Europe is passing through a heavy winter.. Around 100 people died from hypotermia.
This makes me thinking about what humans can do for the furry population in such circumstances everywhere on the Earth
Although the internet is full of info on this subject, it might be easier to have some basic knowledge and experience in one thread.
This is then to kindly invite every cat lover to share knowledge, experience (including DIY) on how to care of cats during heavy winter, especially the feral ones.
The cat lover from TCS who found a frozen kitty in the garage was another inspirational push for me.
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I start by sharing some of my knowledge.
.
Cat's fur is not a polar blanket. The fur can protect against low temperature, but is not designed to do this. If get wet, the fur insulation capacity goes down to nothing.
The cat lost warm through nose and paws as well. Remember the "thermal bridge" from construction works?
Now, from geometry and physics we know that the smallest the ratio of surface to volume, the more rapid the warm loss.
In brief, a kitty can very well suffer a very rapid advanced hypotermia, at the time one notice it.
At the incipient stage of hypotermia, blankets and warm space is OK. But the more advanced the hypotermia,the more aggressive the treatment is. Warming pads are the next stage (if you cant keep your hands on the pad, that means that it is to hot to use), then it goes to warm air, enema and stomach purging. Needless to say that these advanced procedures to be performed by specialised medical personel.
Also other vet's procedures and specific care adds up.
The heating pads (hot water) shall be covered in something to avoid direct contact to skin/fur.
Donating heating pads (human ones are ok) is well-spent money, they can be used to new-born as well.
This makes me thinking about what humans can do for the furry population in such circumstances everywhere on the Earth
Although the internet is full of info on this subject, it might be easier to have some basic knowledge and experience in one thread.
This is then to kindly invite every cat lover to share knowledge, experience (including DIY) on how to care of cats during heavy winter, especially the feral ones.
The cat lover from TCS who found a frozen kitty in the garage was another inspirational push for me.
===
I start by sharing some of my knowledge.
.
Cat's fur is not a polar blanket. The fur can protect against low temperature, but is not designed to do this. If get wet, the fur insulation capacity goes down to nothing.
The cat lost warm through nose and paws as well. Remember the "thermal bridge" from construction works?
Now, from geometry and physics we know that the smallest the ratio of surface to volume, the more rapid the warm loss.
In brief, a kitty can very well suffer a very rapid advanced hypotermia, at the time one notice it.
At the incipient stage of hypotermia, blankets and warm space is OK. But the more advanced the hypotermia,the more aggressive the treatment is. Warming pads are the next stage (if you cant keep your hands on the pad, that means that it is to hot to use), then it goes to warm air, enema and stomach purging. Needless to say that these advanced procedures to be performed by specialised medical personel.
Also other vet's procedures and specific care adds up.
The heating pads (hot water) shall be covered in something to avoid direct contact to skin/fur.
Donating heating pads (human ones are ok) is well-spent money, they can be used to new-born as well.