Fall and Winter Cat Health Care Tips

Tips for keeping your cat healthy and safe during the cold weather months.

Cooler fall and winter temperatures pose some health concerns for cats. Below are some great tips to help your cat adjust easily.

As the temperature drops, we turn up the heat, crank the furnace or light the fireplace, and get ready for the chill of winter. Even though our cats love the heat and curl up in the warmest spot they can find, it creates health issues. The dry air affects their skin and fur, and the heat dehydrates them.

If your cat is not drinking more on their own, try to encourage them to up their water consumption. Try leaving more water dishes around the house and keep the water fresh. Or buy a dish that re-circulates the water to keep it moving and fresh. If I notice my cat sleeping by the fireplace too long, I bring her water dish over to her so she can have a drink, and then I move her away to cool off.

Dehydration not only dries their skin and fur, but it also causes constipation. If your cat is having a hard time passing stool, or the stool is hard round pieces, encourage your cat to drink more, and add more fiber to their diet. You can either buy some high fiber food to mix with their regular, or try adding small amounts of cooked pumpkin or squash to their food.

Take care of their skin and fur by brushing them regularly. Since their fur will be dry and possibly have static, wet the brush periodically to moisten their fur and encourage more fur to stick to the brush. The more fur you can remove, the less they'll swallow.

Keep their skin moisturized by adding fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, and E to their winter diet.

Open your windows once in a while to circulate the air and remove chemicals such as perfume, hairspray, cleaners, and smoke.

Cats are usually less active in the cool weather. They don't like to go outside in the cold, plus the lure of the warm and cozy fireplace tempts them to sleep beside them for hours. Keep an eye on their weight, give them less treats, and encourage them to get lots of exercise. Play with them more often or purchase an activity center for them.

Make sure you put a protective gate or doors on your fireplace to keep your cat out, and to keep sparks from getting into your cat's fur. Even if you have a gas fireplace, please take care to ensure your cat can't crawl into it.

In the cold weather, cats love to curl up on or in a car that has just been running so they can warm up. Even though cats think they've found a great spot, it's extremely dangerous. Before driving your car, have a quick look to make sure your cat (or your neighbor's) isn't curled up in the wheel wells or on top of the car.

I hope you and your cat have a healthy and happy fall and winter season with these cold weather cat health care and safety tips.

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