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As there are for summer, there are specific areas to consider when caring for your cat over the winter months. These relate to bedding, heating/warmth, grooming, diet and hazards. Beds need to be in draught-free areas and not exposed to dampness of any kind. So as to avoid draughts, and dampness rising from floors, it is useful to raise your cat’s bed above floor level. A warm, cosy cat bed does not have to be expensive – igloos are great but so is a cardboard box with an entrance hole and a fluffy rug inside. Older and arthritic cats need to be kept warm as being cold will aggravate their condition. Putting the bed in a spot that catches the sun throughout the day will make your cat very happy. If you have a wide enough window ledge a piece of fun fur on the ledge will make a cosy action watching spot for your cat. If you live in a cold climate then putting a heat pad in the pet’s basket to have all-night warmth can be a treat. Just make sure that your cat will not entertain itself by chewing the electrical cord during the night. Old and arthritic cats will adore a heat pad, which is thermostatically controlled. Cats usually shed hair at the beginning of winter and then grow a thicker coat. The old hair can be helped off with regular brushing and then there is less chance of hair balls with less ingestion of fur. Like us, cats tend to eat more during winter so giving them a little more is O.K. Make sure that you have plenty of fresh water available indoors as cats get very thirsty when the heating is switched on for long periods. As a treat a little Whiskas MilkPlus is fine, as it is specially made for cats, who are lactose intolerant and can get diarrhoea form drinking cow’s milk. One winter hazard for cats is electric heaters. Make sure that any heater you have has a safety cut-off switch in case it is knocked over. In regard to open fires, cats can sometimes get very close and consequently can overheat, become singed or even burnt by an ember so make sure you always have a fire guard in place to stop flying embers and to keep your pets at a safe distance. As mentioned before, cats grow a longer, thicker coat over winter, so check their collars to make sure that they are not too tight. If you can easily put two fingers between your pet’s neck and its collar then it is not too tight. If your cat seeks warmth by climbing into the engine compartment of your car from underneath, then make sure that you check before driving off. Cats can be injured by the moving fan belt or blades. If you cat gets wet at any point over winter, dry it with a hair dryer or towel as quickly as possible to prevent hypothermia. Cold weather makes cats, like humans, more susceptible to arthritis, colds and flu. Monitor any sneezing, coughing, weepy eyes or loss of appetite as these are all signs that something might be wrong and a trip to the vet needed.

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