Tuesday, September 24, 2019

To Warm the Dark Months

Since it is officially autumn now, I have to prepare the cosy apartment to become cosier. I have two heated cat-beds, and I am very satisfied with the continued performance of the heating pads in them. I bought them some years ago, possibly seven or eight, and, despite being plugged in and working continuously through the cold months, and, when it looked as if they were needed, into the spring and summer, too, they are still warming little feline bodies.


I cannot find their like, however, and I want more heat for cat-beds. So on Monday, (the first day of the new season), I bought this. It is a bed-warmer. Though it is neither the size nor shape of any cat-bed, it claims to warm a bed sufficiently. Note the size of the bed the dog is using on the box. I will be adding this little strip to Neville’s bed. (This reminds me that his bed is a mere towel. But with the addition of quilt-batting (with which I have stuffed the regular cat-beds), I can make it softer. I will have to put in more layers of cloth, of course.) The Thin Man will undoubtedly be with me through the winter, and, as the library can be stuffy with the door closed and no cross-stream of air, I tend to leave the window open a tiny amount for freshness. Nev will need a bit of extra warmth.


I will conduct a test with the warming-strip first. I want to know how hot it becomes, how much cloth I require to place under it, and between it and a reclining cat. I want to be confident that it is not a hazard, and I need to be sure Neville will use it. If it works well, I will buy a second.

Freezing temperatures are predicted for this weekend already, and snow, too, so making the apartment more snug comes not a moment too soon. The snow, I am sure, will not last, but it will return; low temperatures will certainly come to stay. And if they come knocking, I want some warmth with which to refuse them entry.

13 comments:

  1. For years, I use a exterior-rated warming pad for The 'O' Cats, which I place in The Cat Hotel in the late autumn, then remove in late spring. My greatest fear: the pad stops working sometime in the winter, but I wouldn't know! I test it before I set it in place for the season, and that's all I can do. Maybe I should buy a back up, just in case!

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    1. I saw some pads that were for the outdoors, and I might have bought one if I had any outsider-cats who didn’t already have homes to go to (you hear that, Finn?) but I hope this little one for indoors-cats will suffice. One in reserve isn't a bad idea, though, inside or out.

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    2. I did some searching online, and cannot find the exact match to the outside warmer that I have now. But, a reserve one only makes sense, so I'll do it!

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    3. It's a bother when you cannot anymore find the product that you had previously bought, and which worked so well.

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  2. guyz.....iz yur dad jokin when him sayz...SNOW......be jezuz itz way two soon for it..... pleez all sew tell him if he doez knot like thiz matt; ta google "self warming" beds, padz ore mattz; they werk with out electric....we haz 4 in de houz N haz used em for yeerz....☺☺☺♥♥♥

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  3. I'm sure Neville will love his new bed-warmer. I use them for my cats, and they think they're terrific. He'll certainly appreciate the extra warmth with the cold weather coming.

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  4. I think Neville will be very happy to have the heat pad to warm his thin frame.

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  5. I hope Neville enjoys the bed warmer. I've never seen them, though I did buy that heated pet pad. Same sort of thing, maybe?

    As for freezing temps and s-n-o-w, are you serious?! It's far too early for that!

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  6. Bed warmers sound really nice, even for us in the South. Snow? Yikes!

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  7. I hope it works for Neville. I'm not ready for snow either, but today the temperature dropped significantly in the evening, so I'm thinking the forecast might be right. :(

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  8. I imagine that a diabetic cat has lessened feeling in their legs and feet much as people with the disease do. Good you are checking and making sure he will be safe while getting snug and warm. We have two cat beds that our Elder Buddy uses during the winter. The only issue is that the young hot blooded take it as theirs much to his dismay. My being retired will allow tighter monitoring of our old boys bed so hopefully this will not be an issue this year. Great idea for Neville and the crew

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  9. I received this email for you, John!

    Hola!
    I can't seem to figure out how to send this to John Bellen over at 'I have Three Cats', and I'm hoping you'll be kind enough to pass along that I've been using these heating pads indoors for several years, and they've been a hit with the cats (and the perfect size for cat beds): https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001AZSR68/
    Thank you!

    Regards,
    catx (I redacted email addy, but will forward it!)

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  10. OH I bet this will be a hit! But it's hard to imagine freezing temperatures when we will hit 95 today. Wow what a difference.

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