Keeping Cats Warm

[xcourtney3]

Not sure if this has been discussed, but I'm curious to know how you guys keep your kitties warm during winter.

My cats are indoor only. We don't have central heating and it's a bit drafty. We will have a heater going during the day while we are home, but not at night or when we are gone because the cats won't be supervised. (It's very rare for both of us to not be home though) We have a high table in the living room and I'm thinking of making a tent out of it and putting fleece blankets and pillows under it. We've also got their beds elevated. Any other ideas?

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I have one of those foam cube shaped beds that you can find at Walmart or probably any pet store.  I've found my 2 in there when it's chilly in the house.  I also usually have a comforter on the couch that we use for ourselves; but they snuggle in or under that in the winter too. 

 

[Willowy]

One of my mom's cats prefers to be in the (unheated) garage, even in the winter. So my mom made a bed for her out of a cardboard box with an old pillow in the bottom, a small blanket inside for burrowing, and a down throw about 3/4 over the top of the box. She looks very cozy in her little cocoon .

 

[orientalslave]

In the UK you can buy electric heater pads which use very little electricity and go in the bottom of some sort of cat bed.  But, where do you live?  And how cold is it in winter? 

 

[otto]

You can line their beds with space blanket materiel like this:

http://www.rei.com/product/407106/space-all-weather-blanket

The reflect body heat. I use these blankets in my self warming cat beds I make. My cats have five of them, and every friend I have sent one to says their cats love it in the cold seasons.

Or of course you can purchase self warming cat beds in pet supply stores.

Heating pads are not a good idea, but if used should never be left on unattended, should be kept on low and when you are home, and the cat is using one, check frequently to make sure kitty is not being burned.

 

[andrya]

 l love that idea!

lt sounds like you're possibly in the UK - I remember the damp and draftiness and only having a coal fire in the house very well

Now l'm in Canada where it gets incredibly cold at winter, and since l have a Rex, l need to keep the heating on high. Still though, as suggested above, l have one of those cube/tent beds that the cats snuggle together in. The Rex also gets into my bed (l have to pat it down before l sit on it, lol). So if you leave the top end of your bed unmade, or the comforters tented a little, they could get in if they're feeling chilled.

 

[catspaw66]

Central heat, wood stove if it gets below 45F.  And as always the blankets on the bed or they cuddle up to each other and me.

 

[stephanietx]

We have central heat and live in Texas where it doesn't get too extremely cold, but I do have some electric pet heaters that I place in the bottom of their beds when it turns cold.  I wrap them in a towel and place another towel on top.  The heated pad heats to the kitties' body temp and if they move out of the bed, it automatically lowers the temp.  The cats LOVE them!!
 

 

[jcat]

We do have central heating, but it's only on in the living room, kitchen and bath, set on low, and automatically switches to "frost protection" at night. The waterbed is heated, but I still have loosely folded fleece blankets on several pieces of furniture for Jamie to snuggle up in. He also has an "igloo" type bed, but for some reason only uses it in summer

 

[orientalslave]

...
Heating pads are not a good idea, but if used should never be left on unattended, should be kept on low and when you are home, and the cat is using one, check frequently to make sure kitty is not being burned.

The ones sold for the purpose in the UK are safe - they don't get too hot, and they are waterproof.  And kittens and cats will move if they are too warm.  Heat pads (and cold packs) can be dangerous for diabetics as they often have reduced sensation in their feet and lower legs, but for cats, kittens and people with normal sensation they are safe.

 

[otto]

Cats will not always move when they are too warm. I have had a cat burned from sleeping in front of a radiant heater. He was sleeping deeply, and actually crying in his sleep because he was being burned, but he didn't wake up and move. It was his crying that alerted me, and I discovered the his ears were burning. Not on fire, but he did suffer burns.

This can happen with a heating pad too. I don't know about the pet beds, having never used one but I still will advise people to not leave one plugged in when was not home to supervise and check on the cat from time to time. Reflective material is just as effective and much safer.

 

[matts mom]

how about a cat tree with a "house" on top? My sassy had one and liked to sleep inside the house...and being made of plywood and carpet, i'd imagine it would get nice and cozy with a cat's body heat inside.

 

[furry favor]

i think you should make a small house for them and heat it when they are not in it or buy one and heat it for them and then leave it, it will keep the warmth especially if you have blankets and/or pillows inside.

 

[betsygee]

 
Not sure if this has been discussed, but I'm curious to know how you guys keep your kitties warm during winter.

My cats are indoor only. We don't have central heating and it's a bit drafty. We will have a heater going during the day while we are home, but not at night or when we are gone because the cats won't be supervised. (It's very rare for both of us to not be home though) We have a high table in the living room and I'm thinking of making a tent out of it and putting fleece blankets and pillows under it. We've also got their beds elevated. Any other ideas?

What a cute idea--a kitty fort!  

    A friend of ours had electric beds for her elder cats--they plug in but only heat up when there's weight on them so if cat's not in there, they're not heating needlessly.  Sadly, both her kitties passed away this year, so she gave us the beds.  My old cats LOVE them.  

The younger cats stay warm by sleeping on us!  

  Actually, it doesn't get that cold here, and if it does, they snuggle up on the beds or the throw blankets we have on the couches and chairs.