Pete the Vet: The best ways to keep your pet cosy this winter 

Pete Wedderburn has some cold hard facts for minding your dogs, cats and even hamsters as the temperature dips

Pete the Vet: If your pet (like most Irish dogs these days) lives indoors, it’s likely that the household ambient temperature will be adequate for them, but you may need to supply them with extra insulation when you take them out for walks.

Colder winter weather has kicked in. Electric blankets have been switched on, winter duvets have replaced the summer versions, people are pressing boost on their central heating systems, and jerseys, scarves, and gloves are worn if you’re going outside. It’s easy for us humans to do what’s needed to keep ourselves warm: we can choose what we need to keep us comfortable.

It’s not so easy for our pets: they cannot control their environment, and they depend on us to keep them cosy. So what do we need to do for them? How can we tell if we are doing enough to give our dogs, cats and other pets sufficient protection from the cold?

The warmth needs of dogs depend on their size and fur type. Small dogs have a much higher ratio of surface area to body weight, meaning that they lose relatively more body heat from the surface of their skin than bigger dogs. 

And dogs with longer, denser fur obviously carry more natural insulation than those with a short, sparse coat. So large, long-haired dogs like Huskies, which have been bred for cold climates, cope far better with chilly weather than small, short-haired breeds like Chihuahuas. 

Most dogs come somewhere in between these extremes, and the actions you need to take to keep them warm depend on where they are on this spectrum.

If your pet (like most Irish dogs these days) lives indoors, it’s likely that the household ambient temperature will be adequate for them, but you may need to supply them with extra insulation when you take them out for walks. A simple jacket or jersey can give a great deal of comfort to a small dog: I’ve known some who refuse to go outside on cold days if they are not wearing their outdoor kit.

If your dog spends time outdoors, you’re legally obliged under the Animal Health and Welfare Act to ensure that their environmental conditions are appropriate. It’s generally recommended that the air temperature surrounding a resting dog should not fall below 10°C for dogs not acclimatised to lower temperatures, and this is a useful benchmark for pets in Ireland. 

Insulated kennels or outhouses can help, especially when dogs are used to sleeping in them, as can the provision of bedding that dogs can bury into for extra cosiness. But the colder it is, the more likely it is that dogs should simply be welcomed indoors: after all, these days we see dogs as family members.

Cats live more independent lives than dogs, and they have more freedom to choose what suits them. Most cats can choose to be indoors or outdoors, and they make sure that they avoid conditions that are too cold. 

You can buy microchip-enabled cat flaps that link to smartphone apps, and these allow you to record when your pets come and go. I know from my own home that my three cats spend far more time indoors during the winter months. They go outside for entertainment, for short spells only. They know themselves that it’s too cold to be out for long stretches. 

Older cats tend to be thinner, and more prone to getting cold, and they’re likely to choose to spend less time outside.

When they’re indoors, cats know to choose their favourite spots: our young Maine Coon, Peig, stretches herself out against the front of the Aga because she knows it’s always “on” at a toasty temperature. One of our sixteen-year-old cats, Sushi, chooses to spend all day sleeping on a bed upstairs that has an electric blanket left on: she knows that this is the cosiest sleeping spot. 

And our other sixteen-year-old cat, Couscous, prefers a cushion-lined bed in the kitchen a few meters away from the Aga. It may not be as warm as Peig’s direct contact, but it’s a more peaceful spot, away from busy people traffic: she knows she’ll be left in peace there.

So if you have cats, they’re likely to find their own preferred warm places in your home: you just need to make sure that they have access to the indoors (eg a cat flap). If there is a shortage of comfy cat sleeping spots, you might consider setting one up. 

There are plenty of luxurious cat beds on the market, and you can buy cat-sized plug-in electric blankets, designed to slide beneath their bedding, providing continual heat at minimal cost.

I’ve known elderly cats who have stalked around the house restlessly, meowing loudly, until their owners have set up an optimal sleeping spot. Once a cat has somewhere warm, peaceful and comfortable to rest, they’re far more contented and relaxed.

Smaller pets, such as rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and others, have no problems if they live indoors: our centrally heated homes ensure that they are always within their optimal environmental ambient temperature. 

Don’t leave them in unheated rooms: I have known hamsters who have gone into hibernation when kept in chilly utility areas. If your pets live in hutches outside, they need special care. You can set up insulation around hutches, and you need to clean them out more often than usual to ensure that their bedding is always dry and plentiful.

Microwaveable heating pads can be usefully left inside hutches for instant central heating. If there’s an especially cold spell, with sub-zero temperatures, the entire hutch should be brought indoors. 

Sadly, every year I hear about outdoor pets who are found dead in their hutch during icy weather: it’s just not fair to allow this to happen.

When it’s cold outside, don’t forget your pets. They depend on your actions for their warmth and comfort.