Baby, it’s cold outside!!! And inside the weather can be just as unsettling for your pets! With winter upon us there are a few things we need to do to keep our little buddies comfortable. Just because they’re indoors where it’s warm doesn’t mean there aren’t other considerations.
Indoor weather patterns!
Have you ever noticed that in the winter your houseplants start to look a bit weak and frail? It’s usually due to a couple of things: your inside air is warm and dry due to low humidity and furnace, and your air registers might be pointing right at them burning them up. Of course your plants can’t talk, but sometimes they’re a better at indicating a problem then your pet! So pay some attention to a few things which will make your home comfortable for your pet family!
Move things around for your fish!
Move the goldfish bowl away from that single pane window! There’s enough radiant cold from outside to lower the water temp nightly. Likewise, make sure the bowl isn’t in the direct line from the hot air from the register. Also, the sun is lower in the horizon so make sure your account for those seasonal changes in direct sunlight.
Higher ground for the dog and cat!
During the hot summer your cats and dogs lay on the floor to escape the heat. The floor is often much cooler due to heat rising as well as some floors having much less of a subfloor so there’s air circulating underneath as well. You don’t have to imagine how cold that floor is in the winter, because you know you’ve been thinking about breaking out those winter moccasins and thick socks for a while now. Make sure you provide your cats and dogs a nice warm place to rest and provide them with a bed which has an insulated bottom and raised sides so it retains heat.
Birds of feather.. well they get cold too
Make sure your birds are away from drafts by placing them towards the center of rooms or houses, and again make sure they’re not in the direct line of a furnace register. Birds are especially sensitive to smoke or gas fumes, to take extra precaution in you use a wood stove or fireplace. On cooler nights, using a cage cover or a bird snuggle will help keep you feathery friend comfy.
