In each issue of Expat Living, DR PAULINE TAYLOR of Pets Central answers readers’ questions on their furry friends. This month, she looks at four new conundrums, from how to look after a cat during a cold snap to what to do if you’ve adopted a puppy or your pooch what eat puppy food.
How to look after a cat when it’s cold
“With the recent cold snap, I worry my cat might not be used to it. Is there anything I can do to keep her warm?”
In general, normal healthy adult cats thermoregulate. This means they have the ability to maintain their temperature within certain boundaries between 37.7 to 39.1 degrees Celsius (100 to 102.5 Fahrenheit). Most mammals can do this.
Cats don’t as a rule panic, but if they did feel cold, they would first change location to a warmer spot. If that isn’t enough, their internal physiology would kick in with the following features:
- Vaso constriction, which reduces heat loss via the skin.
- Hairs standing on end when the temperature falls further; this improves the insulating properties of the skin and coat.
- Shivering would click in to generate heat from muscle contractions.
You can leave a nice enclosed bed or box with blankets prepared for your cat to use, window seats they can lie on for some sunshine, and make sure they always have plenty of food available.
A word of caution: kittens under four weeks have a difficult time controlling their body temperature because their metabolic activity isn’t yet developed. As such, it’s very important to keep them in higher environmental temperatures.
What to do after you’ve adopted a puppy
“I’ve just adopted a puppy; what are some non-harmful ways to teach him not to do certain things – for example, chew the furniture.”
It sounds like you are looking for tips on positive reinforcement training. It can be done easily so long as all family members do the same things and you start immediately, as young as possible is best.
The main things to remember and follow are:
- No punishment.
- Avoid putting your pup in a situation it could do something you don’t want.
- Reward a behaviour that you consider is good.
If you’ve adopted a puppy and want to stop them chewing a table, I’d start by introducing one word into his vocabulary that gently means “no”. I used “uh-uh” with my new pup and when he stopped chewing I rewarded him with a treat, toy or even a cuddle may suffice. He soon got to learn that he gets rewarded for being good. Don’t forget, however, that at a young age most if not all pups don’t know right from wrong so they need training to recognise your boundaries.
Puppy food and oral hygiene tips
“My puppy doesn’t seem interested in food – why might this be? We’ve tried mixing his dry puppy food with water, tuna, spam, sardines and mackerel – he’s interested at first but soon seems to go off the new additions. Any other foods we can try mixing in to his dry food to make it more interesting for him?”
Have you tried changing his dry food to another puppy food brand? Or flavour? Some pups just don’t like some brands or flavours of dry foods but eat other brands and flavours. Or he may simply not like dry food. I have just experienced a similar problem with my own pup and as soon as I changed the brand he wolfed it all down. I feed him dry puppy food mixed with some wet foods, usually from a can but often home-cooked. My cats will only eat fish-flavoured foods – they walk away from chicken. I certainly didn’t train them that way.
However, there could be a variety of medical reasons why your pup isn’t eating well. These might include things like teething, digestive problems or parasites, to name a few, so if the dietary changes don’t help, please have your pup checked by your vet. Keeping a record of your pup’s weight is also helpful. If he is gaining weight, you might simply be feeding him too much food!
“Are dental sticks enough to keep my dogs’ oral hygiene up?”
In one word, no! But I agree they can help, as can several food products and toys aimed at helping your dog “brush and floss” his teeth every day. Unfortunately, the diets we tend to feed nowadays don’t mimic the diets of truly wild dogs or wolves; but in fairness they do care for our dogs in many other ways with a possibility to extend their lives way beyond a wild canine.
Some special diets cater to tooth care and help reduce plaque build-up – so long as the dog chews the food, that is. In reality, most dogs gobble their food so quickly these diets help only a very small amount.
Toys that stimulate chewing that incorporate bristles and doggy toothpaste inside them so they clean as they get chewed are fun and helpful. Some retail products and additives to food and water claim to reduce plaque but I’m wary they really work and they often contain unacceptable levels of sugar.
Dental sticks come in several varieties and are fine as a daily treat but be aware that they can get occasionally “stuck” in parts of the mouth or gullet and necessitate a trip to your vet. By far the best way to keep oral hygiene up is to clean your dog’s teeth every day using doggy toothpaste and brushes specially designed for doggy mouths.
This must be started at a young age as a fun bit of play time if it’s to work. It does take patience and quite a bit of your time.
About Dr Pauline Taylor (BVM&S MACVSc)
After graduating from Edinburgh University, Dr Taylor began practicing in Scotland, working with farm animals, and has accrued over 30 years of experience in caring for animals in various places including the UK, New Zealand and now Pets Central in Hong Kong.
Pets Central operates multiple Animal Clinics and Hospitals in Hong Kong.
North Point Hospital | 2811 8907
Mong Kok Hospital | 2309 2139
Tseung Kwan O Hospital | 2244 6684
Sai Kung Hospital | 2792 0833
Park Island Mobile Clinic | 6223 0903
This article with tips from Pets Central on how to look after a cat or what to do if you’ve adopted a puppy first appeared in the March 2025 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe so you never miss a copy!
