Dear Letters Editor,
This Sun Awareness Week (12-18 May) we would like to remind cat owners that it’s not only humans that need sun protection as the weather heats up, but cats too, especially those with pale or thin fur.
At Cats Protection we often take cats into our care who have been out in the sun for extended periods and have developed cancerous cells as a result. Cats with unpigmented ears or noses are susceptible to skin cancer through sun damage and we know that a third of all skin cancers that are presented in cats are due to sun exposure.
We recently treated all-white cat Gracie’s sun damaged ears which had become burned and painful, leading to the development of skin cancer. The treatment she needed was the complete removal of her ear flaps. Thankfully she has made an excellent recovery and has been successfully rehomed, however this could easily have been a different outcome if the cancer had developed further.
There are some simple tips that can help protect cats in the sun including:
Keeping your cat indoors when the sun is at its hottest, typically between 10am and 3pm
Speaking to a vet about a suitable sunscreen for your cat
Ensuring there is outdoor shade, such as boxes or plant pots placed close together
Providing outdoor water to avoid the risk of your cat becoming dehydrated.
The Cats Protection website has plenty more tips and guidance for keeping cats safe during warm weather – www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/home-and-environment/cats-and-warm-weather
Yours faithfully
Sarah Elliott BVetMed MANZCVS (Medicine of Cats) MRCVS
Central Veterinary Officer
Cats Protection
