“Winter is a tough time for outdoor dogs, especially older dogs,” says Jim Koskey, president of K&H Manufacturing. “Their muscles stiffen up and it is tough on the entire system unless they have protection from the cold. Our Lectro-Kennels™ are the answer.”

These weatherproof, vinyl heat pads are easy to clean, UL and CUL listed and can be used indoors or outdoors. They come with a 5 1/2 foot steel-wrapped, abrasion-resistant cord and a limited one-year warranty. An internal thermostat will maintain a cozy 102ºF surface temperature when in use. Using minimal wattage, these pads can be left on 24 hours a day.

Veterinarians and kennels have used the rectangular Lectro-Kennel™ for years. This is the first year for the igloo style pad. The half round shape covers half the floor of a Dogloo or Indigo doghouse, allowing the dog to chose when it wants warmth. These pads can also be used in garage, barns, porches or anywhere a dog can benefit from warmth and shelter.

Dogs should always have shelter from snow, rain and wind. It is also a good idea to have flap over the opening to prevent inclement weather from entering the shelter. The Lectro-Kennel™ is designed to warm the pet, not the space so it is important to prevent wind and snow from entering.

Do not use human heating pads for any pet. They reach much higher temperatures and can cause burns. They are also not designed for outdoor use like the K&H products.

Lectro-Kennel heating pads can be found at PETsMART and through numerous Internet retailers. Keywords, Dogloo Heaters and Lectro-Kennel

K&H Manufacturing is a leading manufacturer of heated beds for dogs and cats. “The Outdoor Heated Kitty Pad™ is the ideal solution for keeping millions of feral cats who live outside, on porches, in garages, barns, or sheds warm this winter,” according to K&H president, Jim Koskey. The pad provides a permanent “sun spot” for feral cats in inclement weather.

“We developed this product after receiving hundreds of calls and letters from people who care for feral cats, added Koskey. The UL listed pad plugs into an outdoor outlet and can be left on 24 hours a day. It uses only 40 watts and has a minimal impact on electrical costs, but a great impact on creating comfort for outdoor cats.

While the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association estimates there are over 73,000,000 domestic cats, estimates for the number of feral cats are just estimated into the millions. While no organization quotes a number of feral cats, there are literally thousands of feral and abandoned cat groups across the country caring for an untold number of these cats.

Thanks to K&H Mfg, those who care for feral cats, now have a new way of looking after them.

The Outdoor Heated Kitty Pad™ is available at PETsMART, www.totalpetcomfort.com, www.drsfostersmith.com and www.futurepets.com.

Adding warm water to a birdbath is only a temporary solution and adding chemicals to keep it from freezing is dangerous to wild birds. The most reliable solution to keep a birdbath free of ice is to use a birdbath deicer.

The newest deicer on the market comes from K&H Manufacturing, called the Ice Eliminator™. It’s the first birdbath deicer that looks good in a birdbath. Until now most birdbath deicers looked like stock tank heaters or charcoal starters. The Ice Eliminator™ uses only 50 watts, will keep water open to well below 0ºF and won’t harm plastic birdbaths. Made of cast aluminum, it won’t leave rust deposits and its powder coated finish can even be painted. “That’s one of the nicest features,” according to Jim Koskey, K&H president. “You can spray paint it any color to match any color birdbath.”

With any birdbath deicer, it is important to maintain the level of water in the birdbath. Warm water evaporates quicker and so it may need to be filled more often. Also, the birds will make a habit of coming back daily if they see that water is always available.

The K&H Ice Eliminator™ can be found at select wild bird stores, garden centers and on the Internet, Google search keyword Ice Eliminator.