Keeping Cats Safe in the Winter

Many people tend to think of dogs when they think of winter safety for pets, but cats also face dangers when the temperatures plunge. Follow these quick tips to keep your feline friend safe, warm and happy during the colder months of the year.

1. This time of year it is ultra important to keep cats indoors.  (Here at Furmix, we are advocates for keeping cats indoors all year.  See why here.)  Cats can easily become disorientated, freeze, stolen (or accidentally adopted), or captured by animal control and end up at the shelter.  Cats are also vulnerable to deadly diseases such as Feline Distemper & FIV when roaming outdoors.
2. Cats often crawl under the hoods of cars to keep warm by the hot engines.  When people start their cars, thousands of cats die from the fan belts.  If you live in an area that has a large feral or outdoor cat population, lightly tap on the hood of your car before starting it.  It will alert, and hopefully, scare off the resting feline.
3. Antifreeze is absolutely deadly to cats (and dogs).  If possible, keep your cat out of garages to minimize the risk of ingestion.  Antifreeze often leaks from cars and one TEASPOON can kill a cat.  Even if you have an indoor cat, clean up spills and/or leaks in your driveway to keep neighborhood stray, feral and outdoor cats safe.  Antifreeze is scary example of why we advocate for indoor cats.  You can clean up after your car, and keep your cat out of your garage, but your cat could wander next door…
4. Provide your cat with a warm bed away from drafts and cold breezes during the winter months.  A pillow or warm blanket works wonders!  You don’t have to be fancy, just provide your feline friend with a warm place to snuggle up when the temperatures plunge outdoors.
5. During the festive winter holidays, remember that many cats go missing during family parties.  With all of the commotion, it’s easy for cats to slip right out the door, unnoticed.  Since it’s so cold outside, this can become a serious issue in less than an hour for a cat who is not used to the elements.  When having large groups of friends and family over, provide your cat with a safe room, away from the commotion to prevent door-dashing devastation.
6. As always, ID tags are crucial in the winter months.  If you cat goes missing when the temperatures plunge, you need to make sure he has a quick ticket home.  ID tags are that very ticket!  They alert neighbors that this cat is a house-cat that is lost.  Many people will simply walk past a collar-less cat thinking it’s just feral.  Keep tags on your cats at all times!  They can make the difference between a happy homecoming and an unexpected heartache.

You may also be interested in:

ID Tags – Your Pet’s Ticket Home

Keeping Cats Indoors – An Ecological Perspective

Follow us on Facebook