it, this cot thing might be what your cats enjoys the most, because although we love them, sometimes they can be real ass-holes.
A medium size The K&H Pet Cot will cost around $45 but you can get 20% off your first order for new-customer sign up. There is also a K&H Coolin' Gel Pet Cot available.
I hope those of you who are struggling with a similar situation found what they were looking for!
Thanks for reading, and if you have had any success with these mats etc please give me some feedback on what you think of these products, and, of course, feel free to suggest items I did not mention that you feel should be :)
