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| outdoor cat house for winter 7 mistakes you should avoid! 2021 |
Cat outside in winter. It's winter. In order for your cat to survive the cold season safely, you should make some preparations.
Your outdoor cat needs now the right care and some precautions so that it survives the wintertime healthy. Because cold and snow can be hard on her.
Which mistakes you should avoid as a cat owner in the cold season, I have summarized in this exciting article for you. Have fun.
Cat outside in winter - Avoid these 7 mistakes
- 1. pushing cat to go outside
You should not urge your velvet paw to go outside in the cold. In winter, outdoor cats go outside less often. This is completely normal because it is simply too cold for them. Cats instinctively know what is good for them.
I have installed a cat flap with a microchip in my house. So your cat can always decide for itself when to go out in the snow and when to stay in the warm house.
- 2. insufficient care of the cat paws in winter
Cat paws are sensitive, so you should not neglect the care of sensitive cat paws in winter. Cat paws are very sensitive to grit and salt. Thus quickly cracked and dry and the risk of injury to the pads increases.
If you want to protect your outdoor cat, treat the paws with milking grease or Vaseline.
Washing cat paws after outdoor use
If your outdoor cat comes from outside, you should wash the paw with lukewarm water. So you can remove salt and grit residues. Afterwards you can apply a caring cream.
If you want more information about the care of cat paws, you can find it at WikiHow.
- 3. expose cats to dry heating air
When your outdoor cat comes home freezing, he/she wants to warm up. What could be more natural than to lie down on the radiator? There it is cozy warm.
Unfortunately, the dry heating air is not completely harmless for your cat. The nasal mucous membranes of your velvet paw can dry out and conjunctivitis can develop.
You should make sure that your cat spends only a few minutes on the heater.
Alternatively, you can place a cat basket next to the radiator or install a cat heating bed*. Your cat can enjoy the warmth of the heater but is not directly exposed to the dry heating air.
- 4. do not prepare a winter sleeping place
The winter sleeping place in the apartment should be warm and cozy. Your cat prefers a warm windowsill or the proximity of the warming radiator in winter.
For this purpose, you can set up a cozy bed or cat cave for your cat near the radiator. She will love you for it.
If you do not have underfloor heating, you can buy a thermal blanket. This can be laid out in a corner and your cat is reliably protected against the floor cold.
Winter sleeping place for outdoor cats:
If you keep an outdoor cat, it should be able to find a special shelter outside, which protects it not only from the cold but also wet.
If one has a garden house or a shed, a box with cushions and blankets is helpful, so that the velvet paw can sleep dry. Also, a winter-proof wooden hut outside, which is cozily furnished, is recommended as a retreat.
If you want to do something really good for your cat, you can buy an insulated cat hut with underfloor heating. In this, your outdoor cat will stay nice and warm and dry even in the grimmest cold.
It is important that the entrance of the cat house has a "curtain". This should be made of thick plastic, so that no cold drafts can get into the house.
The entrance of the cat house should not be oriented towards the west, as this is the main wind direction in Germany.
- 5. leave chocolate open in the apartment
Especially at Christmas, there is chocolate in abundance. One man's joy is another man's sorrow. Chocolate is poisonous for cats.
Since your cat can easily get on all tables and sideboards, you should safely stow away the sweets in your absence.
- 6. insufficient coat care
Dry indoor air, as well as cold weather, will stress your cat's skin and coat. Regular brushing removes excess dandruff from the skin and coat. It also stimulates the sebum production of the skin, so that the coat remains supple and shiny.
In addition, special coat care globules can be administered, which give the coat an additional healthy shine. Coat Care Globuli* is a purely natural remedy and does not contain any chemical additives.
- 7. feeding too little food in winter
If you are the owner of a free-roaming cat, you should definitely adapt your diet to winter conditions. During the cold season, your cat has increased energy required to maintain a body temperature of 39 degrees.
It should be fed particularly rich and energy-rich cat food*. If your cat is very hungry, you can feed slightly larger amounts of food per meal during the winter.
Up to what temperature can a cat stay outside in winter?
Cats can stay outside up to -25 degrees below zero. Their dense undercoat reliably protects your cat against the cold.
As you may have noticed, your cat eats a lot before winter and puts on a lot of weight.
The extra layer of fat and her denser fur, provide additional protection in sub-zero temperatures.
Protection from the cold is only guaranteed when the coat is dry
If the fur of your cat is wet, cold protection is no longer given. In the worst case, the cat can catch a cold or hypothermia.
If your cat returns from a winter walk with damp fur, you should immediately rub it dry and wrap it up warm so it can warm up again.
However, it is important to remember that cats are descended from wild cats, which are excellent at coping with sub-zero winter temperatures. A small part of the wild cat still slumbers in your cat.
How long can a cat stay outside in winter?
Cats are survivors and their dense fur protects them from the cold. Your cat knows exactly when it is cold and should go to a warm, dry place.
If your cat stays out for several days in winter, you should not worry too much. Your cat knows what it is doing.
Strays survive the harshest winters outdoors
Just think of all the strays. They too survive the winter in the harshest conditions by seeking refuge in basements or empty houses.
My outdoor cats are usually huddled together in the winter in the conservatory. There is a basket in which they warm each other.
Sometimes my Lisa disappears for several days in freezing temperatures. Who knows where she is ... I am a little worried, especially when it is 10 degrees below zero at night.
What kind of cat houses are available for outdoor cats?
If your outdoor cat has no possibility to enter the house via a cat flap, you should provide him with a warm place outside the house.
Your cat will be happy to escape the cold when needed and rest in a cozy place.
A cat house is an ideal solution for this. Whether it is a simple cat house or a luxurious cat house with heating, you must decide for yourself.
How should a cat house be placed?
1. the cat house should be placed in a dry and weather-protected place.
2. the cat house should be elevated so that no water can run into it.
3. the cat house should be covered with a warm blanket or styrofoam.
4. access should be protected from drafts and wind by a "curtain".
A simple cat house
If you don't want to spend a lot of money, you can line a cardboard box or basket with blankets and rags and place it in a shed or vestibule.
In the cozy cardboard box, your cat can snuggle in and warm up.
Styrofoam boxes in which food is kept warm, are also excellent, as a cheap cat house in winter.
The styrofoam material is the perfect insulator against ground cold
Thanks for reading: outdoor cat house for winter 7 mistakes you should avoid! , Sorry, my English is bad:)