The shorter days have officially arrived, and every pet in the house seems to have noticed — even the ones with lights, heaters, and very strong opinions.
Hector: Sleeping In & Eating Her Veggies 🦜
Hector is clearly in winter mode. Some mornings she’s still asleep when I get up, which always feels strange since she’s usually awake and supervising my morning routine. But it’s normal for parrots to slow down this time of year, and she seems perfectly content.
The Dragon: Seasonal Preferences & Sink Baths 🦎
The dragon is also reacting to the shorter daylight, even with her tank lights on. I don’t fully understand how she knows, but she absolutely does.
She had been eating so well that I placed a big online bug order — dubia roaches, hornworms, and phoenix worms. She got through most of them, but it was a struggle. Lately, the only bug she really seems excited about is super worms. Not ideal as a main staple, but I’ll take it. She’s still eating those and her veggies, which matters most.
One highlight? She has been loving her kitchen sink baths lately. Very relaxed. Very splashy.
Cats: Grooming Battles & A Smart Litter Box Move 🐱
The cats are mostly doing fine. Bean remains a pain to groom, but I tackle that when I have to. Neither of us enjoys it, but it’s necessary.
Martin, however, surprised everyone. He’s the cat who sometimes chooses the couch over the litter box. With two boxes, he’s been doing pretty well, though mishaps still happen occasionally. The other night, Martin woke my son up at 4am and led him straight to the litter box. My son isn’t sure what was wrong, but he cleaned it, added fresh litter, and (wisely) covered the couch. The next morning? No surprises on the couch. I’m honestly amazed that Martin was uncomfortable enough — and smart enough — to wake him up and communicate that something wasn’t right instead of defaulting to old habits.
Stanley: Cold Weather Standoffs & Indoor Wins 🐶
Stanley is fine… except for the cold. He hates it. And he has no interest in pooping outside once winter hits. The routine usually goes like this:
He asks to go out, pees, comes back in restless, pesters me, asks to go out again… repeat until he finally decides the cold is worth it. Jackets sometimes help. Sometimes they don’t. The only accidents he’s having are in his crate, so overall, he’s doing pretty well.
On the bright side, he started a nose work class, and he’s loving it. Right now we’re working on “find it,” where he searches through cardboard boxes to locate a hidden treat. He’s doing really well and clearly enjoys the work — and it’s such a great indoor activity for winter.
We’re also still practicing agility and tricks inside. He’s mastered weaving through my legs and rolling over, so now I need some new ideas. If you have favorite tricks to teach, I’m all ears.
Holiday Mode 🎄
All the pets’ stockings are officially filled for Christmas, because of course they are!
Now I’m curious — do you buy gifts for your pets, or skip it entirely? No judgment either way, but I love hearing what other people do.
Opinion: Winter pet care is less about perfection and more about flexibility. If everyone is eating, learning, and mostly behaving, I’m calling it a win.
Share a comment with how you are coping with winter and pets.
