With summer right around the corner, many cat owners-to-be that live in hot climates are wondering whether it is a smart idea to get a cat. After all, if we humans suffer so much when it’s too hot, how does it feel for these furry creatures?
The Best Cat Breeds For Hot Climates
If you live in a place where summers are really hot, you should consider getting one of the cat breeds from this list. These breeds will find it much easier to survive scorching temperatures.
In the next few paragraphs, I will tell you more about 5 cat breeds that thrive in hot climates. As expected, many of the cat breeds from the list originated in places with hot temperatures. As a result, they are naturally equipped to survive and thrive in such conditions.
Some other breeds on this list are simply cats that have short or sparse furs. They can cool themselves more easily than breeds with thick and long furs. I listed these breeds in a random order, so don’t look at my selection as a best-to-worst list:
1. Abyssinian Cats
Abyssinian cats are one of the oldest cat breeds, appearing some 4000 years ago. They originated from Ancient Egypt, a country with a history of worshipping cats. Another thing for which Egypt is famous, apart from the pyramids, is certainly the fact that it is surrounded by the Sahara desert.
People and animals living there had to adapt to relentless desert temperatures, and Abyssinian cats certainly understood the assignment. Their large ears, short furs, and slender bodies help them stay cool in places where most other breeds would suffer from heat stroke.
2. Burmese Cats
Just like their name suggests, Burmese cats originated in the territory of former Burma, modern Myanmar. Myanmar has a tropical to sub-tropical hot monsoon climate, a climate that can be really challenging to people and animals that aren’t used to it.
Of course, Burmese cats are certainly accustomed to this climate. If they can survive such a climate, they will certainly thrive in the US. Burmese cats might not have as large ears as Abyssinians. Still, they are well-equipped for hot climates with their short furs.
3. Singapura Cats
Despite having a controversial origin story, Singapura cats certainly originated in Singapore. This small city-state in SE Asia has a tropical climate with lots of humidity. Everyone knows that high humidity makes the hot temperatures even more noticeable. The native Singapore animals certainly know how to stand the heat.
Singapura cats are small felines with short furs and large ears. These physical characteristics make them perfect for hot climates. You should consider getting a Singapura cat if hot temperatures and high humidity are common where you live.
cat if hot temperatures and high humidity are common where you live.
4. Cornish Rex Cats
Cornish Rex cats differ from the previously mentioned breeds a bit because they don’t originate from a place with hot weather. As a matter of fact, their place of origin is the UK. This country is known for more moderate temperatures and not much sunlight during the year.
Still, their physical features make them another great choice for hot climates. Cornish Rex cats have sparse furs, large ears, and slender bodies. These are exactly the features that are desirable in hot weather.
5. Bengal Cats
Bengal cats are unique among other choices in this article in a way that they are a product of outcrossing domestic shorthairs with Asian Leopard cats. They are practically mini versions of wild leopard cats, unlike other breeds from this list that are separated from their wild ancestors by hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
This makes them a bit larger than most breeds on this list. Still, despite their size and the fact that their ears are relatively small, Bengal cats are well-adjusted to high temperatures. Bengal’s not-so-distant ancestors, Asian leopards, thrive in the hot desert and tropical climate zones in Asia, and Bengal cats inherited this trait.
