heating pad for out-door cats

[june coers]

Would it be safe to leave a heating pad on low for my family of out-door farm cats? They sleep in out garage.

[Clanad]

All they really need is a place out of the wind and wet weather. Ours thrived at -40F on ranch with just hay to "nest" in.

[PurplePixie]

Wow, you're a nice cat person! There are non electric heat pads that you can just heat up in the microwave & tuck into the cats bed. There are also low voltage pet pads, that it is safe to leave on all the time...find them in cat magazines like 'Your cat'. The only danger there would be if they would nibble the wires, but they are great if that isn't a problem. I've made beds out of huge cardboard boxes lined with bubble wrap...they seem to be very cosy. I just make a little hole for the cat to pop in & out...and they seem to really like my homemade houses.

[NetSquirrel]

It's also advisable to place some sheets or a blanket over the heat pad (if it is the flat, plastic kind) because they are not very resistant to the scratching of cats' claws. There is also a slight burn risk with prolonged contact with certain types of heat pad, but it's usually pretty minor.

[chowting]

Interesting comments and relevant to us - our elderly cat has taken to sleeping on the front porch and we'd like to get a heated pad - any idea if these are available in the UK? If so, who is the supplier - can't find anything on the web!