As snow approaches, we want to make sure our four-legged friends are safe from the elements.

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• Knock on the hood. If your cat likes to hide under cars, double-check under the vehicle before starting one. You should do this even if you don’t have a cat (this is particularly important if you see paw prints on your hood). Stray cats often hide under a vehicle’s hood when it’s warm and can develop severe fan belt injuries when the car is started. Sometimes a simple knock on the hood is enough.

 

• Emergency shelter. Create a small place to hide away from the snow, ice, and rain right in your garden. It can be a small wooden box with a small opening. Just add a bowl for food and water, and place a nice and familiar blanket to serve as a bed. This way your cat, or even a stray cat, will always have a safe place to go to and protect herself from blizzards.

 

• Ice-melts (salt) and grit. Check his paws when he comes in and clean off any snow or grit. De-icing products can be caustic and irritate paw pads, or get wedged between them and burn.

 

• Poor grooming. Cats have an undercoat of soft fluffy fur and a topcoat of coarser fur which helps to fend off snow and rain. If you are over shampooing and over-grooming in the winter or shave her, she loses the natural oils in her fur that help repel moisture. Snow and rain can cause illness and hypothermia. Your cat's fur coat only really works when it's dry. If your cat’s fur gets matted from being wet or snowy it can’t trap heat among the hair filters. Feed them cat food that is formulated specifically for healthier coats. Essential fatty acids, like a cat-formulated Omega 3 supplement, can help the coat grow in shinier and thicker.

 

• Arthritis. Older cats with issues such as arthritis may have a hard time tolerating colder weather especially if they have achy joins. If you notice their fur becomes unusually matted or scruffy, this may be a sign that they’re having trouble grooming themselves due to joint pain.

 

• Dehydration. Water bowls can freeze easily when the temperature drops, keeping pets from a fresh water supply. Ensure that your cat has plenty of fresh water indoors, in case any outside sources freeze.  Always make sure your cat comes inside at night, locking the catflap once they are inside.