Thermal cat costumes, I was wrong about them being a gimmick

I spent 3 years laughing at people who put those fleece lined capes on their cats, figured it was just for photos. Then we had that stretch of single digit nights in January and my short hair tabby started shivering by the radiator, not even moving to her usual spot. A buddy from my crew lent me his pattern for a simple wrap that uses a sock sleeve and Velcro, no sewing at all, and I tried it just to shut him up. She wore it for 6 hours straight and actually slept curled up in the drafty hallway instead of under the couch. Now I make them for all three cats and even my neighbor's dog when they go out for quick bathroom breaks. But here's the flip side, I still think those full body hoodie things with ear holes are pointless because most cats fight them off within 10 minutes. Has anyone else found a warmth layer that a cat actually tolerates long term, or do you just accept the shivering and keep the house at 72? I'm curious if the cheap fake fur liners from craft stores hold up better than the expensive pet brand ones, since mine started matting after one wash.

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ninab951mo ago

My grandma used to knit little sweaters for her chihuahua out of old yarn scraps and that dog acted like she was wearing a crown. Fast forward to my current cat and he screams bloody murder if a blanket even touches his back, so I gave up on clothing entirely. What worked for us was a $12 heated pad from the pharmacy, the kind meant for muscle aches, set on low under his favorite chair cushion. He parks himself there all evening now and I don't have to chase him around with Velcro wraps.

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