YOUR PETS Choose the right clothing to keep your pet warm in winter. Picture by Mabel Amber It always comes as a bit of a shock, but the impending winter has announced itself with cold spells of late. Subscribe now for unlimited access .
Login or signup to continue reading $ 0 / $ NaN /year All articles from our website The digital version of Today's Paper Breaking news alerts direct to your inbox All articles from the other regional websites in your area Continue During the colder months, we humans modify our behaviour to keep ourselves warm by adding layers of clothing, spending more time indoors, sipping hot drinks, turning on the heating, and avoiding wind and rain as much as possible. We modify the times we undertake activities like outdoor exercise, and those with conditions like arthritis may need additional pain relief. Just like us, animals are vulnerable to hypothermia in cold weather.
But our animal companions aren't able to adapt to the cold without our help. They rely on us to ensure they have a warm, draught-free, dry environment, and when it's cold outside, they are able to toilet and exercise regularly. Companion animals often position themselves in front of - if not on top of - artificial heat sources like electric blankets, hot water bottles, fireplaces and heaters.
My own cat Hero cannot be trusted alone with the heater. If left to his own devices, he will sleep in direct contact with it. It is not uncommon for animals to overheat, or acquire burns due to c.
