Is it OK to shave all the hair off your indoor cat during the warmer months?

Answer 1

• The general rule of thumb is to not remove a cat's fur: it is an important aspect of their protection from the environment, and certainly should never be done in the cooler months.
  However, cats can and do suffer from heat exhaustion which can kill them very quickly. if your indoor area gets very hot during the summer (as some uninsulated non-air-conditioned houses do), or you have a very thick-coated or long-haired cat, then this maybe an option. You should discuss this with your vet.
  My cats are indoors, and I will be getting the vet to trim their fur for the upcoming summer, as the cats get very distressed when the temperature goes above 32 Celsius inside: a common occurrence where I live. Last summer many cats died from the heat, so it's important to get it right.
  
  
• I have two cats. One loves the heat and I know he would freeze on the hottest summer day without his coat. The other one, however has a dense undercoat that sheds everywhere. I do get him shaved once at the beginning of summer and he loves it! The groomers all comment on what a great personality he is. It just depends on the cat.

• Absolutely not! Cats love the warmer weather and often lay out in it soaking up the rays and if they get too warm they are quite capable of finding a cooler spot. Cats love warmth more than dogs. Leave the cat alone except to groom it with a soft brush. Gently pull back the fur towards you and go the other way with the brush. Be sure you have a brush from a pet store especially for cats. By the way, you shouldn't bath your cat either because their own way of grooming keeps them clean.

• I disagree! I have a Himalayan Persian and have shaved her underside (belly) every summer. She loves lying on the cool tile floor. I also bathe her every few months using Martha Stewart's technique - Use 3 5-gallon buckets, tepid water, one to wash and 2 for rinse. There is no running water to scare them and they feel safe because they can hold on to the sides of the bucket.

• I certainly wouldn't shave all the hair off a cat, it's their pride and joy as a woman's is to her and you wouldn't just shave a woman's hair off in summer because she's hot, also you could hurt the cat.

• Cats do love the heat and are able to cool down brilliantly by themselves as their fur has been adapted after many many years of existence, way before we were even here, so you don't NEED to shave its fur off. You would only be doing this for yourself not for the cat and that's not exactly fair is it? (unless its been specifically bred to have fur it didn't naturally have by people with a mix of two different species, then it probably needs specialist care and grooming) But bathing them is OK when they really need it IE a little accident which older cats are prone to have, they just don't like baths much is all.
  

• If cats weren't meant to have fur at certain times of year, then they wouldn't have it. Trust in evolution!

• I have seen what this kind of treatment can do to cats. If you demoralize your pet, it can be detrimental to its health. Loss of appetite, depression and listlessness are symptoms which can mean your pet needs to be hospitalized and put on a drip to keep it hydrated due to the appetite loss. This is an extreme, but another consequence is poor skin condition. Lack of hair can cause eczema and dry skin, and possible irritation when the fur starts to grow back. Think of stubble/shaving rash. Not pleasant. By all means, aid your cat with routine grooming, but leave them to their own devices otherwise. If the summer months are hot, the fur will naturally shed and cats are great at finding a spot that suits them comfort wise.

• I agree DO NOT shave a cat, they are meant to have fur, they naturally molt and produce a thinner fur for the warmer months, leave it be. If you are still unsure check with a vet.