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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Cat Coat or Electric Blanket for 19 yr old cat??

53 replies

MrsHoneybean · 24/02/2013 18:37

Hi
I think my 19 year old cat is cold at night. She is very skinny, always has been. She is still very active racing up trees, over fences etc by day.

Anyway I think she's getting cold at night once our heating goes off.

Has anyone ever bought a tiny cat coat to keep an elderly cat warm? Or should I go the electric blanket route?

Can you advise me please?

Thanks Grin

OP posts:
BamBamAndPebbles · 24/02/2013 18:40

Water bottle.

Ou can get pet ones for dogs that they can't chew. But a normal one should be fine for a puss if its under a blanket.

bootsycollins · 24/02/2013 18:41

What a character! Have you seen those snug sack things? It's like a furry lined sleeping bag, she'd be able to get nice and snug in one of those Smile

bootsycollins · 24/02/2013 18:42

I've used a hot water bottle in a fleecy cover in the cats bed before, he loved it Smile

Floralnomad · 24/02/2013 18:42

My mum has an indoor cat and she either leaves the heating on all night so he can sleep near a radiator or leaves him a heater plugged in in his favourite room so he can sleep near that ( I think its a dimplex heater ) . He can't tolerate massive temperature changes .

Original poster
MrsHoneybean · 24/02/2013 18:58

I think I'll try a hot water bottle tonight and look into the snugglesac. Bless her!!

OP posts:
catlady1 · 24/02/2013 19:06

You can get microwaveable pads for cats that go inside a fluffy cover, they might be better if you're worried about using a hot water bottle or if she doesn't seem to like it. This is one you can probably find one cheaper if you look around.

Or a radiator bed? Obviously you'd have to have the radiator on but you can usually pick them up cheap.

cozietoesie · 24/02/2013 20:10

Seniorboy has an electric blanket for sleeping on during the day. (At night he sleeps with me.) It's better for him than other solutions because being older (he's 18) and having some arthritis, he's sometimes not easily able to curl up even if it's a warm spot. He likes to be able to sleep long if his bones are sore and the larger area of a blanket allows that.

Original poster
MrsHoneybean · 24/02/2013 20:55

Hi cosie tosie do you just use an ordinary electric blanket?

My cat seems to want to curl up round my head on my pillow. I guess it's really warm. I just can't sleep when she does this!!! We have a super king bed but she won't sleep anywhere else on it!

She will not entertain a radiator bed, which I thought could be a perfect solution! Which is annoying as the only person that likes it is my 6 year old son. It looks most odd seeing a child perched on it!!!

Thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsHoneybean · 24/02/2013 20:56

Catlady1

I like the idea of the heat pad thing. Does it stay warm all night?

I have tried the rad bed which she doesn't like!

OP posts:
tabulahrasa · 24/02/2013 21:09

One of my cats has jumpers - she loves then, she purrs constantly when they're on.

I don't think I'd leave then on overnight though, they seem to have some weird effect on her ability to walk properly Confused

stealthsquiggle · 24/02/2013 21:20

You can get electric heating pads which go under the bed - much used in vets surgeries. Our 21yo cat has one, because I feel guilty that there is no heating in the room she sleeps in (and she can't sleep inside - she poos in DS's room and yells at me at 4am for breakfast)

stealthsquiggle · 24/02/2013 21:23

Like this heat pad

Original poster
MrsHoneybean · 24/02/2013 21:28

Stealthsquiggle

Thanks for link. That looks perfect just what I'm looking for. Thanks I shall be placing an order later I think.

ThanksSmile

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsHoneybean · 24/02/2013 21:29

Tabulahrasa

I love the jumper idea. Where did you get them or did you knit them?

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 24/02/2013 22:06

Hi MrsHoneybean

Well I cheat. I have an ordinary electric blanket on my bed which is left on for him all day (doesn't cost much) and he sleeps on my bed on top of the duvet but beneath a light fleece throw. Generally sleeping long.

It's whatever they like best really. The only reason I mentioned the blanket is that Seniorboy isn't so good at curling tight any more and loves stretching in the heat for his bones.

tabulahrasa · 24/02/2013 22:12

ebay mostly, I got chihuahua sized dog jumpers - the first one I got from pets at home, it was DD's fault, lol.

She'd been feeling the cold something awful last winter (the cat not DD) and DD wanted to buy her an extra small dog jumper while we were in there - I said no, lots, I thought it was a silly idea and they were really expensive, but DD kept nagging me.

DD says, this one doesn't have a price on it...can I ask how much it is, I said no, the rest are about £10, besides she'll never wear it, it's silly - I got lots of pleeeeeeeeeeeaaaaase and it might be cheaper and just general anoyingness, I said it won't be cheap enough, she said...if it's £3 will you buy, so just to shut her up I said, fine if it's £3 I'll buy it.

It was indeed £3 Hmm and even worse the cat was so happy, lol. So I just picked up a couple of cheap ones from ebay, they're not exactly the nicest jumpers I've ever seen but as I was buying them to keep her warm rather than for fun it didn't matter.

cozietoesie · 24/02/2013 22:14

They sound great, Tabulahrasa. Seniorboy wouldn't wear them but if a cat will, that's a super solution.

cozietoesie · 24/02/2013 22:14

By the way - we need a picture!

Grin
tabulahrasa · 24/02/2013 22:32

I still think she's odd for even tolerating a jumper, never mind being happy about it, lol.

but... cat in jumper and because she wasn't very well last winter when I took it - a more recent one where she looks more like herself

cozietoesie · 24/02/2013 22:37

Wonderful! (And what a pretty girl.)

TheSilveryPussycat · 24/02/2013 22:48

I really didn't like the idea of a cat jumper. But your pic has converted me :)

Don't think mine would wear one though. She is 17, but her fur is still quite thick (shorthaired moggy from a farmyard litter)

tabulahrasa · 24/02/2013 23:04

Well to be fair, I thought it was a ridiculous idea - but for £3 I thought ah stuff it I can try, lol. She doesn't have a normal cat coat though and she's very slim, plus I think her medication made her really feel the cold more.

We did try and put one on the other cat, just for a laugh - the murderous expression in the second photo is nothing compared to the reaction we got with a jumper, rofl.

I wouldn't normally dress animals up - and I really did expect her to object, but nope, just lots and lots of purring.

cozietoesie · 24/02/2013 23:05

She does look blissed out in it.

marriednotdead · 24/02/2013 23:26

Tabulahrasa Having looked at those photos, your last post has me giggling Grin I am in bed, trying not to wake DH whilst silently rock

marriednotdead · 24/02/2013 23:30

...ing with laughter.

I used to have a cat many years ago and we used a hot water bottle under a blanket. I still remember the first night I popped in to check on her. She'd gone from huddled up to a full out sunbathing sprawl Smile