5 Ways to Keep Your Pet Warm in the Winter

Chances are, you’ve probably heard about health and safety concerns regarding pets and extreme heat; but as the temperature drops outside, it’s just as important to make sure that your pets are warm in the winter. Your pet may be happier, more comfortable, and healthier if you can make a few basic changes to your daily routine in the winter. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Not All Pets Have The Same Tolerances

It’s important to remember that cold weather safety is not one size fits all when it comes to taking your pets outside. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association: “Long-haired or thick-coated dogs tend to be more cold-tolerant, but are still at risk in cold weather. Short-haired pets feel the cold faster because they have less protection, and short-legged pets may become cold faster because their bellies and bodies are more likely to come into contact with snow-covered ground.” 

This means that just because one dog might be comfortable with spending lots of time outside in the winter, that doesn’t mean that all dogs will be comfortable on long walks. An individual animal’s needs will also change over the course of their life. Pets who develop arthritis or health conditions that impact their ability to maintain a consistent body temperature will need to spend less time outside. Clothing like sweaters and coats can be helpful, just make sure that they don’t end up overheating.

Make Changes At Home

Being ready for winter weather isn’t just a concern outside. You may also need to make changes around your home. Pay attention to parts of your home that tend to be cold, such as windows or doors that may let in a draft. While your cat may normally prefer to perch near a window so they can watch the birds and squirrels outside, you may want to move their cat tree or bed to a warmer location. You may also want to reconsider how much access your pet has to the outdoors in the winter and limit the time they spend enjoying your backyard!

Keep An Eye Out For Stray Pets

Often, outdoor or feral cats will seek out the shelter of a warm car’s engine to stay warm on cold nights. Before you start your car, make sure to alert a dozing cat to your presence by banging on the hood or loudly shutting the door so they can get away before things get dangerous! You will also want to look beneath your car to see if any animals are sleeping underneath. You can avoid these dangers for your pet by keeping them safely inside.

Take Care Of Their Paws

When you’re taking your dogs out for a walk, pay special attention to their paws. If it is particularly cold, pet paws might crack or bleed. If you’re in an area where there is ice or snow on the ground, it might get stuck between their toes and be very uncomfortable! You will also want to wipe down their feet (and their belly if it may have come in contact with the ground) after a walk as products like deicers and antifreeze are poisonous and can make your pet very sick if they lick their feet.

Consider A Winter Wellness Check

If you’re concerned about your pet’s health this winter, it’s a great idea to make an appointment with your vet. They can help you understand any potential health problems that may be aggravated by cold weather, such as arthritis, and help ensure that your pet is maintaining a healthy weight which will help them stay at a comfortable temperature. Contact the Bregman Veterinary Group today to make an appointment and get started on good health this winter!

4 More Tips to Manage Your Pet's Destructive Scratching

We love our cats, but we don’t always love how they treat our furniture! While a little bit of wear and tear is normal, cats can be very destructive when it comes to furniture, carpet, and curtains. Fortunately, there are lots of ways to discourage destructive scratching and understanding our cats’ behaviors can help owners make sure their pets are healthy and happy. 

We discussed some details related to destructive scratching in this post, and we will go into more detail about understanding why your cat’s scratch and stopping it here!

Scratching Is Necessary For Health

The first thing to understand is that cats have real reasons to scratch. Despite what the internet might try to tell you, your cat doesn’t exhibit destructive behaviors like scratching furniture or tearing up carpets to be a jerk. They exhibit behaviors like these due to issues like boredom and as a part of good hygiene. Scratching helps cats clear off the dirty, dull, and potentially jagged outer layers of their claws. Cats will also scratch as a way of marking their territory and even out of boredom. 

This all means that the best way to care for your cat while also caring for your furniture is to direct them toward more appropriate materials and refocus their energies while helping them keep their claws clean and healthy! Keep this in mind that scratching is a healthy, needed behavior for cats — you just need to refocus your cat’s attention to appropriate places to scratch!

Provide Lots of Scratching Posts!

One of the best ways to get your cat to stop clawing your furniture and carpets is to give them cat-friendly alternatives! When you are initially trying to introduce your cat to scratching posts and scratch friendly furniture, you will probably want to try out lots of different styles of scratching posts to determine what your cat likes best. Some cats will prefer different materials like carpet or cardboard. Your cats may also prefer different shapes, like something tall they can also use to stretch against or something on the ground that they can dig their claws into. This may take a little bit of experimentation, but once you figure out what your cat prefers, it’s a good idea to purchase several scratching posts and place them throughout your home. It’s a good idea to keep a scratching post near any furniture that your cat has already started to claw! 

Protect Your Furniture

If you are struggling with getting your cat to leave your furniture alone, it may be time to cover it or rearrange the room so they are less tempted. Putting plastic or even double sided tape on furniture can deter your cats your cats from using it, which will hopefully help you break them from their bad habits. If you still see them trying to claw the furniture, try redirecting their attention with a toy.

Make Sure Your Cat Isn’t Bored

Many people think that cats are completely self sufficient but this isn’t inherently true! Your cats need interaction and if you are noticing destructive behaviors, they might be bored or understimulated. One of the best things you can do is enjoy some quality time with your pet by playing with them. One of the great things about cat is that you don’t actually need things like expensive cat toys. You can have a blast with your feline friend just by playing with a crumpled up piece of newspaper or a simple wand toy. Make sure they have a wide variety of toys available when you can’t be home to play with them and you may see some behavior problems vanish!

Reach Out For Help!

If you are concerned about your cat’s destructive behaviors, it’s a great idea to reach out to your veterinarian to get more specific advice. Your veterinarian may also be able to help you maintain their claws so your cat isn’t so tempted to take care of the situation on their own. Contact the Bregman Veterinary Group today to make an appointment so your cat can get a checkup and you can discuss their behavior concerns. This is a great way to make sure your pet is happy and healthy and you will have peace of mind about your decor!