Dear Miss Behavin’:
This winter seems a lot colder than the past few winters and I was wondering if you have any advice on how to keep my cats warm?
It can definitely be tricky trying to keep the kitties warm during winter, especially if you’re at work during the day and don’t want to leave the heater running. It can become quite expensive if you do so, and can be a safety hazard if you use a portable space heater. Although some kitties might have a thick fur coat to keep them warm during winter, like a Maine Coon or a Persian, others like the Russian Blue, have much shorter coats and can get colder quicker.
For the longer haired cats, you can try purchasing a cat bed and lining it with a fleece or other type of thin soft blanket for them to snuggle into. If you have a thicker flannel blanket you can then try bunching it into a nest like bed for your cat to climb into. Some cat beds are igloo shaped or partially enclosed allowing the cat to burrow into the bed for further warmth. For the shorter haired cats, it may become essential to use a self-warming bed or a self-warming pad within their bed. The great attribute of the self-warming products is that they don’t require any electricity and are usually not battery operated. Some of them instead have a two layer system, one layer to trap the heat from your pet and a second layer to radiate the heat back to your pet. Once you cat has reached its comfortable temperature, the cat can remain on the pad or climb off in search for a cooler spot. It’s a very inexpensive way to keep the kitties warm in the winter. Choose the best option for your cat based on the length and thickness of their fur.