| CALL YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TV WEATHERMAN:
TO ISSUE A WINTER OUTDOOR PET ADVISORY To Make Sure Outdoor Pets Have Adequate Shelter! or bring them inside in this severely cold weather. To remind people that this is now law in NYS. Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center 1- 888- 426- 4355 IF A STRAY CAT IS IN YOUR COLD GARAGE, buy him a hard type heated pet mat * to keep him warm. Use a heavy duty extension cord if necessary. If no way to get electric into garage, use the 2 inch thick styrofoam boards from Home Depot or Lowes which radiates heat back to pet. Cover with old wool blanket. Also cat mats that radiate heat back to the cat are available in local pet supply stores or pet catalogs. IF THE STRAY CAT IS OUTSIDE, purchase him/her a small dog igloo and put in two inch thick styrofoam insulation (pink from Home Depot or blue from Lowes) on the bottom. Buy one of those pet edge hard heated beds* (connect using outdoor extension cord) and place over styrofoam. Then cover the heated bed with a wool blanket. Place the igloo in a sheltered area out of the wind, rain etc. You can also use a heated bowls, one to keep water from freezing and another for its dry/canned food. If you cannot hook up a heated bed, use straw NOT hay, over the styrofoam layer or a wool blanket. INEXPENSIVE SHELTER you can make yourself: CUT OUT 6 SIDES TO MAKE A BOX AND PUT TOGETHER WITH DUCK TAPE. OR USE THE STYROFOAM ICE CHESTS AT WALMART. PUT STRAW, NOT HAY, ON THE BOTTOM AND HAVE AN OPENING LARGE ENOUGH FOR THE CAT TO GET IN & OUT. PUT IN A SHELTERED AREA OUT OF THE WIND AND RAIN AND PLACE SOMETHING HEAVY ON TOP SO IT DOESNT BLOW AWAY OR TURN OVER. YOU MAY WANT TO CAMOUFLAGE IT ONCE THE CAT IS USING IT. DO NOT PUT FOOD INSIDE THE SHELTER OR TOO NEAR THE SHELTER AS THE RACCOONS MAY INJURE OR KILL THE CAT. THEN SEND US A DIGITAL PICTURE JPEG FORMAT AND WE WILL SEND OUT A RESCUE ALERT EMAIL TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE THE CAT IN OR PUT ON A WAITING LIST. We need this help from you as all out volunteers are takeing care of so many kitties needing help out there. Our SPECIAL THANKs go to those who will help us help these truly "FORGOTTEN FELINES." Insulators: Pink Styrofoam esp the 2 inch thick "boards" from Home Depot or the blue ones from Lowes have great insulating properties for inside the bottom of small doghouses etc and underneath the shelter itself. Straw for bedding rather than hay as straw sheds water and doesnt go moldy plus has better insulating capability. Found at garden nurseries. Wool blankets make good bedding as they hold in the heat even when wet. Cat Mats that radiate heat back to the pet are available at pet stores or pet catalogs such at PetEdge, KVVet, or Fosters&Smith or local pet supply stores. Mylar blankets are also effective when laid on the floor of the shelter. They don't absorb and take away body heat like ordinary blankets when a cat lies on top because the Mylar reflects the heat back. They are available from The Country Store at http://www.healthyharvest.com. Click on Emergency and Camping Category, scroll down and you will see Emergency Mylar Blanket - they are currently $1.34 each. * Heated hard type cat mat at: www.petedge.com catalog item # TP88217 HOME or click on WINTER SAFETY for more tips |
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| WINTER STRAY SAFETY |