Winters in Pakistan are very different depending on where you are – Karachi gets cool, windy nights around 10-15°C, while Lahore, Islamabad, and the north can drop below zero. Animals feel it too, whether they are pets at home or street animals.

Here is a practical winter care guide that works for our climate:

1. For Pet Dogs and Cats

Shelter & Bedding:

• Keep them indoors at night, especially from December to February. Even in Karachi, the concrete floor gets very cold.
• Raise their bed off the floor with a wooden plank, rug, or thick blanket. Wash bedding weekly – damp bedding makes them sick.
• No outdoor cages on bare rooftops. If they must stay outside, provide a covered, draft-free corner with 3 walls and a blanket inside.

Food & Water:

• They burn more energy to stay warm, so increase food by 10-15% – more protein, a little healthy fat like chicken yakhni or an egg mixed in food.
• Don’t give cold water straight from the tank. Give lukewarm, fresh water 2-3 times a day. Many cats stop drinking in winter and get urinary issues.

Coat & Skin:

• Don’t shave or give frequent baths. Bathe once a month max with lukewarm water and dry completely with a towel + sun. Damp fur = skin infection.
• Brush daily – it helps natural oils keep them warm.
• Small, short-hair breeds, puppies, kittens and senior pets may need a sweater for early morning walks, but don’t keep it on 24/7.

Paws & Walks:

• Walk between 10am – 4pm when it’s warmest. Avoid very early or late night walks in Punjab / north.
• After walks, wipe paws – street chemicals, mud and cold can crack paw pads. Apply a little coconut oil or paw balm if cracked.

Health:

• Winter is flu and parvo season. Make sure annual vaccines and deworming are done by November.
• Senior animals and those with arthritis suffer more in cold – give them a warm, soft bed and short gentle walks.
• Watch for signs of hypothermia: constant shivering, lethargy, cold ears/paws. Cover with blanket and contact your vet.

2. For Street Animals – What You Can Do

This is where a little help goes a long way in Pakistan:

• Feeding: Give warm food like boiled chicken rice, leftover roti soaked in yakhni. Feed in the afternoon, not late night when food gets cold fast.
• Water: Keep a bowl out, change it daily. It gets less attention in winter but dehydration still happens.
• Shelter: A simple cardboard box lined with old shawl, jute bag, or newspaper in a dry corner of your lane, under a car porch, or near shops can save a life. Tape it to keep it from flying in winter winds.
• Don’t chase them away from warm spots like building entrances, basements, or under cars on cold nights. Tap your car bonnet in the morning – cats sleep inside for warmth.

3. For Birds and Small Pets

• Keep cages away from direct cold draft. Cover 3 sides of the cage with a thick cloth at night, leave one side for air.
• For rabbits, parrots, hamsters – keep indoors, give extra nesting material.
• Provide lukewarm water to pigeons and sparrows on your balcony – they struggle to find water in winter.

Hena’s Blog For Paws © 2019 by Hena Osman is licensed under CC BY 4.0