The Neva cats in winter, like humans, are affected by the change in temperature. With the arrival of winter, the cat will go out sporadically and briefly. He will prefer to sleep in warm places, like on a bed near the radiator. A cat accustomed to living outside will look for “narrow” shelters where he can sleep in the classic “donut” position, convenient for keeping the body warm. If there are small groups of cats living in harmony, the cats will sleep together to warm up.
Some tips to help our Neva Masquerades in the winter
If you share your home with these adorable hairballs, you must already know that cats do not like the cold. Like humans, cats feel cold and are very sensitive to temperature and sudden changes in climate. Indeed, cats will adapt more easily to hot temperatures. But more important than the preferences of each cat, the low temperatures can cause diseases, of the simple fact of being cold until the risk hypothermia.
In winter, it is important to take preventive measures to provide some comfort to our small animals, since their health is our priority. Are cats cold? Yes. Do we need to pay attention? Yes. So if you have a Neva kitten, protect it from the cold by keeping it at home.
Related article from Purina on how to take care of your cat during the winter
To meet their “love” for warm places, you can put a cat chair or hammock near a heat source. You can also offer them games and stimuli, by planning activities to make their stay at home enjoyable. If you have an outdoor cat (alone or in a colony), you must provide a dry place and shelter to sleep.
For example, you can wrap a cardboard box with nylon against the rain and fill it with insulating polystyrene and a blanket. This must be changed regularly to avoid mold and the entrance to the box should be as narrow as possible to keep the heat. Also, do not forget to give them food and water, changing as much as possible so that they do not have time to freeze.
From what temperature is a cat cold?
As we said earlier, a cat is sensitive to the cold. A cat has a body temperature similar to the dog, namely 38.5ºC. Higher than that of the human, the temperature of the cat offers the latter the possibility of resisting the cold more than us. However, if the degrees are close to zero and your cat is not well treated, the cat risks getting sick.
1. Preventative medicine: check the health of your cat before winter
All cats must have adequate preventive medicine throughout their lives. This does not mean that you just have to take him to the vet every 6 months and follow his vaccination schedule, but also take care of him, provide him with a balanced diet, a safe environment and physical and mental stimulation.
A few weeks before the winter, you can go to the veterinary clinic with your little Neva Masquerade cat to carry out a check up on his state of health, update his vaccines. The veterinarian can also give you some tips to strengthen your cat’s immune system, to improve its physical strength, strengthen the body’s natural defences and prevent it from any pathology.
Related article from VCA Hospitals on coat and skin appearance in the healthy cat
2. Do Neva cats eat less in winter?
The cat’s diet is essential for optimal health throughout the year. However, with the advent of winter, we must pay special attention to their nutrition as they will need more energy to maintain their body temperature.
Older kittens and cats will need special care because their bodies are more fragile and sensitive to low temperatures. It is therefore very important that you consult your veterinarian to know the best diet for your little feline in winter, given its age, size, state of health and other specific needs of his body. You can also ask your veterinarian to add natural supplements and vitamins to strengthen your cat’s immune system.
In general, cats tend to reduce their water intake during the winter, so we need to be vigilant to make sure our cat is drinking water and avoiding dehydration. If we play with our cat and offer him an enriched environment for his body and mind, he is more likely to consume fluids after exercise. But if your cat does not show much interest in its water, you can add wet food to your diet to give it liquids.
Also, to please him, you can concoct some delicious special winter recipes.
3. Can we let the Neva cat sleep outside in winter?
Cabins or niches are exceptional shelters to prevent outdoor cats from being exposed to the cold. Plus, it’s a great idea to leave an extra niche outside the house to help stray cats stay warm on the coldest or wettest days of winter. If you can, it would be nice to also let them have a manger with food and a trough with clean water so they can feed themselves.
In pet stores you can find different models of cat outdoor shelters. However, you can make yourself a cat niche outdoors.
Related article: Do Cats Grow Thicker Coat During Cold Months?
Inside your home, I advise you to have a small hiding place, a nest or a bed in the shape of a cave or house where your cat will be able to stay, play, rest, feeling safe and warm. A cardboard box with a blanket is enough, always with toys for it to be stimulated.
The small shelter for your cat should be away from doors and windows to avoid drafts, preferring also places with high brightness to take advantage of the few rays of the sun still present. When the time arrives to sleep, you will see that your cat will prefer to sleep with you to enjoy your body heat and your company.
4. Heating: maintain a balanced temperature in your home
This may sound strange or banal, but adjusting your heating is very important for the well-being of your pet! One of the essential care for your cat in winter is to avoid confronting it with sudden changes in temperature. Thus, the safest place for a cat in winter is inside the home.
Here’s a few good reminders by StyleBlueprint on how to maintain good temperature in your home
With the help of heating you can set your house to the ideal temperature for your cat. But it is also important to pay attention to the humidity of the air, because excessive dryness is also harmful for the respiratory system of our cats. A simple way to maintain a good average humidity is to spray every 4 or 5 hours a little water in the water.
If your cat is used to going outside, you should also pay attention to his outing hours. If it is raining or snowing, you should avoid taking it out and try to play with it indoors. We give you some examples of games to do with your cat. If your cat comes back from its wet walk, try covering it with a towel to gently dry it, since a cat can easily catch a cold.
5. Cat clothes
Cat clothes are good allies to help our cats maintain their body temperature and to avoid the health problems caused by exposure to the cold. In this sense, it should be remembered that hairless cats are generally more sensitive to low temperatures, because the lack of hair makes it more difficult to retain heat and leaves them more exposed to climatic hazards. If you have adopted a Sphynx or other type of bald cat, we recommend that you choose very comfortable coats before the beginning of winter.
Great article from petMD on sweaters for cats
When choosing the best cat clothing, you must pay close attention to the materials used in their manufacture. Ideally, they should be made of hypoallergenic materials to prevent our felines from having allergic reactions to the skin or the respiratory tract. It is also recommended to choose clothes without ornaments or buttons that can leave and end up being ingested by your cat.
Logically, you will also need to know the measurements of your cat to choose the ideal garment according to their size. Finally, do not forget that the well-being and comfort of our cats must always come first. Your cat will need time to get used to wearing this new coat (especially if it is the first time he tries a coat). But if you notice that your kitten is not comfortable with his new garment, it is best to remove it and respect his will.
6. Sleeping cat in the winter
You’ll see it soon enough, a cat in winter usually sleeps a lot more since it needs to gain strength. Respect his privacy and do not wake him up. Let it rest and if you observe that it sleeps more than normal cats in winter, talk to your veterinarian.
Finally,
If your cat goes outside when it is cold, snowing, it will be your job to help it warm up when it returns home. Simple actions, such as wiping at the level of the belly, the head, the pads, will allow him to stay in good health. It will also be necessary to make sure that its pads do not deteriorate with the cold. Indeed, unprepared pads may have crevices.
To help the pads, you can prepare them with tanning solutions. However, if cracks appear, the best is to do a veterinary check, to avoid an infection. If you notice a change in appearance or behavior in your Neva Masquerade cat, do not hesitate to visit your veterinarian.
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