12/21/2024
❄️Happy 1st day of winter❄️
Here are tips to keep community cats safe when it's cold or the snow is falling ...
❄️ Remove snow from all outdoor cat shelter entrances and exits. It is important to keep cats from getting snowed in. Make sure that it's not wet in the shelter and add fresh STRAW as needed.
❗️Refrain from using salt and chemicals to melt snow near cat shelters. These can be lethal when licked off paws or ingested from melting puddles and can hurt a cat’s paw pads.
❗️Do not use antifreeze, which is deadly, in an area accessible to cats. Keep antifreeze out of reach and clean up spills. Most antifreeze brands use ethylene glycol as the main ingredient, so be sure to switch to a brand made with propylene glycol because it is less toxic.
✅️ When using ice melting products where animals visit, consider using products that are free of salts and chlorides like these ...
https://www.mortonsalt.com/home-product/morton-safe-t-pet-pet-care-ice-melt/.
✅️ If you can leave your garage/shed open a crack during extra cold and snowy nights, this can be very helpful and save lives.
✅️ Provide extra food to the cats in the winter months - mix kitten food with adult food and/or provide wet food for added moisture (but don't provide more than necessary as the wet food will freeze in the cold, cold temperatures.)
🐾 Feed on cardboard flats so cats don't have to stand on snow or the ground when eating.
🐾 Warm up soft food and water so it doesn't freeze as quickly.
🐾 Make sure to remove uneaten soft food as it will just freeze and be unable to be eaten. Don't mix wet and dry food unless it will all be eaten immediately.
Thank you for helping to keep the community cats safe in the winter months.