Mary Allen
Dogs and free-roaming cats are often outside even in the cold season and enjoy exercise in the fresh air. To ensure that they get through autumn and winter well, there are a few things you, as the owner, should keep in mind. Find out here how you can support the health of your four-legged friend.
General
With both animals, it is important to have them checked over once in the autumn. Any illnesses have a strong influence on how well the four-legged friend can cope with low temperatures. In addition, both cats and dogs should be vaccinated and dewormed if necessary.
There are also things at home that you can use to help your four-legged friends. In winter, the cold consumes more energy. In order to maintain body temperature, the animals need additional energy sources. For dogs and cats, the amount of food can be increased a little. Of course, sensitivity is required here so that there is no problem with being overweight in spring.
Cats: Outdoors Also in Winter
There are many velvet paws who are allowed to enjoy the outdoors all year round. It is individual how far away the cat is and how long it wants to stay outside. This also applies in winter. Cats, who are always fond of going on excursions, can sometimes find nothing at all about winter. They don’t want to go outside until it’s warmer and drier. On the other hand, there are tigers who love to stalk and wallow in the snow. Cats whose fur is too thin due to illness or breeding should not go outside, or only for a short time. The danger of a cold or even inflammation of the lungs or kidneys is too dangerous.
It is important that you do not only let your cat out in winter but that it has the opportunity to get used to being outside. Such outdoor cats also have thicker fur than pure house tigers, which is an advantage in winter.
Many cat owners want their cats to come back in the evening as soon as it gets dark. She should spend the night in the warm home. Some velvet paws will oblige, but some insist on their nocturnal game drives.
The easiest way here is to buy a cat flap. This allows the cat to go in and out at any time. If you don’t want to or can’t install such a flap, there are still a few ways to make your cat comfortable outside. Since it gets coldest at night, you should offer the cat shelter. The choice here is huge: You can set up a basket in the garage, upholster a chair with a pillow and blanket in a corner sheltered from the wind on the terrace, or build a cat house: It doesn’t have to be unusual, it just needs to protect against the cold and wet and be made cuddly warm with Styrofoam, straw and a blanket.
However, there are also two points that require caution. Ponds are best cordoned off to make them safe for cats. If the ice cover is still very thin, the cat could collapse and drown. You also have to be careful with collars and cat sweaters. If the cat carries such a “foreign body”, no matter how useful it is, it can quickly get stuck somewhere. It’s always dangerous when she can’t tear herself away despite your best efforts, but it’s especially bad in winter when the cat can’t move and freeze to death.
Dogs: With Winter Care Through the Cold Season
There are other things to consider with dogs, as they usually travel with their master or mistress. Before going for a walk, deer tallow or certain ointments with high-fat content can be applied to the paws and in the spaces between the pads to protect the paws. This layer is waterproof and protects against aggressive road salt and lumps of ice. Especially in dog sports, for example with sled dogs, it is also common to use so-called “booties”. These are leather “shoes” that are pulled over the dog’s paws. However, under normal circumstances and in our regions, this is not necessary.
There are also things you can do to keep your dog healthy when you go for a walk. So that he does not freeze, you should keep him moving and walk briskly. That should be enough to keep him from hypothermia. However, especially for small and old dogs or those with a thin coat, you can consider buying a dog coat, but here the focus should not be on fashion, but on functional use.
Many dogs love to romp in the snow and chase snowballs in winter. However, you should stick to your own toys here. Cold wood splinters quickly and can lead to injuries throughout the digestive tract. The snow can also be a danger: you should definitely prevent the dog from eating it. Road salt, toxins, or impurities can lead to dangerous digestive problems and inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. And even if the snow is absolutely clean, the cold that gets into the dog’s stomach poses a risk of catching a cold.
After the walk, you should clean your paws with lukewarm water. This makes it easy to remove road salt and ice. Also, check the gaps between the bales. This is where a foreign body likes to hide, which can lead to painful inflammation. For care, you can now apply soothing cream, for example from calendula to the paws. So the aggressive road salt has no chance of damaging the sometimes sensitive paws. Even if you like to enjoy a warm bath in winter, this does not apply to dogs. The natural fat layer of the skin is destroyed by the use of a lot of water and shampoo. The dog lacks natural protection against the cold. It’s better to grab a towel and rub your dog dry. Brushing is also important in winter to remove old undercoats. This dead hair no longer warms the body and blocks the necessary space for new fur to grow.