Does anyone's cat wear a jacket?

[katymac]

Our house isn't as warm as it used to be (frankly now we aren't running a business we can't afford to)

& the cat is visibly cold - curling up into tiny corners trying to get into the airing cupboard (although we might put ia box in their for him)

So we wondered about getting him a jacket (a cheap one in case he hates it)

Any ideas if this is sensible or worse than daft? And where I could get one from (& how are they sized?)

Not a chance with mine. My current lad has his electric blanket - which is actually very cheap to run. Have you thought of a heat pad rather than a jacket?

Someone had a thread many years ago about their cat having a pink gilet. Iirc the cat was not impressed.

Birthday last year..... lasted for the photo... she still hates me!!

pink is prob not his colour i he doesnkt mind a wheat bagn amybe that is the way to go

i put a baby cardi on him & he wandered around the curled up & slept so maybe he'd cope

I'm sure a couple of board posters have used heat pads very successfully.

Oh dear, I don't think cats do jackets. What about a closed in cardboard box with small opening and fleecy bedding, a cats dream I'd say. Don't let on it's actually for the cat though, our cat doesn't do new beds that are meant for him, we just place it down then ignore, he likes to think he's discovered it, if he's put on top or in it, that's it, no good because it wasn't his idea.

Seriously though, don't cats fluff themselves up against the cold? Wouldn't putting a jacket on stop them from being able to do that? So kinda self-defeating really.

One of ours is a arthritic and has a heat pad in a box, and she almost never gets out of there at this stage. I can't imagine either of ours tolerating clothes well though I'd dearly love to try it.

He's not cold and he doesn't need a jacket. Cats self regulate their temperature, he'all find a comfy space tucked away somewhere.

He's only likely to feel cold if you are absolutely freezing - remember they go out in wintertime quite happily with no extra layers!

If he's old and had less body weight you can get cat bed heaters a bit like hot water bottles, but a healthy cat really should be fine.

Also of you do end up putting him in any kind of clothing, please don't let him outside in it in case he gets caught on something and injured.

Mine wears a walking jacket on holiday, but goes out naked under his own steam at home. Cats will just take over your bed, airing cupboard, top of a radiator etc. No need to clothe them normally.

Our old girl loved her heated whelping pad. Rather than clothing. (Good luck getting it on car without your limbs being torn off!) how about a soft throw, blanket or duvet he can snuggle in? Remember he does already have a furry coat!

Little M accepts a walking jacket. And I used to put a jumper on him during his first winter, before his hair grew in. He's a Devon Rex, so hair can be a bit sparse in some areas. BUT, I would never ever leave a cat unsupervised with clothing on, the dangers are immense.

Like Cozie says, an electric heat pad or blanket is a good idea. Also those cat beds that look like fleecy wind-socks, a sort of sleeping bag for cats to climb into and snuggle down. Like these.

Just a thought - has he been vetted recently?

Good grief, No! I like limbs and my eyeballs thank you very much. Could you get a heated whelping pad or one of these heated cat beds? www.petnap.co.uk/acatalog/heated-pet-bed.html.

Ooh Weeds snap! Here's Leroy in his walking jacket!

OP, I recommend a "Teddy Bear Throw". They are really soft and fluffy, great for snuggling down in. Dunelm sell them. I suggest you tell His Lordship that it's absolutely not for him though .

He has a pyramid but he only goes in it if he's been naughty - I may put it in the airing cupboard with the door open

His paws feel cold & he tunnels under clothing to get warm - maybe a visit to the vet is in order

We tried when our cat had to have some of his fur shaved by the vet. But he would only walk backwards in it. Most peculiar!

Good luck with the jacket!!!

How about a quilt? A cat rescue I visited all the cats had duvets as they had no heating. Seemed to work!

I have two Sphynx cats with no fur at all and they hate clothes! They go all wobbly and lose the power in all limbs. So now I just have the heating on 24/7 for them! High maintenance...

Our cat used to get very cold so he wore a little jumper

the baby cardi

Our heating isn't on much due to cost so the cat has a hot water bottle at night in his bed, a fleece over the top of his bed that used to be my fleece & if he's upstairs I wrap him in my old fleece dressing gown or he tunnels into our summer duvet.

The duvet is very popular & was only £20 for a superking one from dunelm. A single one folded up would make a good bed.

Is this the place for me to say that I hope there's a special place in hell for people who breed hairless cats?

OP.
Cats don't need clothes. They need warm boxes and corners to curl up in.

I have a very fluffy longhair so she just wouldn't need clothes, she still chooses to sleep directly next to the radiator on top of the heating pipes. I think it's in a cat's nature to seek out cosy spots in winter. You could always try a little jacket as long as the cat is supervised, I wouldn't go out and leave a cat in a jacket in case they got it caught on something.
What is so awful about hairless cats? They aren't really my thing (and even if I liked them they make my cat allergies flare up really badly) but the few that I've met seem like very happy little cats.

Hairless cats are deliberately bred so they are incapable of being cats. It's utterly awful.