9 Best pet cooling mats UK 2023, top mats to keep your dogs and cats cool this summer

WHEN the weather warms up, our four-legged friends may need a hand to stop them overheating – and the best pet cooling mats provide just that.
They come in all shapes and sizes, so whether your fur baby is a dog, cat, rabbit, rat or hamster, you’ll find something to suit.
Not all cooling mats function in the same way. Some need to be refrigerated or charged up first and work their magic by cooling down your pet’s skin and therefore dropping their body temperature. Others are made from material that is designed to absorb heat and prevent your pet from overheating.
You can use cooling mats to protect your pet during stuffy car journeys, pop one in their bed or crate to help them sleep on hot nights, or use them outdoors alongside a pet paddling pool to keep your pet comfortable and chilled during a heatwave.
There are designs to fit every situation and taste. Or why not make a style statement – fruit-design cooling mat anyone?
Best pet cooling mats at a glance:
Best all-rounder: Lauva Pet Dog Cooling Mat
Best pet cooling mat for small pets: Snuggle Safe Coolpad
Best supermarket mat: Danish Design Cooling Mat for Dogs
Best pet cooling mattress: All For Paws Chill Out Fresh Breeze Cooling Dog Mat
Best looking pet cooling mat: Esoes Fruit Ice Cooling Gel Mat
Best pet cooling blanket: Branger Pet Cooling Mat
Best value: Scruffs Self-Cooling Pet Mat
Best all rounder: Lauva Pet Dog Cooling Mat
This gel-filled cooling mat is pressure-activated and folds away easilyAmazon
This pet cooling mat works to cool both pets and their owners down.
Made with a pressure-activated, non-toxic gel, it delivers a continuous cooling feeling for your pet and absorbs their body heat so they don’t overheat or get dehydrated.
The mat is said to keep your furry friends 7-9 degrees below ambient temperature – which is ideal after long hot walks, or park hangs.
The folding design packs away easily for storage or travel, and it recharges automatically every 20 minutes.
It has a bevvy of five-star reviews from customers who are impressed with its quality and how much their pets are enjoying it.
Best pet cooling mat for small pets: SnuggleSafe Coolpad
Best looking pet cooling mat: Esoes Fruit Ice Cooling Gel Mat
Best pet cooling blanket: Branger Pet Cooling Mat
This cooling mat is made from a comfortable ice silk fabricAmazon
Branger Pet Cooling Mat, £13.43 from Amazon – buy here
For those who aren’t into the idea of a gel-filled cooling mat, this ice silk, cotton and breathable mesh mat is a pleasing alternative. It absorbs your pet’s body heat, which in turn keeps them cool.
The non-toxic design can be wiped-clean with soap and water, and works well on its own, in crates, in the car or in your dog’s bed.
It’s also designed to help soothe aching joints and arthritis in older pets.
Customers like it for guinea pigs and cats as well as dogs, and recommend it for anyone with an animal who might be tempted to chew through the gel-filled designs.
How to use: Pressure activated, Dimensions: 25 x 21.3 x 2.3 cm, Best suited to: Dogs, cats, smaller pets and humans
Best value: Scruffs Self-Cooling Pet Mat
Scruffs Self-Cooling Pet Mat, from £18.48 at Amazon – buy here
This pet cooling mat is a well-reviewed choice. Its main selling point? It’s typically 5-10 degrees cooler than room temperature, which is exactly that you want during a heatwave.
The gel-filled design stays cool for about an hour; to reset it, just leave it unused for another hour.
Choose from a few different sizes, including L and XL to accommodate larger breeds.
One post reads: “My dog likes her cool mat and does sit on it frequently. Easy to fold to transport to car and other places.”
Another reviewer writes: “My dog is a very large puppy. She has scratched at the mat but it has stood up to this.”
How to use: Pressure activated, Dimensions: 91 x 69 x 1cm, Best suited to: Dogs, cats, and smaller pets
Scruffs Dog Cool Bed
Scruffs Dog Cool Bed, £40-70 from Dunelm – buy here
Trying to sleep during a heatwave is really difficult for humans. But, can you imagine the added irritation when you’re a dog or cat that is covered in fur? This bed is ideal for that situation.
It has a foam base and polyester filling for support and comfort, but its cooling inner mat also provides cold relief. You don’t need a fridge or freezer for this one because it’s filled with non-toxic cooling gel and will stay at a chilly 5-10 degrees cooler than room temperature for most of the night. Just leave it unused for an hour to reset the cooling properties.
This mat is available in medium, large and extra large sizes, so it’ll fit even the biggest dogs.
How to use: Pressure activated, Dimensions: 53 x 75 x 11cm (medium), 60 x 90 x 12cm (large), or 75 x 100 x 12.5cm (extra large), Best suited to: Dogs, cats, and smaller pets
Cool Club Raised Air Dog Bed with UV Canopy
If your pet loves laying outdoors in the summer, this luxurious cooling canopy bed is exactly what they need. Humans know to wear sunscreen and stay in the shade in extreme heat, but we can’t always control how much UV exposure our pets get (especially cats with cat flaps who come and go as they please).
Pets can still be sunburnt and get heatstroke (which can be fatal), so it is important to protect them from the sun. While a regular cool mat will keep their body temperatures down, this one also has a detachable canopy that provides up to UV 50 protection. That way, your dog or cat can enjoy the sounds of the birds and the cool breeze blowing through their fur, but they’ll be doing so in a safe, shady spot.
How to use: Pressure activated, Dimensions: 105 x 76 x 90cm, Best suited to: Cats
Are pet cooling mats safe?
Pet cooling mats are typically filled with a non-toxic gel that’s pressure-activated, so they’re completely safe for pets to use.
This being said, you’ll still want to supervise your pet to make sure they don’t chew their mat – if they ingest anything, it could lead to tummy troubles.
There are also non-gel cooling mats made from breathable ice silk available for dogs and cats – these are more like thin blankets for your pet to lie on in the heat and there’s nothing to spill out if they do burst – so if you own a ‘chewer’, this may be a good option for you.
What is a pet cooling mat?
A pet cooling mat is exactly what it sounds like, it’s a mat or blanket that is designed to keep your pet cool when the weather is warm.
During the summer months it can be particularly hard for our furry friends to cool off, and it becomes easy for them to overheat, which can be very dangerous for their health.
Cooling mats are a way to lower their body temperature, which is especially useful if your pet is a bit of a sun-worshipper!
How do pet cooling mats work?
With gel mats, the gel inside is activated by pressure – so when your pup (or cat) sits on the mat it cools them down.
Once warmed, this gel then recharges and cools down again when the pressure (aka your pet) moves off it.
If you have a water filled pet cooling mat, it’s similar to a water bed in the way that the cool water absorbs heat from your pet’s body.
Are pet cooling mats any good?
Pet cooling mats can be incredibly useful, as keeping our beloved furbabies cool can be a huge worry in summer, especially for those of us whose houses get particularly warm.
Using a pet cooling mat will reduce stress for owners of particular breeds, larger dogs, dogs with thicker coats and dogs with shorter snouts – all of whom can struggle in the heat.
How much are dog cooling mats?
The price of a pet cooling mat varies depending on the technology behind it and the size. Typically, they’ll cost between £10 and £50.
On average, the cheapest option in our roundup is the Snuggle Safe Coolpad from Amazon (£10), and the dearest is the All For Paws Chill Out Fresh Breeze Cooling Dog Mat from Pets at Home (almost £50). You’ll find that the mats get more expensive the bigger and the more bed-like they are. For example, the large version of the Scruffs Dog Cool Bed costs £70.
Where to buy cat and dog cooling mats in the UK
You can buy a cat and dog cooling mat at pretty much every pet supplies retailer and a handful of homeware retailers and supermarkets in the UK, including:
Pets at Home – buy here and here
Dunelm – buy here
Amazon – buy here, here, here, here and here
Waitrose – buy here
Wilko – buy here
The Range – buy here
Do you put dog cooling mats in the fridge?
Some dog cooling mats are designed to be chilled in the fridge before use, and it’s the refrigeration that activates their cooling power. However, others do not need to be and should not be put in the fridge — especially if they have electric components. Check the instructions before using your cooling mat.
Can humans use pet cooling mats?
Humans can use pet cooling mats, as long as they don’t have a weight limit. For example, if it’s a canopy bed that can only take the weight of a pet, humans cannot lie on that. But, if it’s a simple, flat gel cooling mat, humans can easily use these.
It’s worth noting, though, that human cooling mats do exist. Amazon, homeware retailers and some supermarkets sell cooling gel mattress and pillow pads that work in the same way and they’ll probably be more effective because they’re the appropriate size for a human.