pets and other animals in the path of arctic cold front....

[mike_c]

In case folks need further reminding-- the arctic air descending on the midwest is dangerous to pets and other animals as well as to humans. A lot of wildlife will likely perish. So will pets and livestock caught out of shelter.

Be especially aware of where your animals are and what their condition is! Try not to let pets outside unaccompanied-- when you need to go back inside, they do too. It's easy to leave them exposed just a few minutes too long, otherwise.

Everyone stay safe! Be prepared for unexpected problems, like furnace failures or power outages. And keep a close eye on your loved ones, furry, feathery, or otherwise!

[Benton D Struckcheon]

1. Over here, yesterday,

we accompanied the dog every time she wanted out. Feet froze a few times, necessitating carrying her back in.
Wife, who usually feeds the birds over the winter, is running out of seed as they keep coming back, and you really can't blame them. We know a lot of them won't make it, but you do what you can.
This is here in north Joisey, where it was really only bad yesterday, and will be again on Tuesday. Can't imagine what it's like elsewhere.

[jwirr]

7. I am feeding my animals more and giving them water as I have heard it helps them fight off the cold.

[mike_c]

2. kicking and rec'd for visibility....

[NCarolinawoman]

3. For birds: Peanut butter spread on tree trunks with a little extra cooking oil added.

Suet is good but seems harder when it gets REALLY cold. All birds LOVE peanut butter. For ground birds, I just smash up a bunch of oily peanuts from a can to augment birdseed and sunflower seed.

Sometimes I do mix melted suet in it and a little bit of cornmeal (not the self-rising kind). I also have a peanut butter feeder made out of a hanging log with perches. It is harder for squirrels to get into. I never forget the squirrels, tho, I give them unshelled pecans, walnuts, whatever.

(I am kept busy. LOL)

[mike_c]

4. good point-- if you feed wild birds or mammals, add additional calories if you can....

Homeotherms have a critical low temperature below which they cannot maintain temperature homeostasis because they cannot oxidize food quickly enough. There is a physiological limit, but perhaps it can be pushed downward a bit with energy dense foods.

[roguevalley]

5. check between their paws for frost bite. It can be bad.

[JanMichael]

6. Yep, Scout, the Jack Russel mix

is wearing her coat, and going for very short frequent walks-- and we are only in NC.

Her ears feel cold within the time it takes for her to align with the magnetic axis on the perfect blade of poop grass- too cold, in my opinion, but she refuses to wear her hoodie-

Stinky has never been outdoors in her life, but even she isn't sitting by the window focusing on bird watching-

[MsPithy]

8. Musher's Secret

I use it on my dogs for cold and heat, and little owies on the pads.

http://www.amazon.com/Mushers-Secret-Pet-Protector-7-Ounce/dp/B0002XIZXY

[madmom]

9. We're caring for an outside feral kitty. Tried desperately to get

him to come in, but he won't. He sets at the back door and looks longingly in the window, but runs every time we open the door. We set him up with a shelter out of the wind and snow, even put an old heating pad inside. Hopefully this will work. He's such a pretty kitty, just not trusting yet.

[mike_c]

10. if you can provide shelter and food...

...he'll use it if he needs it and if it's otherwise safe, i.e. protected from predators. Make the opening small, both to hold warmth and to provide a sense of security. Good luck!

[madmom]

11. Thanks, we have him in a box in the corner of our

deck, right up by the house.We are providing food and water also. He is safe and seems to like it in there. Just hope it's enough.

[Curmudgeoness]

12. I am in the same position.

There is a feral cat that just will not let anyone get close to it. We (all in the neighborhood) are feeding it more, and feeding high calorie foods right now like lunch meats and cat milk. Also putting fresh water out every hour. And we have a box with carpets and blankets covering it, and blankets inside. It is on a sheltered porch, but is still just out there in the cold. I like the heating pad idea and will do that when the temps really fall in the next day or so. But I want so much to just let him in the house.

[spinbaby]

15. We've got one of those, too

We've been feeding a young tom cat since early summer when he was still mostly a kitten. He's filled out nicely but doesn't trust us enough to touch him. We've put out one of those igloo dog houses with lots of towels inside for insulation. We're considering trying to trap him before the weather really gets cold on Monday but are afraid of spooking him more.

[Curmudgeoness]

18. Yeah, I was thinking of trying a trap,

but decided that this is the worse possible time to scare him. He feels safe in the box set up for him, and he has food and water here. I don't want him to be afraid to be here with severe cold coming. We will just watch him carefully for any signs of problems. He has been here for at least two or three years, so he is not stupid....but these temps are worse than we have seen in his lifetime.

[bluestate10]

19. Try replacing the towels with a heated blanket as someone else did. Don't try to catch the

cat, they don't like that and will run away for a while. It trusts you enough to go into an enclosure that you have set up, just make the enclosure more comfortable. If it has been with your family since early summer, it has developed some trust in your family members.

[mahannah]

13. Heated groundlevel birdbath for our birds and feral cats.

[mike_c]

14. excellent....

A hot tub for the kitties, with munchies!

[ScreamingMeemie]

16. My dog laughs at the thought that she is ever outside by herself.

She believes in mommy and me poop and pee times.

[mike_c]

17. LOL-- my cats laugh at the notion that the HUMAN is ever in the bathroom by himself....

Seriously. I think it's a rule or something.

[dixiegrrrrl]

20. my cats are walking thermometers.

They refuse to go outside at night unless the temps are 50 or above.
I don't even have to look at the mercury by the front door, I can tell by how long the cats stay inside.
One of them insists on potty breaks outside, but has found a convenient flower box of soil to use,
then a mad dash back inside.
Just doubled the # of bird feeders, and re-stocked on sunflower seeds.