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| It's getting cold out here! |
It is sooooooooo cold out today. The Weather Channel says that it is 21 but it FEELS like 10! And it's day light outside! How cold will it be tonight? Brrrrrrrr!
Don't get me wrong. I LOVE playing in the snow. It is a ton of fun. But when my little paws are cold, I get to scratching at the door to come inside! There's nothing better than snuggling up with my humans and taking a long winter's nap.
Winter can be a dangerous time for animals. We will do anything to keep warm and there are little dangers that our humans should be aware of. But with just a little knowledge, humans can keep us fur babies perfectly happy and safe all season long.
For instance, cats love to curl up in car engines. It's super toasty there and the body of the vehicle blocks the wind. We have a tuxedo kitty living in our winter habitat, so my humans make sure they tap on the car before they start it up just to make sure we don't have an visitors. There are a lot of feral cats in our neighborhood and old family pets that renters left behind, so my Mama does what she can to keep these kitties comfy in the cold. You click here to read more about caring for feral or stray cats in the winter.
Another example is when I get salt all over my paws after a walk. It might not seem like a big deal but licking the salt off one's paws can actually give you a really bad stomach ache. Ice and ice melts can also cause the pads of our feet to crack and chafe. A simple solution is to just wipe your pets feet off when you come in the front door. Nothing extravagant, just a damp wash cloth to give our paws a quick wiping.
Also, if you light a fire or a space heater to keep your house warm, remember that pets love warmth. Keep an eye out for your pet and make sure that they are not to close to your fire or heater. A spark from a flame could catch your pet's fur on fire or a pad touching a heated surface could burn. Also, we tend to get excited and knock things over on accident. And no one wants their home accidentally burned down! (And especially not in the cold!)
On that same note, make sure that you have carbon monoxide detector. Pets are even more susceptible to carbon monoxide than their owners because we tend to spend even more time in the house than you guys do.
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A lot of winter pet care is just using your common sense. Bigger breeds can stay out longer. Of course a Husky is going to like the snow more than a Chihuahua. Duh. One is from Russia, the other Mexico. Little dogs like me and cats have to wade through the snow and it's just not that fun after a while. Bigger dogs can plow through and keep going. The more fur we have, the warmer we stay. And if you have a small dog with little fur, please feel free to stick one of those stupid sweaters on them. My Mama makes me wear them.
If you keep a bowl of water outside for your pet, make sure it's not frozen. Frozen water is just silly. You can't drink it. And pets really need to stay hydrated when the humidity is down outside. Fresh water is always a good answer!
Keep an eye on your pet for frostbite and hypothermia in the winter. Frostbite is particularly tricky because it's when all the blood rushes away from your tail and your paws and your ears. The tissue damage might not show right away. Hypothermia is easier to notice because you can see changes in your pet right away. Petsitter has a great article on treatment for frostbite and hypothermia.
Winter can be a blast as long as the right precautions are taken. I know that I'm looking forward to building a snowman and getting in to snow ball fights. I'm also looking forward to the heat vent near my Mama's bed and extra food for winter weight. Make sure to stay warm this winter. And keep your fur friends warm and safe too! Bark!
