Pet Safety: Home Temperatures in The Winter

The cold winter air means adjusting the thermostat in your home to maintain a comfortable temperature for all your family members- including your pets. This can possibly cause a spike in your energy bills. To offset many of you use programmable thermostats to adjust the temperature during the day when you are off to work. What you may not think about is how the temperature changes affect the furry-family members alone at home.

Here are a few things to consider as you set your thermostat to keep your pets safe and your home energy-efficient this winter.

Understanding Your Pet's Physical Traits

Like their human owners, dogs and cats do not respond well to abrupt temperature changes, so be careful when bringing them from very cold weather into a warm house. Several aspects of a pet's physical composition play an important role in its ability to regulate body temperature. Their coats provide them with insulation that keeps them comfortable, but some pets' coats are not able to provide as much temperature regulation. Short-haired pets with smooth coats are more susceptible to temperature changes than longer-haired, shaggier animals. Panting is another way that pets regulate their body temperature. Panting doesn't necessarily mean they are uncomfortable; It just means their internal cooling mechanism has kicked in. Dogs are not the only ones who pant; cats also pant if they get overheated. Another way that cats regulate their body temperature is to clean themselves. This cools them similarly to sweating: the evaporation of the liquid on their skin cools them.

Finding the Best Indoor Temperature for Pets

If you like to keep your home very warm or cool, you might want to pay attention to whether your pet is using a temperature-regulating technique frequently. Regular body temperature for cats and dogs is around 3°-4° higher than for humans, so if your home's temperature is comfortable for you, it's likely also comfortable for your pet.