How To Best Prepare Your Pets & Animals For Winter Weather

With the incoming inclement weather we're expecting, everyone here in Oklahoma is getting ready. Not just preparing for a cold spell indoors for their family, but for their furbabies outside, as well.

Now, since a lot of Oklahomans have both pets and livestock, there are different ways to handle cold weather preparation for each set of animals. After all, animals raised indoors are likely not able to handle the same cold weather conditions that outdoor animals like cattle and horses can.

There are quite a few ways you can make the winter weather conditions more bearable for animals that do need the extra help. But keep in mind - not all animals need catering if they have what they need beforehand.

Pets

Unless your dog or cat is prepared for living outdoors, they likely will not fair well in below freezing temperatures. Even animals that are raised outdoors may not be able to handle certain conditions.

Always ensure that your pet has optimal shelter, in some cases it must be heated. Especially if you live in a town, there is likely an ordinance requiring animals to either be kept indoors, or in a shelter with a heating source.

Stray animals are used to finding their own shelter, but during winter weather events, they could end up in some dangerous places. Cats are notorious for climbing into cars to use the heat from a warm engine. They also have been known to climb into vents into trailer homes, if the skirting is not intact.

READ MORE: Common Home Heating Mistakes To Avoid When Power Goes Out

Always check before you use your car by banging on the hood, and give the animal a chance to escape, if possible. As for climbing in your vents: use this as your reminder to check the skirting and ground arounfd your home. Fill in any holes and repair any damages that may allow them to climb inside.

Lifestock

You'll notice that cattle in Oklahoma rarely receive any kind of "extra" treatment during winter storms. That's because farmers know how to enhance what they naturally have as protections against outdoor conditions.

Most of the time, if the land they're kept on doesn't have a natural windbreak or shelter, there will be a barn of some sort for them to escape to.

Livestock are also capable of producing, and retaining, heat better than we can as humans. They have layers of fur that act as insullation if kept dry. So horses, cattle, and other livestock animals may not need blankets or to be kept indoors.

If you own livestock or horses, it's important to get to know your animal, specifically. Always keep good, quality food in front of them to eat (as this is how a lot of animals produce heat for themselves), access to clean water, and watch them closely. Shivering, pale gums, bloodshot eyes, and lethargy are warning signs that may tell you they need more heat that they have.

Helpful hacks to make caring for pets easier during winter storms.

One of my favorite hacks that I use routinely when there is winter weather is laying a tarp down on areas you want to keep dry. I lay one on my porch steps, in front of my door, and in areas that may collect a lot of water and freeze.

@brittlawhon Before it snows, lay a tarp down so your pup has a place to go 🚽 total lifesaver ☃️ #dogparents #lifehack #dogs #doglife #snowday #fyp #snow #doglover #winterhack ♬ Hinoki Wood (Gia Margaret Cover) - Paul Drew

However, I've also seen this method used for animals who refuse to use the bathroom if they have no grass to go on. Simply weigh or stake down a tarp on the grass and remove it for your pet to have a clean, dry area to do their business.

@s_gruber1 Horse Owner Hack #1 A 2L soda bottle filled with salt water can be placed in a horse/livestock trough to prevent the water from freezing. The salt water in the bottle will not freeze. Because of this, the ice around the bottle does not freeze solid. Whenever you or the horse put pressure on the bottle, the ice around it breaks. This #hack is #cheap or #free if you already have the supplies. Much cheaper than heated buckets/troughs or trough/tank heaters. #horse #horses #equestrian #winter #ice #water #frozen #hacks ♬ original sound - Sarah G

You should also make sure all of your animals have access to water, preferably unfrozen. You can do this easily in livestock tanks using a jug filled with salt water that will not freeze, using a drip line, or a floating water heater.