Many of us tend to believe that our pets are not affected by cold, just because they have a furry exterior. But this is a complete misconception. Our furry friends are almost equally affected by winter as we do. So we must take special care of them during the winter.
Here are few things that you can do to keep them comfortable.
-
Keep Pets Indoors
Do you feel like stepping out when it is freezing outside? No. Similarly pets, be it cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, do not like to be kept outside in the cold. So make sure you keep them indoors as much as possible. Keeping them outside will only enhance their chances of falling sick.
If you are taking them out, do make them wear something warm, just as you would do before going out. Most pet shops have warm clothes available for animals in a variety of sizes and pretty ones at that.
In case you have birds, do cover the cage with a shawl to keep them warm. Make sure you keep a part of the cage uncovered so that they can breathe.
It is very important to keep in mind that you must never shave the coat of your pet during the cold months.
-
Keep Pets Away From the Heater
Pets are attracted to the warmth as much as we are during winter. They love to snuggle up to anything warm they can find without knowing whether it can harm them or not.
So if you are using a room heater or you have a fireplace that is lit, you need to take special care. If your pet comes too close to the heat, she may burn her tail or paws and cause herself immense pain.
Also if she knocks over any heating source, then there is a risk of the entire house getting damaged. So for the safety of all concerned, you will have to be really vigilant.
-
Change Their Drinking Water Often
During the winter, the water in their water bowl tends to become freezing cold very soon. As a result, often pets look for water outside in gutters and puddles. This puts them at a risk of consuming deadly antifreeze or other chemicals that can even lead to death. So you need to ensure that you change the water bowl every couple of hours.
