Ask Miss Kitty: Christmas gifts to warm up your kitty

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Mail form with check to: LIFE AFTER 50, P.O. Box 50125, Colorado Springs, CO 80949

Christmas gifts to warm up your kitty

Dear Ms. Kitty: My cat Sophie is 12 and very thin. She sleeps under the covers at night, but I worry about her staying warm during the day when I’m not home. The thermostat is set at 65 degrees. She seems fine on days when she can follow the sunbeams from window to window. On cloudy days, she doesn’t eat well and doesn’t want attention. Signed, Chilly on Chelton

Dear Chilly: Some cats have a hard time regulating their body temperature, especially young kittens and senior cats, cats with health issues, cats with sparse coats and cats that are underweight.

If Sophie sleeps under the covers and is 12 years old and underweight, she would benefit from having warm places to rest. As a bonus, beds can make great holiday gifts for your kitty!

Many cats like to sleep around their person’s head—since a lot of heat is released there—or on laptops or other electronic devices. Giving Sophie her own warm bed can minimize disruptions in your life so that everyone is happy!

Consider the type of places she currently chooses to rest, and enhance them to give her extra warmth. If she is happy under the covers, she might like a bed that surrounds her. Look for places where the sun provides warmth and install a window hammock or a cat tree. If your cat gravitates to heat radiators, consider a raised bed or wicker basket that allows warm air to circulate. ASK MISS KITTY

This free helpline is offered by

Happy Cats Haven and Colorado

Cats Boarding. Submit questions at A heated pet bed is a safe way to keep Sophie comfortable. But if it’s in a confined space, make sure she has room to move away from the bed if she gets too warm.

You might think the bed isn’t working at first because it doesn’t feel hot. The surface of the bed will be only slightly above ambient air temperature until she lies on the bed. Then it will warm to her natural body temperature. Self-heating pet beds have insulation or special material to reflect Sophie’s body heat back to her. The self-warming material is metalized plastic, like in space blankets.

Some are designed to create a hut, pod or sack that holds the warmth around your cat. These are a great solution when you don’t have an outlet handy. Natural felted wool fiber beds can be very warm since they’re made of wool. You can buy felted wool cat caves or recycle a wool sweater into a great warm bed. Find instructions for DIY beds by searching “Huggy Bed” on the Happy Cats Haven website.

Please don’t use electric blankets or heating pads, as they are not safe for cats. These products can get too hot, and most have automatic safety shut-offs that will leave Sophie without warmth.

Cats love to have options, so provide a few different spots that will help Sophie stay warm and cozy. My cats frequently move between these sleeping spots until

they find the one that’s just right! ■ www.HappyCatsHaven.org

This house is dog friendly. People, not so much

Shopping in a store, I smiled at a decorative wooden block reading, “This house is dog friendly,” and then squinted to read the tiny print in parentheses:

“People, not so much.”

In August of 2011, two UCCS students were driving west on Highway 24 in Ute Pass. Sickeningly, a small animal was tossed out the window of the vehicle in front of them. The young couple immediately stopped—and managed to hold back traffic on the notoriously busy road—as they retrieved the victim. They scooped up the frightened creature and rushed it to the Teller County Regional Animal Shelter for help. I had already heard about the barbaric act before the shelter was able to call our clinic.

“A dog got thrown out of a car in the pass!” The calls were frantic, and the phone nearly rang off the hook.

The dog was an elderly gal and she was deaf and blind. The stoic little lady with the black mask and big ears was fawned over by our doctors and technicians and receptionists. The staff took turns sitting in her kennel with her during her convalescence or taking her outside for fresh air.

Local media got wind of her story and featured her in their broadcasts. Strangers called daily to check on her progress. People wanted to adopt her. Those who were unable to take in another pet offered to help financially with her care. Even our delivery men on THE STOIC LITTLE LADY WITH THE BLACK MASK AND BIG EARS WAS FAWNED OVER BY OUR DOCTORS AND TECHNICIANS.

their busy rounds paused to ask about her and give us a thumbs up.

“You guys took in that poor little dog, right?”

Many of our clients who had heard that we were caring for this sudden celebrity brought us lunches, cookies and cards to thank us. Mystery, as she was named by the shelter, eventually found her forever home with an extraordinary family who loved her deeply, and cared for her until the end of her life.

Mystery’s ordeal was heartwrenching but, unfortunately, not entirely unique. As you can imagine, there are incidences of abuse, abandonment or neglect that make my blood boil, tempting me to agree with that decorative block of wood. After years of working at the clinic, I witnessed how much damage and suffering one individual can wreak.

But I have also experienced the legions of good people from all over who volunteered to help right those wrongs. People who unselfishly offered a hand or a home, or opened their wallets to help animals or pet owners in need.

Another decorative wooden block on the shelf caught my eye. “Love Wins.” I picked it up and put it in my cart. ■

CANINE COLUMN BY MARTI BENSON Send your questions to Marti in care of Life After 50, or email her directly at outnumberedbydogs@gmail.com

Suddenly, it dawned on Mary that retirement was totally awesome.

Yep, Mary just moved into MacKenzie Place. Here’s a short reenactment of Mary: “No fixing the house? No doing the dishes? No vacuuming? No cooking? No cleaning? And I can just have fun doing my hobbies and being with friends? Woahhhhh! That is awwwwesome!”

Come see what we mean. Call (719) 207-8691 now to schedule your personalized tour.

It’s More Than Retirement. It’s Five-Star Fun.

1605 Elm Creek View Colorado Springs • (719) 207-8691 MacKenziePlaceColoradoSprings.com