# electric blankets



## joshl

My wife just got an electric blanket for Christmas, but it says not to use with pets.

Does anybody else have an electric blanket with cats? I'm wondering if it's just a precaution, or if the blanket can really do harm to cats.

thanks


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## OsnobunnieO

I think it depends on how you use it, and how you monitor it.

We actually had a cat come into the clinic I work at this past week. The owner said it had been attacked by a racoon around New Year's Eve and had a wound on its shoulder that has since healed up. She's an outdoor kitty who sleeps in the garage and they just noticed her stomach (this almost a month after the "incident") and assumed it was some sort of wound that never healed.

The owner mentioned that they have an electric blanket they keep in a large carrier that she sleeps in. Turns out, her entire stomach (I'm talking from between her front legs to her tail, and all the way across) was completely burned. Hairless (small bits of hair singed to the skin) bright red, and oozing pus in some places. The owner felt horrible, and was in tears the entire time she was in the office. The vet thinks she was actually peeing in the carrier and somehow that was what caused the burns to be so severe... but it could have just been the blanket. 

Now, I see no reason to be afraid of keeping the electric blanket on your bed if that was its intended use. I wouldn't leave it plugged in all day and would probably not leave it on if you aren't going to be home.


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## CataholicsAnonymous

I've used an electric blanket for years. It's turned on only when I go to bed. The cats love it, too. I crank that thing up and throw on 5 or 6 cats, and we sleep toasty warm with the thermostat turned way down low.


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## coaster

I didn't know about that warning on electric blankets, but it just seems to be common sense. I have heating pads under all my cats' beds and the pads are enclosed in cardboard to protect the cats from electrocution or whatever hazards. Some of the heat is lost, of course, but my system seems to work pretty well. No fried cats in my house.


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## siamesecat

I bought my boys a heated pet pad for Christmas. It's basically the same thing. It plugs in. When they lay on it, it heats to 102 degrees. The heat mechanism zips into a fleece covered pad. They seem to like it, especially when it's cold.


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## joshl

Thanks for the replies. We'd only be using the blanket for an hour or so in bed...so it sounds like we'll be OK.


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## Kittys Mom

I got an electric blanket around Thanksgiving last year. My Kitty LOVES it! Adores it, she's estatic.  

I put it on my bed with a quilt like bedspread over it and on top of that is the down comforter (what can I say, I get cold). Kitty sleeps on top of the down comforter. I feel comfortable with that because I know she's not laying directly on the electric blanket...but the heat comes all the way through the blankets.

She's always so cold, so she definately loves it. She streaches out and rolls around on there and just generally looks happy. Another plus (for Kitty) is that apparently its too warm for Thomas. He's taken to sleeping on a blanket on the floor, so Kitty gets the whole bed to herself, well, she shares with me.

 I never leave it on if I'm not in the bed, so I feel comfortable with the risks.


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## waschaf

I use an electric blanket and havent had any dramas, i turn it on an hour before i get in and turn off when i finally am sniggled in, cats seem not to mind as they enjoy the warmth too.


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