Keeping Your Pets Safe In The Cold

There is some super cold weather out there right now, and it seems to be getting worse with every winter that passes, don’t you think? The wetness is almost mind-numbing, and the temperatures are bitterly cold and if you don’t think about your family pets, they will suffer.

Don’t Leave Your Pets Outside!

Of course, the easiest suggestion to make is to ensure all of your furry little friends have moved into the warmth and safety of your home. Don’t leave dogs and cats outside when it is raining and cold, and try to make sure they (especially cats) are coming in for the night. You wouldn’t want to be left outside all night so you shouldn’t expect them to be happy with it!

Put A Jumper Or Jacket On Your Dog

When you take your dogs out for a walk in the cold weather or in the rain, give them a jacket or a doggy sweater to keep them warm and dry. They need their exercise but if it’s really cold, make sure they are well wrapped up. If you are frozen, it’ll be cold to them too and the sensitive skin around their ears, noses and even their paw pads can easily suffer from long-term damage if they get too chilly.

More Food & Drink

You should always make sure your pets have enough food and fresh water daily too. When they are trying to keep themselves warm, especially those that spent a lot of time outside, they use up a lot of energy – energy they wouldn’t have had to use during the warmer, summer months. They’ll probably eat a bit more and they’ll definitely need more water too. If you’re not at home for the duration of the day, it might be wise to look at a cat or dog fountain to ensure they are getting fresh fluids throughout.

Check Under Your Cars For Cats

Outdoor cats love the warmth of a car engine so please make sure you are checking your car tyres in the morning when you start the car and de-ice the windscreen to go to work. You should probably avoid using too much anti-freeze too. The sweet smell of it attracts animals like dogs and cats and if they ingest it, it will harm them. This is a very poisonous fluid to most animals and should be kept out of the way at all times!

Clean Grit Off Furry Paws

Another thing that your pet may have a few problems with is when the gritters come out to spray the salt across the roads and pathways. This salt, if left on the cats or dogs paws, can start to irritate so it might be wise to wipe their pads down when they come in from the cold. The other thing that you will need to worry about if you don’t do this is irritation around the mouth when they lick the salt from their own feet. It can also be toxic too. You can always try putting Vaseline on their pads to protect them but in our experience, it can be hard to get the little critter stop sit still for long enough so a quick wipe down is probably your easiest solution!

Keeping your pets safe during winter isn’t just a case of keeping them warm. The extra food and supplies will seem like a lot to handle but for the sake of your family friend’s happiness, don’t you think it’s well worth it?

Adam & Laura