Take Extra Care with Cats in Cold Weather

Article obtained from:
The Daily Interlake, Kalispell, MT on Wed. Dec. 14, 2011

Take Extra Care with Pets in Cold Weather

With winter weather here, the Flathead County Animal Shelter urges pet owners to take precautions to ensure the safety of their pets. Help keep your pets safe during cold weather by following these simple guidelines:

* Don’t leave pets outdoors when the temperature drops. Dogs and cats are safer indoors, except when taken out for supervised exercise. Regardless of the season, short-haired, very young or old dogs and all cats should never be left outside without supervision.

* Pets who spend a lot of time outdoors need more food in the winter because keeping warm depletes energy. Routinely check your pet’s water dish to make certain the water is fresh and unfrozen. Use plastic food and water bowls rather than metal.

* Wind chills can threaten a pet’s life. If your dog spends significant time outdoors, he or she must be protected by a dry, draft-free doghouse that is large enough to allow the dog to sit and lie down comfortably, but small enough to hold in his or her body heat. The house should be turned to face away from the wind and the doorway should be covered with waterproof burlap or heavy plastic.

* Warm engines in parked cars attract cats and small wildlife that may crawl under the hood. To avoid injuring any hidden animals, bang on your car’s hood to scare them away before starting your engine.

* Salt and chemicals used to melt snow and ice can irritate the pads of your pet’s feet and may be harmful if ingested. Wipe your pet’s feet with a damp towel before your pet licks them to remove snow packed between your pet’s paws. Pet-friendly ice melts are available at many pet supply stores or online.

* Antifreeze is a deadly poison, but it has a sweet taste that can attract animals and children. Wipe up spills and store antifreeze (and all household chemicals) out of reach. Consider using antifreeze coolant made with propylene glycol, which is less toxic in small amounts than traditional ethylene glycol antifreeze.

* If you’re feeding homeless cats, be sure to provide an insulated shelter for them. Information about building a shelter, spaying and neutering and more is available at http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/feral_cats or contact the Spay and Neuter Task Force.

* During the winter months, the happiest dogs are those who are taken out frequently for walks or exercise but kept inside the rest of the time.

For more information or any questions, contact the Flathead County Animal Shelter at 752-1310 or go to www.flathead.mt.gov/animal. Shelter hours are Tuesday through Friday, noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday, 11 am to 4 p.m.

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Preparing your Kitty for Holiday Boarding

How to Prepare for Holiday Pet Boarding
from the Daily Inter Lake, Saturday November 12, 2011

(MS) – The holiday season is a time when many family and friends come together.  If you’ll be going home for the holidays, that trip may or may not include the family pet.

For people with a pet at home, it might not always be possible to bring the pet along during holiday excursions.  Therefore, arrangements must be made for the animal while you will be away.  From pet sitters to boarding facilities, pet parents must decide where to turn.

According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans spend roughly $3.5 billion on grooming and boarding their pets every year.  Boarding is common during holiday travel.

When preparing a pet for boarding, there are suggestions for making things go smoothly.  The process begins even before your brining your pet to the boarder.

Finding a Boarder

Most animals are like extended members of the family.  Therefore, pet parents want to find a facility that will take good care of the animal and ensure its comfort and safety.  World-of-mouth recommendations are one of the best ways to get a feel for a particular boarder if you haven’t’ used one before.

When visiting facilities, look for certain things, including cleanliness, the number of employees available, the appearance of the animals, the areas where the pets are allowed to go and things of this nature.

Ask certain questions, including how pets are housed and exercised.  Find out if you are allowed to bring in food for the pet and his or her own treats to minimize stomach discomfort.  Investigate how a health issue is handled, including whether you veterinarian will be called or if the facility has a relationship with another vet.

Steer clear of facilities that do not offer satisfactory answers to all of your questions or seems opposed to your ideas and concerns.

Preparing your Pet

Many boarding facilities require that pets be vaccinated prior to their stays.  The boarder may have specific immunizations that are required.  Be sure to update vaccinations a month prior to boarding your animal.  Sometimes the vaccination can produce minor symptoms of the actual illness, which the boarder may mistake as a sick dog.

There are also other things that you can do to prep a dog or cat prior to its stay.  Get a vet checkup just to ensure your pet’s health, especially if the animal is old and has chronic conditions.  At this point, double-check medications and get extra supplies for the boarder.

Bathe the pet and keep up with flea/tick prevention so the animal will be protected when in close proximity o other animals.  Inspect the dog or cat to ensure that the pet does not have an infestation.

Checking in

Bring your pet to the boarder early and pack along some of the animal’s comfort toys or belongings, including a piece of clothing that has your scent.   Clearly mark bags of food and any items you bring so they will be identified for your dog or cat.

Leave contact information with the boarder and review the information on how long the stay will be.  Inquire as to what times are best to phone in and check up on your pet.  Some high tech boarding facilities may have cameras in the building that you can access via the Internet to see the goings-on while away.

Leaving your pet may pluck at your heartstrings, so it’s best not to linger, otherwise you could add to your anxiety and also the dog or cat’s level of nervousness. 

If you do your homework researching facilities, changes are you have found a boarder that will provide adequate care for your pet and you’ll return to find a pet that is healthy and happy to see you.

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