# House temperature for cats left home alone



## Bretts (Apr 11, 2008)

I just moved to Florida and now have to pay a large electric bill to cool my home. Everyone seems to recommend turning the temperature up (some people say it should go as high as 85 degrees) when you're not home to save energy. I'm all for saving energy (and money on my cooling bill), but I want to make sure my three cats are comfortable in the house as well. 

Right now I usually leave it at about 75 when we're home and 78 when we're not, but from what I've read we could save quite a bit of money by letting it get a bit warmer when we're not home. 

Do any of you let it get warmer when you're gone? If so, how warm is too warm? My cats love to sleep in the sunbeams, so I figure they like it warmer, but I certainly don't want them to be uncomfortable. 

Thanks,
Brett


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## soiliveinabubble (Mar 29, 2008)

I live in Florida too, so I totally understand your concern. I used to turn my air down to 75 whenever I wouldn't be home to keep Lacie comfortable but I often would come home and find her under the blankets anyway. 
I turn off the AC when I leave now, so often my home gets up to eighty or eighty-five. She's always laying in the sun even when the AC isn't on and is fine with the temperature. Just make sure your cats have water while your gone and if you're really concerned about it you can put some ice cubes in their water dish before you leave.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

I'm home all day so the house stays fairly even all around. I think, if you have a room with either linoleum or tile (cool) to lay on, the kitties could stand to have the house be warmer to save on your cooling costs. You could also use a fan to create a breeze for them.
AND...outside kitties get no benefit of AC. They can only utilize shade and other cool spots, but still have to breathe the outside temperature air. I think that if you leave your t-stat higher, it will still be cooler than outside.
Just be sure to leave plenty of water. I could see them needing more water.


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

How great of you to worry so much about your kitties!

I would think that if you leave a fan on for them that would help alot- even a ceiling fan would make a difference.


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## Huge2 (Jan 28, 2008)

That reminds me... Peggy had black patches and they get VERY much hotter than her white ones (obviously), so how does she keep cool?


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## hypertweeky (Nov 25, 2007)

Huge said:


> That reminds me... Peggy had black patches and they get VERY much hotter than her white ones (obviously), so how does she keep cool?


You can put ice cubes in her water.

Tiger isn't black however last summer it got pretty hot in the house 80F I was very concerned about his well being, so I bought a few fans (didn't have the money for AC  ), I got a sponge, soaked it in water and squeezed the excess of water (you don't want to drench your kitty!) and then rub it against his fur, He loves it! he starts running by the fans to get cool, it is so cute!!


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

When it got up into the 90's in my house last September, the cats were just fine. Mostly they were laid out on the cool kitchen floor, but more often than not, they were in their usual spots. Just not as active.


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

I think about this a lot too, especially now that energy prices have gone through the roof. I usually leave the A/C on with the temperature set to about 75, and I know Murphy could go down in the finished basement where it's about 10 degrees cooler.


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## hypertweeky (Nov 25, 2007)

I don't have a basement or AC!


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## harry (Jan 25, 2006)

I have lived here in Florida for a little over 10 years and in the summertime when we have the AC on it is kept between 78 and 80, i know, a lot of you guys will say its too hot but its actually very comfortable, if we have it down much lower then the cats will start complaining about it and will go out on the pool deck in the 90 degree weather.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I must say when I read the title of this thread, I thought it was about the house being too cold. 8O


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## IzzyTwig (Mar 30, 2008)

I've read that cats can withstand far higher temperatures comfortably than people, hence why they can sleep on radiators when they're turned on full or snuggle up very close to fires.
I imagine that as long as you leave out plenty of fresh water they'll be fine with the AC turned down or even off and just a fan to keep the air moving.


Though having a house too warm is a somewhat alien idea to me, oh lovely cold wet UK.


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

marie73 said:


> I must say when I read the title of this thread, I thought it was about the house being too cold. 8O


Ya, me, too. I've been stuck in Wisconsin too long. I used to travel a lot, so back then I wouldn't have thought that way. Now it's hard to remember that some people have to deal with heat, not cold.

PS - domestic cats descend from a species whose habitat was primarily North Africa. So I'd think it would be the humidity that's more of an issue than the heat.


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## Kittys Mom (May 7, 2004)

I thought it was about being too cold as well. I can't even remember what warm temperatures feel like...so I'm no good. 

I do recall that when they are hot, my cats are all very lethargic and sluggish. That's how I know when the temp is uncomfortable to them. I'll turn the air on at that time and they perk up as the temperature drops. 

When they are hot, they spend a lot of time laying on the linoleum in my kitchen, or under the couches (which is always cool for some reason).

I'm excited for Tuesday, we're supposed to hit 70...I'm thinking of taking a vacation day in honor of it. Otherwise, no one will be home to open the windows for the kids.


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## Willow771 (Jun 20, 2005)

we have temperatures that can exceed 100 degrees in the summer...not being able to afford an AC, i take wet cloths and rub my kitties down and put a fan on the floor, i just do this every few hours or when i notice one uncomfortable.


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