Pets

• Remember that onions, cooked bones, raisins and chocolate are all toxic for dogs.

• To help relieve stress from outdoors (eg from fireworks) ensure your pets are safely inside, close the curtains, put on the TV and sit calmly with your animal.

• Hamsters are prone to going into torpor (semihibernation) when it’s too cold so make sure they are away from drafts and are kept warm with extra bedding.

• Rabbit hutches should be winter proofed with tarpaulin or even better put inside a shed or covered area or moved into your home, with plenty of space for them to move around.

• All animals that live outside will benefit from extra bedding to keep them warm and well through the cooler months.

• Check water bowls and bottles daily to make sure they are not frozen. Bottle covers can be placed over the bottles to prevent this. Alternatively bubble wrap is a good insulator. • When it gets really cold fish ponds are at risk of freezing over. An easy fix is to place a plastic ball that floats into the pond to help break up any forming ice.

Ponds freezing over poses risk of being under oxygenated.

• If you keep livestock (goats, sheep) check their hooves more regularly. The wet weather causes the ground and mud to be wet and if they are stood around in mud for long periods of time they can get hoof rot or mud fever.

• It is important to keep rabbits and guinea pigs off of the grass early in the mornings when we have frost. It can upset their tummies if they eat frozen grass due to the higher water content.

• If bad weather stops you walking your dog be sure to provide enrichment to stimulate them in other ways.

Scattering some of their feed onto a towel and rolling the towel up can encourage them to use their noses to seek out their food. A simpler option is to simply scatter some of their dry biscuits in a hallway or on the kitchen floor – this is called scatter feeding and encourages them to find their food.

Studies have found that simply petting or cuddling a cat can release oxytocin in the body, which is the hormone responsible for making people feel happy and loved. Cats also can be the perfect nonjudgmental companion to pour your heart out to, since they will still be there to love you and cuddle with you no matter what. Whether you are going through a tough time personally or professionally, or you want to have a pet to rely on throughout your daily struggles, cuddling your cat offers great therapy for free. In addition, research has shown that bonding time is great for the immune system. Cat dander can cause sneezing, watery eyes, and itchiness in some people but by allowing your cat to be close to you the human body is able to develop a tolerance. This in turn can help with seasonal allergies and asthma.

Our cats age 9. Splodge on the right is very playful like a kitten, and Napoli is a soppy sack! Yvonne Clark

Hello, I’m Jasper and 13 years old Julie Clements

This is Storm the puppy and Blusie Stephanie Daniel My 10-year-old Chihuahua, Honey Laura Lehec My boy Ralph who is nearly two. Sophie Murrell

Valgrays Jazz and Tinkabelle Deborah Fisher

The fur kids in Cudham Deborah Fisher

This is Colin on his own chair at his place at the table, waiting for Christmas dinner in his festive bow tie! Katie Green

Phoebe at Winchelsea Beach Deborah Fisher Poppy at Excel Deborah Fisher

Stewie on a Kent beach Deborah Fisher

Tess and Percival Jo Pembery

Pops, Roxy, Lily & Jazz Deborah Fisher Florence is our nine-year-old ginger queen who ‘hid’ from the fireworks last night, while staying warm Christine Southern