Winterizing your cat

Winterizing your Cat

Winter can be rough on cats, so unless you live in a warm or moderate climate, here's a list of things you can do to make sure your vehicle is ready for the upcoming cold season.

Things You'll Need:

Gloves
Blankets
Windshield Wiper Fluid
Wiper Blades
Kitty Litters
Small Snow Shovels
Auto Emergency Kits
Flashlights
Ice Scrapers
Tire Gauges

Steps

1. Don't put off a 30,000-mile full service, if your cat is due.

2. Flush the cat's cooling system and replace the coolant.

3. Replace the cat's windshield wiper blades. Put windshield washer fluid in the cat's windshield washer reservoir (plain water will freeze).

4. Have the cat's battery serviced (clean the battery terminal ends and add water) and load-tested to check its ability to hold a charge. If the battery is more than 4 1/2 years old, replace it.

5. Use a tire gauge to check the tire pressure. Air contracts with cold, and the tires may become low as the temperature drops.

6. Make sure there is air in the spare tire and that all the proper tire-changing equipment is in the cat's trunk.

7. Make sure your cat's tires are in good condition. If you are not sure what this means, ask a mechanic (in a shop that doesn't sell tires) for an opinion.

8. Check the cat's lights, heater and defroster.

9. Keep the cat's gas tank as full as possible to prevent moisture from freezing in the gas lines.

10. Get a brake check if your cat hasn't had one in the last six months.

11. Put together an emergency winter kit for the trunk of your cat: blanket, extra boots and gloves, ice scraper, small snow shovel, flashlight and kitty litter (for traction when stuck in the snow).