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Do you leave your heating on when at work for your dog/cat?

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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 16,986
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    The heating is controlled by a thermostat so the house wouldn't be colder than 16 degrees whether we are in or out. If we are going out for the evening I leave a bedside lamp and the radio on - as it would be if I was at home.
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    molliepopsmolliepops Posts: 26,828
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    Yes we leave a light on too since Mollie is almost blind in the dark now we thought it best, also radio is on at certain times of year, fireworks times usually.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,035
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    We don't leave the heating on, as we have loads of blankets on the sofas for everyone to snuggle up on
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    CRTHDCRTHD Posts: 7,602
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    The heating is controlled by a thermostat so the house wouldn't be colder than 16 degrees whether we are in or out. If we are going out for the evening I leave a bedside lamp and the radio on - as it would be if I was at home.

    Simlar here really, though not specifically for the animals (Cat & Dog).

    We have the stat set to come on at anytime if the temp drops below 18c and at times when we're generally around 20c .

    (It rarely drops below 18c because of good insulation).

    I notice though that when it does come on, the cat tends to choose the bed that hugs the radiator.

    I know some of you guys think they're furry so should be warm enough but you have to remember where they originate from. (Domestic cats originated from African wild cats). So it's understandable if they feel the cold in the UK winters.

    The dog (staffie) seems to prefer the cooler weather.
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    DaisyBumblerootDaisyBumbleroot Posts: 24,763
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    We have a crate in the kitchen with an old sofa cushion in it, lots of blankets and a blanket on top.

    We leave the heating set to 16 when we are out anyway to stop the house getting really cold, but with the crate setup, even if we didn't, I can't imagine our three dogs snuggled up inside it getting cold.
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    mrsgrumpy49mrsgrumpy49 Posts: 10,061
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    pie-eyed wrote: »
    Dogs are perfectly fine when left alone for a few hours.
    Yes but a full working day is pushing it. Isn't that what the OP meant? Else why are we having this discussion? I'm sure a dog would manage for a few hours. They generally cope with low temperature better than humans - in fact my short haired collie doesn't like it too warm. But in any case NO ONE HERE WOULD LEAVE A DOG HOME ALONE ALL DAY. Would they? :eek:
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    DaedrothDaedroth Posts: 3,065
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    I have a cat, and I don't leave the heating on for her. She will often curl up on the bed and keep herself warm that way.
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    molliepopsmolliepops Posts: 26,828
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    Yes but a full working day is pushing it. Isn't that what the OP meant? Else why are we having this discussion? I'm sure a dog would manage for a few hours. They generally cope with low temperature better than humans - in fact my short haired collie doesn't like it too warm. But in any case NO ONE HERE WOULD LEAVE A DOG HOME ALONE ALL DAY. Would they? :eek:

    That has to depend what facilities you have for a dog and if the dog is an only dog IMO, I have no choice tomorrow as I am going to hospital to have an operation so will be trusting Betty out of her crate for the first time, they both have toilet facilities and water and will be walked before I go. I have a funny feeling my guilt will be more than any suffering they go through ;)
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    MadMoo40MadMoo40 Posts: 1,848
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    I don't leave the heating on for my teenage children when I'm at work, so I'm not leaving it on for the pets!

    They don't feel the cold like we do - my cats still ask to go out for the night when its below freezing in the winter, so I'm sure a slightly chilly house won't bother them. Same with the dogs, both have fur to keep them warm. No house is going to be colder than being outside, and plenty of cats and dogs will be out all day long, with no ill effects.
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    molliepopsmolliepops Posts: 26,828
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    MadMoo40 wrote: »
    I don't leave the heating on for my teenage children when I'm at work, so I'm not leaving it on for the pets!

    They don't feel the cold like we do - my cats still ask to go out for the night when its below freezing in the winter, so I'm sure a slightly chilly house won't bother them. Same with the dogs, both have fur to keep them warm. No house is going to be colder than being outside, and plenty of cats and dogs will be out all day long, with no ill effects.

    As has been said several times some dogs have thinner coats and thinner skin, some really feel the cold and some suffer more in the heat. No two are the same IME. Mollie has felt the cold more the last two years as she has become older and slower and Betty is tiny and very thin coated and skinned so will need the heat too.
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    MadMoo40MadMoo40 Posts: 1,848
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    molliepops wrote: »
    As has been said several times some dogs have thinner coats and thinner skin, some really feel the cold and some suffer more in the heat. No two are the same IME. Mollie has felt the cold more the last two years as she has become older and slower and Betty is tiny and very thin coated and skinned so will need the heat too.

    My answer was about MY pets!

    My 2 dogs and 2 cats have enough fur to keep them warm and they like going outside in the cold - therefore there is no need whatsoever for me put the central heating on for them!

    Even so, in 30 years of pet owning I have never had a cat or dog (or any animal come to that) that was troubled by an unheated house.
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    molliepopsmolliepops Posts: 26,828
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    You actually said same for dogs not same for my dogs, which sounded like a general every dog sorry if that wasn't what was meant but that is how it looked.
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    radioanorakradioanorak Posts: 4,247
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    All 7 of our cats are put in a cage in our courtyard overnight.
    Summer & Winter
    Not that it gets that cold here on Rhodes
    Example 15 C day times & 10 C overnight in January for example
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    bobcarbobcar Posts: 19,424
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    CRTHD wrote: »
    I know some of you guys think they're furry so should be warm enough but you have to remember where they originate from. (Domestic cats originated from African wild cats). So it's understandable if they feel the cold in the UK winters.

    As others have said it depends on the breed but the vast majority of cats do not need the heating left on for them during the day. Domestic cats are related to and can interbreed breed with the scottish wildcat (guess where they live) and feral cats do fine living outdoors. Most British moggies have a very large amount of fur and would be completely untroubled by a house left unheated during the day.

    Incidentally much of Africa can get extremely cold overnight and many animals from Africa do fine with our winters.
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    HogzillaHogzilla Posts: 24,116
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    Nah, I couldn't afford to. I have coal fired central heating, so if the fire was lit and then I went out - they'd have it on. My dog tends to find a handy bed and burrow under the covers - so you will find her sleeping just like a human, with just her face poking out of the covers (it's a bull terrier thing). If she is downstairs she goes under a loose cover on the sofa, if cold. The cats are not bothered. My bunny is an angora and so has wool that is 7 times warmer than sheep's wool and he does just fine outide, whatever the time of year!
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    nw0307nw0307 Posts: 10,922
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    Hogzilla wrote: »
    Nah, I couldn't afford to. I have coal fired central heating, so if the fire was lit and then I went out - they'd have it on. My dog tends to find a handy bed and burrow under the covers - so you will find her sleeping just like a human, with just her face poking out of the covers (it's a bull terrier thing). If she is downstairs she goes under a loose cover on the sofa, if cold. The cats are not bothered. My bunny is an angora and so has wool that is 7 times warmer than sheep's wool and he does just fine outide, whatever the time of year!

    My cat does that. If she's cold she just burrows under the duvet then puts her head on the pillow like a human. She's like that on a night too but she likes to cuddle up to me with her head on the pillow, while dribbling on my arm :D
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,639
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    My dog has one of those heated throws and any time it's a bit chilly we put it on for him, usually over night unless he wants to sleep on the bed.
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    skp20040skp20040 Posts: 66,874
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    I leave the heating on low in winter to keep the chill of the flat anyway and if they want to warm up they go and lay near a radiator , and in summer I leave the air conditioning on in one room if its really hot and they know as they will go and stand near the vent sometimes for a few minutes if they want to cool down.
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    CollieWobblesCollieWobbles Posts: 27,290
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    No I don't. Firstly because I'd be concerned about them overheating and being unable to escape it to cool down (overheating is more dangerous than being to cold for a dog). Secondly, because if they bring home any unwelcome guests (fleas) picked up from another dog on a walk or something , there is nowhere better for fleas to thrive than a lovely warm central heated house. And with only the dog in there during the day, they have a perfect on tap feeding source and a nice warm place to multiply rapidly into an infestation:eek:
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