Winter brings shorter days, colder temperatures, and changes in routine that affect the whole household, including your cat. While you may not be bringing your cat on snowy walks outside, the winter season still impacts their wellness in subtle but meaningful ways.
Prioritizing winter wellness for your cat presents an opportunity to optimize their indoor environment and care routine. Small, steady changes in activity, hydration, nutrition, and comfort can greatly improve how your cat feels in winter. Let's explore how to support your indoor athlete's health and happiness throughout the winter season and beyond.
Keeping Your Cat Active and Engaged
When temperatures drop, it's tempting for both cats and their humans to embrace full hibernation mode. Spontaneous play sessions might happen less frequently, and your cat might spend even more hours perfecting their napping technique. While rest is important, cats also need regular exercise and mental stimulation. This is especially true in winter when outdoor views from windows become less exciting.
Indoor cats need outlets for their hunting instincts and physical energy year-round. Winter is a great time to create structured play routines. These routines will keep your cat engaged, fit, and mentally stimulated.
Create dedicated play zones throughout your home.
A vertical space near a sunny window provides both entertainment and a workout. Cat trees, shelves, or window perches give your feline athlete places to climb, jump, and survey their territory. These are all natural behaviors that keep them physically active.
Schedule daily interactive play sessions.
Even 10-15 minutes of focused play twice a day can make a difference in your cat's physical and mental wellness. Utilize feather wands, laser pointers, and toys that mimic prey movements to tap into their natural hunting instincts.
Rotate toys regularly to maintain novelty and interest.
What fascinated your cat last week might bore them this week. Keep a rotation of different toy types, like chasers, puzzles, and interactive feeders, to ensure your cat stays engaged.
These types of consistent activity help prevent winter weight gain that can creep up when cats become more sedentary. More importantly, regular play supports their mental health and provides an outlet for natural behaviors. It can also strengthen the bond between you and your cat.
Focus On Hydration
Winter can be surprisingly dehydrating for indoor cats. We usually think of dehydration in summer, but winter heating can make indoor air dry. This dry air causes your cat to lose more moisture. Combined with cats' naturally low thirst drive, this can lead to inadequate hydration during the colder months.
Proper hydration is crucial for your cat's kidney function, digestion, and overall health. Cats who don't drink enough water are at higher risk for urinary tract issues and kidney problems. Both of these conditions can significantly impact their quality of life.
Make water more appealing and accessible throughout your home.
Many cats prefer running water to still water, which is why you might catch yours drinking from the faucet. Cat water fountains tap into this preference, encouraging more frequent drinking. The flowing water stays cooler and tastes fresher, making it naturally more enticing.
Place multiple water sources in different locations.
Cats will more likely drink when they find water conveniently located near their favorite spots. Keep water bowls away from litter boxes and food dishes, as cats instinctively prefer to drink elsewhere.
Incorporate moisture-rich foods into your cat's diet.
Many veterinarians recommend wet cat food for kidney health because it naturally contains 70-80% water, significantly contributing to daily hydration needs. Even if your cat primarily eats dry food, adding wet food as a meal topper or supplemental feeding can boost their moisture intake considerably.
Add low-sodium bone broth to their food or offer it as a treat.
Many cats find broth irresistible, and it's an effective way to increase fluid consumption while providing additional nutrients. When you choose a bone broth for your cat, avoid harmful ingredients, including onions, garlic, and excessive sodium.
Monitor your cat's hydration status.
Observe their litter box habits and their skin elasticity. Easily test if your cat is dehydrated by gently pinching the skin at the back of their neck. If their skin doesn't snap back quickly, this could be a sign of dehydration.
Another sign to watch for is decreased urination. Both signs of dehydration could be worth discussing with your veterinarian.
Supporting Healthy Skin and Coat Through Winter
Indoor heating is wonderful for human comfort, but it can be hard on your cat's skin and coat. Dry air removes moisture from their skin, which can cause flakiness, itchiness, and a dull coat that loses its shine. Your cat may groom more frequently to relieve discomfort, which can sometimes cause additional skin irritation.
Cat Dry Skin Solutions
Nutrition plays a starring role in helping to alleviate your cat's dry skin and maintaining a lustrous coat during the winter months. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are essential nutrients that support skin barrier function, reduce inflammation, and promote coat health from the inside out.
High-quality cat food rich in animal-based proteins and those essential fatty acids provides the foundation for a healthy coat and skin year-round. Look for recipes that include salmon, fish oil, or other omega-3 sources as key ingredients. These nutrients help maintain skin moisture, support the skin's protective barrier, and keep your cat's coat soft and shiny despite the dry indoor air.
Nulo's cat recipes are formulated with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to support skin and coat health alongside overall wellness. Whether you're feeding FreeStyle, MedalSeries, or one of our other cat recipes, these essential nutrients build complete nutrition that supports your cat's health.
Regular brushing also becomes even more important during winter. Not only does it help distribute natural oils throughout their coat, but it also removes dead hair and stimulates blood flow to the skin. Most cats enjoy the attention, and it's an ideal opportunity to check for any skin changes or issues that might need veterinary attention.
If your cat develops persistent dry, flaky skin or excessive itching despite these measures, consult your veterinarian. Sometimes what appears to be winter dryness could indicate allergies, sensitivities, or other conditions that benefit from professional guidance.
How Can I Keep My Cat Warm in Winter?
Do Cats Get Cold?
Yes, cats can feel cold, even though most have fur coats. While cats have a higher normal body temperature than humans (101-102°F), they can still get chilly when temperatures drop. Indoor heating helps, but factors like their age, coat thickness, and body condition can all play a role in how comfortable they are during the winter.
Do Cats Like Cold Weather?
Most cats prefer warmth and will actively seek it out, especially during colder months. You might notice yours gravitating toward sunny patches, heat vents, or warm laundry fresh from the dryer. That’s because maintaining their body temperature requires energy. Warm sleeping spots help them conserve that energy for more important things (like a sudden burst of zoomies).
Your cat likely spends 12-16 hours per day sleeping, and during winter, that might be even more. Quality sleep is important for their physical recovery and immune system function. Creating warm, comfortable sleeping spots helps your cat get the restorative rest they need.
Provide multiple cozy sleeping options throughout your home.
Different cats have different sleep preferences. Some love enclosed caves that provide security, while others prefer elevated perches where they can keep watch. Offering variety ensures your cat can choose what feels right at any given time.
Place beds away from drafts and cold floors.
Even well-insulated homes can have surprisingly cold spots near windows, exterior walls, or doorways. Elevated beds or those with raised edges help cats avoid cold drafts and provide an added sense of security.
Provide soft, washable bedding that retains warmth.
Fleece, faux fur, or self-warming materials can maintain your cats warmth on cold nights. These materials reflect body heat back to your cat, making them more comfortable.
Soak up the extra cuddles.
Many cats become more affectionate and seek out their humans for warmth and companionship when temperatures drop. This increased cuddling is not only adorable but also beneficial for both human and feline stress reduction.
Consistent sleep spots and routines help cats feel secure and relaxed. When your cat knows they have comfortable, warm places for rest, it reduces stress and supports better quality sleep. This, in turn, supports their immune system, mood, and overall health.
Nutrition is the Foundation for Winter Wellness
While all these environmental adjustments matter, nutrition remains the cornerstone of your cat's ability to thrive through winter. The food in their bowl directly impacts their energy levels, immune function, skin and coat health, and overall vitality during the colder months.
High-quality, protein-rich nutrition becomes even more important as cats spend more time indoors and may move around less. Protein supports lean muscle maintenance, provides sustained energy, and contains the amino acids essential for immune function.
Cats thrive on animal-based proteins. In winter, when they may be less active, a high-protein diet helps maintain lean muscle and support a healthy metabolism. This prevents the winter weight gain that can creep up on indoor cats during the colder months.
Nulo's complete line of cat nutrition offers options for every preference and life stage. High animal-based proteins, low carbohydrates, and functional ingredients come together in complete nutrition designed to help your cat perform at their peak, regardless of the season.
Nulo cat recipe fan favorites:
- MedalSeries High-Protein Kibble Turkey & Cod Recipe
- FreeStyle Indoor Cat Duck & Cod Recipe
- Nulo Culinary Harvest Baked Turkey & Salmon Recipe for Adult Cats & Kittens
Routine as Your Cat’s Winter Wellness Anchor
Cats thrive on predictability. While dogs may embrace spontaneity and adventure, cats prefer consistent routines. This is even more important in winter. Shorter days, changing weather, and different household activities can cause uncertainty.
Building a consistent winter wellness routine helps your cat feel secure and supported. When feeding times, play sessions, and daily interactions happen on a predictable schedule, it reduces stress and helps your cat maintain stable energy and mood throughout the season.
Establish regular feeding times, rather than free-feeding.
Scheduled meals help you monitor your cat's appetite (an important health indicator) and create structure in their day. Most cats do well with 2-3 meals spaced throughout the day.
Schedule daily play sessions at consistent times.
Your cat will learn to anticipate these active periods, which can help maintain their energy levels and enthusiasm even during darker, colder days. Morning and evening play sessions often work well, mimicking natural hunting patterns.
Maintain grooming routines.
Support their coat health while providing bonding time. Whether it's daily brushing or weekly nail trims, these predictable interactions help your cat feel cared for and connected.
Create bedtime rituals that signal winding down.
This might include a final play session followed by a meal, or simply quiet time together before bed. Cats appreciate these predictable patterns that help them relax into restful sleep.
Monitor and maintain rather than constantly changing things.
While variety matters for toys and enrichment, the overall structure of your cat's day benefits from consistency. This routine becomes their anchor, providing stability that supports their mental and physical wellness throughout winter.
Your Cat's Best Winter Yet
Winter can be an opportunity to optimize your cat’s care in ways that benefit them year-round. When you provide the best nutrition, encourage adequate hydration, maintain engaging activity, and create comfortable environments, you're supporting everything your cat needs.
Ready to optimize your cat's winter wellness? The bowl is a great place to start. Explore Nulo's complete line of cat nutrition and discover recipes designed to help your athlete live their best life.
