Monday, December 15, 2014

COLD WEATHER CAT SAFETY TIPS

Brrrr—it's cold outside!  The following guidelines will help you protect your pet cats when the mercury dips.

1.Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed. Cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife.


2.During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape.


3. Make sure your cat always wears ID tags.


4.Thoroughly wipe off your cat's legs and stomach when he/she comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. They can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking their paws, and their paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.


5.Never leave your cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death.


6.Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol. Visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center more information.


7.Make sure your feline has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.






SOURCE: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cold-weather-tips