Summertime is a tough time to be a pet owner.
Sure, the warmer weather means longer walks with your pooch and a sunnier window for your cat to nap on. But leaving your pet at home during the hot summer months is a tough situation to navigate. On one hand, you don’t want to leave Fluffy cooped up in the one room where you’re running the A/C. On the other hand, cranking your cooling unit throughout your home all day is costly. And what if the A/C cuts out all together while you’re at work, and you don’t realize your pet has been left sweltering until you get home?
Here are a few tips to help keep your pet comfortable all summer long – even when you’re not home.
1. Close your shades
Pet care expert Darcy Matheson says shade is key to keeping your pet cool, indoors and outdoors. “Make sure that they always have a place to escape the sun, especially during the hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., when the sun’s UV rays are the strongest.”
Not only will shutting your shades keep your home cooler, but it will also prevent your cat from getting too much sun. “Even if they’re indoor cats, they can get sunburned through a sunny window,” explains Best Friends Animal Society’s animal behavioral consultant Sherry Woodard. Since cat sunscreen has yet to be invented, keep your shades closed when you’re not home, which will also help keep your pets comfortable.
2. Chill out your home with a smart thermostat
Fun fact: Did you know that cats are more partial to higher temperatures than dogs? “Cats often prefer near 78 degrees or warmer,” Woodard says, “but the temperature inside the house is best above 68 and under 78 for both dogs and cats year-round.” Woodard has found that many pet owners make their homes too cold during summer. This can be tough to avoid if your A/C unit doesn’t have a power-saver mode. One way to ensure that your home is at the right temperature for your pet is with an internet-connected thermostat. You can use the corresponding smart home app to set your home’s temperature and check whether your A/C is running at that temperature when you’re away.
3. Keep your pet hydrated by providing lots of water
Our pets always need access to fresh water, but it’s especially crucial during summer when your pet is left at home. If your dog or cat knocks over their bowls right as you leave for work, they’ll be left without water until you return home from work. “If your pet is inside during the day, make sure you supply fresh, cool water that remains in a shaded spot throughout the day,” says Woodard, “since sun coming through a window can heat a bowl of water. Most dogs won’t drink hot water, no matter how thirsty they are.”
4. Make some frozen homemade dog treats
Since dogs don’t perspire the way humans do, keeping their body temperatures down during the summer heat is essential for their health and well-being. One creative way to do this is to leave your dog with a “pupsicle” treat. “Freeze diluted chicken broth in a Tupperware container,” says Matheson, “then give it to your pup. It’s a cool treat that will hydrate them and lower their body temperature at the same time!”
5. Use the AT&T Digital Life app* to check in with your pet
Whether it’s by way of a pet sitter or using a connected security camera, it’s smart for pet owners to check in to make sure that everything is OK at home. With a smart home security system with digital door locks that open with a unique code, you can know whether your pet sitter came by. Assign a code to your pet sitter, and you’ll receive a notification via your home automation app when the sitter enters and leaves your home. When you have an indoor security camera, you can view your home security camera feed, and your pet, while you’re at work and make sure all is well.
With the right precautions and a little help from technology, keeping your pet safe at home this summer will be no sweat.
Interested in learning how home automation has enhanced pet safety in the past? Check out how home automation helped find a woman’s missing cat!
*Data charges may apply for app download and usage. Coverage and service not available everywhere.
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