Thread: Shaving your cat due to excessive heat?

You know, Maine Coons are "designed" to last in the cold. However -and I must note here I'm not a vet or anything - I have to say that a cat's normal temperature is about 39 celsius (that is 102 fahrenheit), that is well above our normal body temperature. That makes them more heat tolerant than humans.

I've had many long haired cats (not MC, but still, long haired) and my vet never advised me to shave them for the summer - and I can tell you it gets really really hot here, sometimes even 45 celsius (113 fahrenheit)! A/C and all, my furry creatures still preferred to lie out in the extreme heat during the worst hours of the day (that is 1-5 pm). Also, in my experience, cats absolutely HATE it when they lose their precious fur. They're very proud animals.

I think cats know how to take care of themselves in that area, for example I've noticed that my black moggie never sits in the sun during the summertime, like the rest of my cats, she always finds a cooler place to lie down. That's probably because due to her fur color she can feel the heat much more than the others.

Btw I remember reading somewhere that cats were originally desert animals and that the maximum temperature they can take is 56 celsius (132.8 fahrenheit)! Of course, I don't know whether that is valid and if it is, I'm not sure it applies to all breeds. Just thought I'd share this rather interesting information