Summer is not over yet! August may be the hottest month of the year. Our 5 simple and natural tips may help keep your little buddy happy, hydrated and cool during the heat and stress of summer.

Tip 1: Infuse your cat's water with catnip

It is well known that cats love catnip, both young and old. Not only will they find it more attractive, but it makes their water more appealing to drink. Directions...Just grab a small pinch of dried catnip in your fingers and sprinkle it into his or her bowl. The catnip smell will attract your feline friend to their bowl and encourage them to drink more than usual. It's not uncommon, for a cat to drink twice as much using the catnip and water combination, thus leading to a healthier cat or kitten during the summer.  You can use this trick all year round!

Tip 2: Create your own pet bed with these household items

I bet you never heard of making your own cooling bed for your dog or cat? This option could save you lots of money, and is reusable as needed on those hot, unbearable days. It could be a perfect project for all those kids on summer break to take care of their besties.  All you will need are some sponges, zip lock bags, small blanket and/or an old bed/blanket for the bottom base. First, soak as many sponges as needed to cover the base of the old bed or blanket that you will be using. Once you have your sponges, soak them in water and place each sponge in a zip-lock bag and freeze for a few hours. Next, remove the frozen sponges and set them in your bed's pet or blanket base. Lastly, place a thin blanket on top of the frozen sponges. Your buddy is now ready to enjoy the cool effects of this DIY bed.  The pic below is just one example.

Tip 3: Massage your cat using a wet towell

Cats seem to groom themselves more on extremely hot days. When he or she licks their fur, the saliva which is left behind tends to lower their body temperature by evaporating quickly. I know....this sounds weird. The excessive licking leads to hair balls. The easiest way for you to help your kitty is by lightly dampening a cloth towell or heavy duty paper towell (whatever is available to you) with cold tap water and then wiping him or her from head-to-toe-to-tail. He'll love the cool rub-down and it will remove any loose fur, preventing further hairballs.

Tip 4: Green Tea spray for your dog

Extremely hot days can overheat your dog or puppy really fast. Excessive panting is an early sign they are struggling with their heat tolerance. Dogs don't sweat through their fur coat, similar to other animals. Wetting their fur can be a great summer treat for your doggie. You can create your own summer spray by using green tea (store bought or brewed) and water. Mix the equal parts of green tea and water and add to a spray bottle. Immediately when your dog or puppy starts to pant, spray the tea/water mixture thru their fur to cool their skin. Some dog breeds, tend to pant or overheat much faster if they have thick fur or are darker in color as it attracts the heat.  Be cautious as some dogs are afraid of spray bottles, so take it slow and where the bottle is not visible until they see the spray bottle as a treat!

Tip 5: Frozen dog treats

We saved the best for last. First, just fill an old tupperware container, plastic bowl or empty ice-cream tub with water. Here's the fun part....add any treats or toys you prefer into the water to freeze. Some ideas are chew toys, dog chew sticks, bully stick, peanut butter or bones. Once frozen, the bowl or container is ready for use. I would suggest placing the ice treat on a plate larger than the frozen block to prevent a mess while they are licking and gnawing on the iced frozen treat. This treat will keep them occupied and hydrated. Don't be afraid to get creative!

Enjoy your doggies and kitties this summer from www.CutestPetSupplies.com