How to keep your pet cosy this christmas

While pets may have fur that helps to keep them warm, the extra cold winter months can still get a little nippy for cats and dogs.

When this is the case, our furry friends could use a little help from us to ensure that they stay safe and comfortable over the festive season. However, the way in which you keep your pets cosy will be different than how you would warm yourself up in winter.

Therefore, we have put together a list of handy ways to keep your pets warm and happy this Christmas, without compromising their safety:

Bring them indoors

Your pets will most certainly still need exercising over the winter months to remain happy and healthy.

However, unlike during summer when animals may find it enjoyable to lounge around outside for long periods of time, in winter outdoor hours you may need another solution.
If pets are shut outside for too long, their cold wet fur can cause them to become extremely cold. If your cat gets wet or your dog’s temperature falls below normal for an extended period of time, this could lead to the development of hypothermia.

Ensure that there is plenty of time in the day for your pet to come in, dry off and get warm to ensure that they stay healthy and comfortable.

Ensure pet flaps are not frozen shut

Pet flaps can be an important feature as they can allow your pet to freely roam between the outside world and your home.

In the winter months however, it can be incredibly easy for the damp and cold to result in outdoor features freezing over or in this case, shut.

Therefore, it is a good idea to check that your pet flap is easily accessible every morning and evening, to avoid your furry friends becoming trapped outside in the cold when they want to come back in.

This will reduce the risk of any cold-related illnesses forming over the winter months.

Extra blankets

Just as we like to put on extra layers over winter, and increase the thickness of our duvets to tuck under on the colder mornings, our four-legged friends can benefit from a couple of extra pet blankets.

If your dog or cat is used to sleeping on the floor, or only has a couple of layers between them and the floor, then this could become an issue during winter.

This is due to the fact that tiles or floorboards can get extremely cold over the festive months, and even carpeted floor can get quite chilly.

Therefore, it may be a good idea to invest in a pet bed if you don’t already have one, or a couple more pet blankets if you do. This will mean that your pet won’t be too cold over Christmas, and will have something to cuddle up to overnight.
There you have it, a few ways to keep your pet cosy and warm when it’s cold outside.

To keep your pet extra safe, be sure to have the best pet insurance policy in place during this chilly period, which will ensure that in the case of cold-related accidents, your pet, and bank account, are protected.