leave AC on for cats?

sarahb · July 2007

Just curious what other people do -- do you leave your AC on for your cats? If so, what is your temperature threshold for doing so?

I know some folks go by the philosophy, "they have a fur coat, they need AC" and others, "cats existed for a long time before AC was invented, they'll be fine."

I want to keep the kitties healthy & happy... I also just got a whopping Con Ed bill.

erikka · July 2007

they get a fan.

brooklynleather · July 2007

Subject: energy save.

at 80 degrees and ice cold drinking water.

brooklynpotter · July 2007

she could not care less. if i leave it on in the bedroom she sleeps in the hottest place in the livingroom, right where the sun is shining in.

they don't need the a/c, they just need water

drano · July 2007

It would need to be pretty hot for me to leave it on all day. I'm taking my cues from the cat as far as recent weather is concerned; she stretches out more as opposed to curling up and she's a bit less active - which sure as hell isn't to say inactive. She's still nuts - but displays no discomfort. On the other hand, she's young and has a pretty light coat.

boygabriel · July 2007

erikka wrote: they get a fan.

Fans don't really make it any cooler, unless the cat is sitting directly in front of it, no?

90 degrees is usually my AC threshold. However we also live on the ground floor so our apt remains pretty cool. This year we've also been doing something that was suggested to us: leaving all the windows closed, especially after we've had the AC on all night. This keeps the cool air in the apt. If you open the windows on a hot day, it just lets in tons of hot air.

Leaving the windows closed all day has kept the apt much cooler than when they're open.

kw · July 2007

We have a sick kitty so she gets the AC left on for her when the days are hot. She doesn't seem to deal with the warm weather too well and lies under the AC when it is on. In the daytime, I turn it down to the lowest setting and keep that part of the apartment closed off - we have french doors so she can open the door if she wants to leave the room.

In the past, she'd just lie on her back with her belly up when it was hot - not anymore. The bills are higher but she's sick so it is worth it to me.

ev965 · July 2007

I leave it on if it's going to get over 85 or so, and I take humidity into account. If it's not too hot in the morning I might set the timer to turn on in the afternoon. When I turn it on most of the cats circle around the AC and flop over and roll around. I think they love it. I don't think a fan will help much, because cats don't really sweat. I agree about leaving the windows closed, it helps for a while. --E.

emily · July 2007

I'm all about the timers, even for people. We have one in our bedroom that's on a timer, since once you're asleep, who cares if it gets a little hot? Then it goes back on in the morning so it isn't too sweltering when we wake up.

Our living room one is newer and has a thermostat. If it's really hot, I set it to a pretty high temperature and leave it on for the cat (80, maybe?). We also live on the ground floor, though, and sometimes I think it never actually goes off.

I also give her ice water, but sometimes it seems like she doesn't care. Yesterday we had the AC on in the living room, and she just sat in the office, our hottest room, alone. No idea why.

daisyh · July 2007

We also use a timer when the dog's home alone all day. We program it to turn off just before we leave (around 9:00), then on again from 1-3, then off until we return around 6. Even on the hottest days it tends to stay cool until we return after 6pm.

doublediamond · July 2007

I use a timer for when the temp is 90 or above. Not for hours, just for 2 hours during the hottest part of the day. Makes a difference for when I walk in, too.

mg · July 2007

I do leave the AC on for the cats, with the thermostat at somewhere between 82 and 85 (depending on the humidity), just to take the edge off. When we've had the AC on overnight, I just leave it on 85; on nights when we've been able to get some fresh air and it's still cool indoors, I put the timer on to come on in the afternoon.

"For the cats" is also a convenient excuse for me to have the AC on a little bit, just so it isn't sweltering when I get home from work. We live on the top floor, and last year I'd get home and it would be 95 and sticky indoors. We've since gotten black-out shades for the south-facing windows, and it really makes a difference in how hard the AC has to work.

I agree with closing the windows to keep the cool air in, too, especially if you can keep the sun out.

darla · July 2007

I keep the windows closed and the shades down as well.

I freeze a bowl of water for her and leave it out in the morning.

I also leave on 2 vornado fans for her - one in the hallway where she likes to lay about and another in the bedroom (where she sleeps).

The AC may be too cold for her. When we have it on at night, she'll only stay in the bedroom for a little bit and then hang out in her tree (located in the hallway).

filmlover44 · July 2007

My cat is very hairy. I leave a vornado fan on the living room floor and another fan on my bed, the cover of which is also very hairy. He tends to stay in front of the one on my bed. Probably in August, i will put the A/C on power save at 85 degrees just to keep it from sweltering.

catsitter · July 2007

I would say to follow your instincts and observe your cat's behavior. Does it seem more than normal summer lethargy? I think you'll know. Of course they will lay around a lot more when it's warm, but is he/she still eating, still cuddling? All the usual stuff? I have three cats and one of them is much more sensitive to the heat than the others... I leave on fans but not sure if it does any good except make me feel better.

leave AC on for cats?

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