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Do Cats Melt?
My Hot Cat Girl Summer
Summers in the midwest generally fluctuate between hot and humid, and less hot but still humid. We survive on neighborhood pools, air conditioning, and the occasional frozen margarita. So when you live in a condo and your air conditioning dies a slow miserable death, you don’t hesitate to call in a repairman. That happened to me back in May.
Here we are in July and as of this writing, we’re still waiting. Sure, there’s been a few days where we had a cool snap and it wasn’t too bad. But when the mercury rises above 80 degrees, all the mammals in the home start to feel it — including myself.
We sit here waiting for the elusive part to make it from Texas to Ohio. Apparently, those supply-chain issues they talk about on the news aren’t just political talking points, they’re real. And they affect real-world circumstances.
I haven’t had air conditioning for over forty days. I’m well aware that this is a first-world problem, but I want my A/C back nonetheless.
It’s for the cats…
I have three cats. Hermione Granger is a fluffy Maine coon who has taken to lying on the floor and watching the birds and squirrels out the window during this indoor heat wave. She strategically places herself in front of the nearest fan when she does it.
Her littermate, Harper is a small tabby cat. Her small size has worked in her favor, and she doesn’t seem very bothered by the warm weather. Still, she has been hiding out more in the cool dark recesses of my closet or under the bed.
My third cat, Scout, has taken to lying on the glass table, or the floor, or the linoleum in the kitchen.
**I called their veterinarian and asked for signs of heat-related illness. One thing they said to look out for is panting and open-mouth breathing. There’s more about that here. Luckily, it hasn’t gotten that bad.
One thing is for certain, they know it’s hot in here.
They look over at me like, come on, Mom, do something. I try to communicate that I’m suffering too. Then I take some ice cubes and run them down both their sides before I drop them inside my bra.
