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Watching your little cats playing is very adorable and peaceful. Especially, they are extremely naughty and energetic on warm and sunny days, but they seem quite lazy and don’t want to do anything in snowy days. Have you ever wondered whether your cats liked snow or not? and Is it safe for them at this time of the year? Let us help you find the answer through the following article.
1. Do cats like snow?
Because the cat is a high-temperature animal (38.5 degrees Celsius to 39 degrees Celsius) it has a poor tolerance for cold weather. For this reason, your little friend can not get on well with wintertime, especially on freezing days when the temperature steadily decreased.
As cats are warm-blooded, this means they can keep their body temperature constant even when the outside temperature is different. However, when the temperature goes out their limitation, it can lead to a variety of serious consequences.
2. What temperature do cats can withstand?
The endurance of each cat is different, it mostly depends on the background, age, and especially on their appearance features.
Cats who are used to being outside all year will undoubtedly be better adjusted to the different extremes of the weather and seasonal temperature differences than a cat that spends the majority of its time indoors.
Cats who are older or have shorter hair are more vulnerable than young, healthy, and long-haired cats. However, experts recommend that you do not leave your cat outside if the average daily temperature is less than 44°F. Therefore, it is harmful to your cats to play outside on a snowy day.
3. Cats and common problems in winter
3.1 Frostbite
Cats get frostbite when they are left out in the cold, causing them to freeze. This is extremely hazardous to cats. You need to give them first aid immediately by applying a warm towel to the cat until the frostbite turns red and heated, then drying the injured tissues and carefully covering them with a clean bandage.
3.2 Hypothermia
In mild cases of hypothermia, the cat will shiver and show indications of sadness, lethargy, and frailty. When it gets heavier, the muscular bundles of the cat thicken, making breathing difficult. When we come across these circumstances, we must instantly warm the cat, give it ginger water, feed it, and warm it up.
4. How to protect your cat on snowy days
When winter arrives, remember to keep your cat warm and secure, as well as to help keep them healthy by following these simple guidelines:
4.1 Keep cats warm
- Prepare a cage and a warm mattress for your cat: If you keep your cat indoors, you should prepare a warm mattress or blanket for him to keep in a safe location. If you go out, prepare a cage that is tightly covered to keep the wind out, as well as a warm mattress.
- Dress your cat: You may help keep your cat warm by layering clothing on them since cats require clothing that fits properly to keep them warm.
- Cat heating bag: you put a warm pack under the cat’s mattress, this is how you will find the cat just lying there, which are extremely both warm and safe.
4.2 Sufficient nutrition for cats in winter
- Create a thick adipose tissue on the body by eating. Adding essential fatty acids or vegetable oils (canola oil, safflower oil, chickpea oil, avocado, and fish oil) to your cat’s food is an excellent strategy to increase body fat.
- Increase the amount of cat food, especially protein, to help them have thick and healthy coats during the cold winter
- Providing vitamin E and B vitamins will help strengthen tissues and make cats more resistant to cold. Moreover, these vitamins can also cause an imbalance in your cat’s diet.
4.3 Keep your cat stay in the house
It is best to keep cats indoors during exceptionally cold weather since hypothermia and frostbites are major danger factors. Cats’ fur coats will not protect them from frigid weather. On chilly rainy or snowy days, their fur will become wet, lowering their body temperature.
4.4 Using warm water
Snow and cold temperatures go hand in hand, which means that exterior water sources might freeze. Use deep bowls and, if feasible, place them in sunny settings to reduce the possibility of frozen drinking water. Besides, to avoid freezing, using heated bowls or placing a microwavable heating pad beneath the water bowls are cited as the good ideas
4.5 Train your cat to adapt to the cold season
Allow your cat to go outside as the temperature begins to cool so that he can acclimatize to the cold. Cats require time to acclimate to temperature fluctuations, develop stronger fatty tissues, and become more resistant to the elements. The action will improve the cat’s digestion and create heat for the body. Prepare your favorite toys to keep your cat entertained over the winter.
5. What you should notice about cats in winter?
- Do not bathe your cat in winter: this will cause heat loss and a cold infection in the cat’s body. If you need to bathe your cat, bathe them in a closed room, with the heater on until the cat has finished bathing for 30 minutes.
- Metal bowls should not be used for cats during the winter because their tongues may accidentally get stuck in the bowls
- Check your cat’s water and food to make sure they’re fresh and not frozen.
- During the winter, cats love sometimes sleeping under the hood of your car or in the garage, where it’s warm and comfortable. Watch out for antifreeze chemicals, as it can be fatal when he licks it from the floor of the garage. To prevent injury to your cat, clap and slam loudly on the hood, then on the sides of your vehicle before starting the engine to warn the cat to escape.
6. Conclusion
Thus, the most important thing to remember when caring for cats on a snowy day is to keep them warm. The guidelines above are not overly difficult; you may entirely use them to safeguard your cat’s health throughout the harsh winter months. I hope this sharing is useful for you. Be restful!
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