Friday, September 12, 2014

The Flavour of Warmth During a Taste of Autumn


The temperature fell precipitately in southern Alberta last week. It is climbing again, and is supposed to be almost summery next week. It is only September, of course, and the weather is usually quite pleasant in this month. The extremes of August are past and those of November are yet distant. But now and then, especially in this part of the country, temperatures fluctuate wildly, for brief periods, creating very cold days in the summer, and warm days in the winter.

Seeing Tungsten crouching on a cushion like a little (very little) old lady pulling her coat tight against herself in the teeth of chilly winds made me think it was time to bring out the heating pads for the cat-beds. I decided to take the opportunity to clean the two matching cat-beds. I brushed them and removed a shopping bag’s-worth of cat-hair. The collection was a neutral beige, as it was an amalgam of hair from half a dozen felines. Then I threw the beds’ components into the wash.

The result was clean and, once through the dryer, free of most of the remaining hair that had been clinging to them. I think the majority of the hair ‘came out in the wash’, as the saying goes - literally, in this case. There must have been half a pound of cat-hair on the sides of the washing machine’s drum. I’m glad most of it did not drain.


Then the heating pads were inserted under the cushions and Tungsten was reintroduced to one of her favourite spots. She abandons cat-beds during the warm months, but enjoys them in winter, even if the temperature doesn’t fall very low. Right now, she continues to come to bed with me, but I anticipate a time when she will cleave more frequently to the cat-bed. I don’t mind. Her comfort was, after all, uppermost in my thoughts when I cleaned these cat-beds and put in the heating pads. Kola, who is restricted to the parlour now only when I am absent, has his own heating pad under a blanket of towels on the couch in that room, and, as you can see from the picture above, he and Tungsten are not the only ones to love the warmth.

But it’s for my skinny senior cat that the cat-beds were renewed, one placed at a slight altitude, so Tungsten would not have to worry about Cammie’s attitude, whenever the Siamese princess passes. I think it’s a success so far: I didn’t notice that smug little smile on the tiny terror’s face until just now.

15 comments:

  1. Tungsten looks very pleased with her heated bed. The weather here has turned warm again after a record breaking cold August. When the colder autumn days arrive Flynn will forsake our bed and sleep once again on the recliner in front of the woodburner.

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  2. They certainly appreciate them. I keep thinking I ought to get one for Nicki, especially since his thyroid is so low, i.e. hypo. Like me, he'd feel the cold more than average.

    Let's hope, after this cool summer, we have a long--very long--warm fall. Even though the Farmer's Almanac predictions are contrary to that!

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  3. Oh a heated bed sounds so great...'specially since it's really cooled down here. We like fall, but we would like the warmer weather to stay around just a little longer.

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  4. How wonderful for those heat seeking cat missiles to find the warmth of a cozy cat bed!

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  5. Tungsten does look quite pleased :) Josie looks rather happy too! It is extremely cold here which is out of season. Brought the fleece blankets out for everyone and there is lots of snuggling going on.

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  6. The house here is quite warm but I think the cats would love heated beds.
    Obviously you find them safe and that's good news. I'm always afraid that someone will chew the cord or puncture the pad with a nail.

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    1. I find the pads very safe. I use PetSafe brand and they are on almost continuously for months. I have never seen any of my cats chewing a cord (that may depend on the cat) and I place the pads under cushions so there is plenty between the animal and the heating pad itself. Even some folded towels, as are used over Kola's heating pad on the parlour couch, provides enough material between the pad and the cat.

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  7. I have a pad that is not electric but it is insulated so that when they sit or lie down on it, their own heat warms them up. Mine love those. But your heating pads sound really good too. Have a wonderful Monday.

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    1. I've heard of those. It's good to know they work. I wonder what the price of them is in these parts. I may look into those since during winter, there is always someone on the heated cat-beds, and there's not enough of them to go around.

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    2. You can actually buy the reflective insulation material at larger fabric stores. It is normally used to insulate pot holders or pad ironing board covers. You can make a nice cat pad by cutting the reflective insulation & 2 same size pieces of fleece. Place fleece right sides together and insulation on the bottom. Sew 1/4" seam around 3 sides. Turn inside out so insulation is in the center and sew remaining side closed & your done. The fabric used can basically be any material that can be washed & dried, but cats seem to like soft fleece best. I made these self heating cat pads for Christmas gifts and the cost was under $5 each including the 18" X 22" insulation and fleece fabric.I have washed & dried mine own pads many times and they come out of the dryer looking as good as new. My 24 yr. old tabby, Toby, prefers her electric heating pad in winter, but the other cats like the gentle warmth the self-reflecting heat pads.

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    3. Thank you for that information. I had no idea they could be home-made, and as simply.

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  8. Thanks so much, John. I'll be heading out sometime this week to get one.
    I appreciate knowing the brand pad you use. My 18 year old and my newly adopted 18-20 year old thank you.

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  9. I'm afraid if I were to put heating pads into the cat's beds they wouldn't want to sleep with me anymore. I actually I can't sleep until at least one has joined me...some nights I even have to call them.

    I do try to put the cat beds in a sunny spot at least for brief period. Though seeing how much your cats enjoy the heating pads I may to try one out!

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  10. We have been demanding heating pads but cheapskate Dad has insisted we take the free warmth of his huge body
    Timmy

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