Pets and winter

[Memnoch]

You guys with pets that live in a region where you get a reasonable snowfall and temperatures around or below 0C or 32F - do you take your pets out for walks when there's snow on the ground or if it's cold? If so, how long do you keep them out before taking them back in? (those of you with Huskies, Newfoundlands, St Bernards or other snow dogs, disregard this. )

I normally walk my cat every day as she likes to be out and likes to eat grass. I know that once it snows she won't be able to do the latter, but I was hoping she could do the former, even if it was just a 10 or so minutes a day. She has long fluffy hair like a Persian (she's part Ragdoll).

[Eagle eye]

I believe you can get cat jumpers and rainjackets just like dogs' ones, and maybe even shoes? I've found walking pets on hot ground can blister their feet and I have had incidences (dogs though, not cats) where they have spent large lengths of time licking their cold feet after long walks. They just lay and did nothing for about two days before they started to jump around again... I guess cats would be the same? ..Never taken mine for a walk before...

[SpiritWarrior]

Nor have I. I'd pay to see that video...

Either ways, snow wouldn't be a problem really unless it's prolonged exposure. Once the walks are fast-paced and short in duration I wouldn't worry. Unless it's like, freezing cold to the point where you are both shivering. Wild and tame cats will hunt regardless of conditions so here it is just the same. Obviously in colder weather the hunt would be as quick as possible.
Grass is another issue. They do need it to digest and vomit (yep, vomit). If it's far too cold to allow 'em outside i'd get some grass and put it in a corner just in case. They usually don't eat that much anyway.

[Winter Wolf]

Unless you have a furless pet you should be good to take even shorthair breeds out for a good ten minutes. Back in Alaska my cat would make a point of spending at least an hour outdoors in below zero weather. 'Course, it might have been her brain damage. Bear country+ darkness+ firearms+ alcohol= cat with brain damage. They really do have nine lives....

[SpiritWarrior]

Why are you walking the cat anyways as opposed to letting it roam for awhile? Fear of it getting lost?

[Eagle eye]

Originally posted by SpiritWarrior: Why are you walking the cat anyways as opposed to letting it roam for awhile? Fear of it getting lost?

Lol! Just like Garfield, except I'm sure your cat enjoys it a lot more than he does.

[Luvian]

The cats I've had have never had any problem with going outside alone even when it was several degrees below 0C, even sleeping out at times.

My dog is not the same. Maybe it's because you can't let a dog go wild outside in the city, so I'm used to protecting it, but I never take him out for more than an hour or so in winter. He love running in the snow, but I don't know his limits and I don't want to push.

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

We walk our dog all year. We don't usually get super hot weather here, so I don't worry about his paws. Our walks are fairly short, 10-15 minutes, so I don't worry too much about the cold. He does have the same coat as my previous dog, which couldn't wait to get out in the snow.

Our cat is an indoor cat, although, she would like it otherwise. There's too much traffic just off our court. What you do though, is put her in my coat, when we walk the dog. She loves it!

[Gnarf]

I don't believe I've ever walked a cat. The cats we've had have been quite free to go whereever they'd like to, and they've been outside quite some during winter as well as summer.

And, uh, guinea pigs I believe should stay inside. I think that just about covers my experience with pets (well, our neighbours had huskies a while back, but, yeh).

[Raistlin Majere]

My sister has a small dog, longish fur. She's bought this water resistant jacket thing for the dog, as well as 'shoes' made of the same material. Apparently thats enough, unless you mean to be outside for hours on end..