Comfortable ambient room temerature for cats?

[Zenith (Liz)]

Our Thermostat is set at 20 - but if we are chliiy we put the fire on , and then its a mad feline dash for the best spot!

I remember thinking i'd quite happily move into Kirst's fireplace 

Our heating's been on since 5pm and it's currently only 19 degrees 

[dolcetta46]

Our building has an automatic control for heating, the heat runs only certain hours in the evening and morning but our building is very well insulated (unfortunately not quite as well in the summer though) and it easily gets to about 25°C also in December and January, wee too hot even for me who like just wearing T shirt and be able to move about freely without shivering around the house.  The heating was turned on starting this evening, I was wondering why I started sweating so much just sitting around   Oliver had started digging himself under the cover these days but now he is in his regular position on top of the bed, no covers, all stretched and with tummy exposed... he doesn't seem to mind some extra heat

[Kirst]

Our Thermostat is set at 20 - but if we are chliiy we put the fire on , and then its a mad feline dash for the best spot!

[Leanne]

  guys for the condensation tips.

We do have the bathroom window open when bathing, but opening windows when cooking is a nightmare as Milo will try and get out of them, we don't have a door in our kitchen either so can't shut them out.

We want to replace our windows next year as they aren't great - I'm sure you're not meant to lay in bed and feel a breeze 

We had real condensation issues in our previous flat, to the point where we had dreadful mould. 

[Liz]

Our heating is on from 05.15am to 07.30am and then from 16.45pm to 20.30pm all the radiators are at 2 and the Clan seem happy with this!  The Border Collies are to hot and sleep on the tiled floor!

We had a very heavy frost this morning and now have lovely sunshine we also have the bonus of the conservatory and it is sitting at 30 degrees currently and keeps one end of the house warmer

If its really cold we put the electric blankets on for the cats through the day - they are self timing so go off after 4 hours but the beds retain the heat!

[Fire Fox]

No wonder Milo always wants to get in bed with us our overnight temp is 16 for the heat to come on 

We usually have it set at 17-18 at this time of year and 20-21 when its gets to minus temps outside.

Thinking about it though, we get condensation on our double glazing and I wonder if its cause the house isn't hot enough.

Heating at a fairly constant temperature holds the water in the air but it doesn't get rid of it, only ventilation (or a dehumidifier) will do that. The water is produced by drying clothes indoors, breathing, showering and cooking. I have terrible condensation and have to open the windows daily year round - in my case it's a combination of the lifestyle factors mentioned and having metal window frames which act as cold bridges.

Noah slept between the two pillows for several hours last night which I assume means it was too cold for him in the living area! 

[Lottie (Team Svartalfheim's)]

Our radiators all have individual controls and are set to 2 except Findlays room which is set to 3 and the cats which is off. As for cats comfortable temperature it will totally depend on the cat, some cats like it toasty warm and others would cry if you mentioned heating

My cats have no heating on at all in their bedroom and their window is as open as it can be without them escaping out of it and it remains this way all year round. The downside is I get whinged at in winter that the house is getting cold as a result of internal walls not having insulation and their room going into minus figures but I'm using this to my advantage to try and get the cat house and run built in time for next winter as then I highly doubt the cats will want to sleep inside which means I can have their window closed and heating on in their room to keep the house warmer!

[Christine (Blip)]

Thinking about it though, we get condensation on our double glazing and I wonder if its cause the house isn't hot enough.

Do you open your bathroom window (at least after a bath or shower: I keep ours open permanently unless it's really cold outside) and your kitchen window while cooking?

There's a good explanation of the causes of condensation and how to control it at http://www.diydata.com/problem/condensation/condensation.php

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Yes I think that is the case cos I used to have it really bad but it stopped as soon as I had heating on higher and 24/7 during the winter.

The house is now much drier and warmer and the condensatiom means that damp is building up

[Leanne]

  No wonder Milo always wants to get in bed with us our overnight temp is 16 for the heat to come on 

We usually have it set at 17-18 at this time of year and 20-21 when its gets to minus temps outside.

Thinking about it though, we get condensation on our double glazing and I wonder if its cause the house isn't hot enough.

[Mark]

The temperature must have dropped a bit outside overnight as I had it on 20 and it was actually on this morning but the room feels quite warm so I have dropped it to 19 - trial & error I suppose - it is pointless wasting money energy for the sake of it? 

[woodlandcats]

Dorian sleeps outside most of the time, Feliz is always on top of the radiator, so cats have different needs too.

[Janeyk]

Ours is always about 19/20 degrees and that's enough for us couldn't have it any higher but I always have warmish clothes on.  Having said that my dad's is only about 15 or less (he can't believe we have ours at that temp) and it's boiling in his house so I think his therm. is dodgey 

[Mark]

Well I am turning the thermostat on the heater back down to 20 as I am too warm 

[fluffybunny]

Of course what's to say that our thermostats are accurate and calibrated correctly to the number on it?  Mine is usually set about 21 but if I were to put a 'real' thermometer against it, would it say 21?  Or would it say 18?  Or 25?  Similarly, those who have it whacked up to 25 - is it really, or is it really about 22? 

Answers on a postcard.  I know when it's too cold for Geoffrey at night as he stabs me on the nose to lift the duvet and he sneaks in and sleeps in the bed with us.  My mother would be horrified   

[ems]

Well we're oop North in Liverpool and I'm with C, our thermostat never goes over 21 and we NEVER have the heating on over night. In the Winter it comes on timer 6am-7am, 1pm-2pm then we generally just put it on while we're in in the evening.

The animals have enough fleecey blankets, beds etc they won't be cold  

[Gillian Harvey]

Although cats do have a  higher body temperature than us?

and also fur coats 


My thermostat is usually at around 21 deg which is comfortable for me most of the time - cats are currently huddled around the still warm kettle on the hob 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I have no house thermostat just a thermometer, although some radiators have thermostats and I am not other people and have a skin problem.

 80 F degrees is 27C and I am in pain in any less just sitting and most of my time is sitting. Like Den i am in shorts and tshirt cos thats best for my skin.

Its very drafty here for me and havent been in a house where its not cos my skin is so sensitive.

Our weather is also very different to London and much colder

[Bazsmum]

I don't know what ours is 

I know at the moment it is the perfect temperature for shorts and t-shirt which is how I like it 

Me too!  Must be a Sci-Fi thing....What about yours Horza? 

We dont have any heating on anywhere else apart from downstairs, the upper floors are warmer that down all the time! 

[Christine (Blip)]

70 is freezing for a house and I need 80 to feel even a little bit comfortable

70F isn't 'freezing' - that's 32F - and it's a very acceptable ambient temperature for most folks.  71F at a pinch.  I can only think that your thermostats must be malfunctioning, Gill.  I - and most people I know - couldn't sit in a room heated to 80F without throwing open all the windows!

[Den]

I don't know what ours is 

I know at the moment it is the perfect temperature for shorts and t-shirt which is how I like it 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Unless you live in a perfectly insulated house, which most dont, and i certainly dont 21 is only 21 where you measure it as 21......move the thermoneter and you will have a different temperature.

70 is freezing for a house and I need 80 to feel even a little bit comfortable and my heating is already on 24/7 unless we have a very sunny day.

[Mark]

Doesn't make sense as 21 is 21 wherever you are and surely only wind-chill could make a difference?

It is milder here in the south. I remember many moons ago, I went up to Sunderland with a friend for the weekend and didn't take a coat as it was warm in London. I nearly froze to death up there although saw people in T-shirts 

[Bazsmum]

I must be secretly longing to live in Hawaii then as I have mine between 25-27, any lower and it just wont register....

We do live in the house differently to as what was intended though...Our living room is meant to be on the middle floor and we cant be doing with that so have used the dinning room for a living room which is downstairs! 

Thermostat is upstairs! 

[Mark]

It has been really mild lately but once winter is here, the heating will be on 24/7 until around April/May 

[Christine (Blip)]

I keep our thermostat at 19C - I turn it up to 20C if it is really cold outside. Blip has a Snugglesafe overnight as I have the central heating turned off completely from 22.15 - 05.15 all year round.

21 is over 70F, Gill: it's very warm for a house.

As you say, Mark, cats have a much higher body temperature than we do: hence my assiduous use of the heat pad for Blip.

[Mark]

I will give her an extra degree  - I am just aware that at night ATm, if I change it from 20 to 21, it actually comes on for a while 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

18-21 is bloomin freezing ands my cats have a much higher room temperature than that.

It also needs to be remembered that the room temperature is not the same all over and when my front room says 80, the floor in the bay in winter will freeze water and the radiator will be on full blast cos that side of room isnt warm either.

When the cats are warm they lie in the bay and when cool they lie on a seat near the radiator LOL

[Mark]

Although cats do have a  higher body temperature than us?

I saw these - although they are really for babies  http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Baby-Child-Kittens-Cats-Nursery-Safety-Room-Thermometer_W0QQitemZ390104440497QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Baby_safety_Thermometers_ET
I can never understand people who keep their houses in the high 20s as you really feel the cold when you go out - also the cats will probably get dandruff if it is too hot?

[Kay and Penny]

on my 'Keep Warm This Winter' chart from Age Concern OK is from 18c to 21C, and that is for inactive elderly folk, so 20c should be ample for cats

[Mark]

We only have one rad in our basement which isn't enough to keep the room warm when it gets cold. We have decided to only use the wood burner weekends and holidays as it is a lot of work to keep it going and the heat isn't really controllable. The new heater has a climate control. ATM, I have it set on 20^o so it isn't really coming on as the rad is managing OK. As it gets colder, the heater will kick in. I am happy wearing a jumper indoors but don't want Alice to get cold. She has a heated bed but I want her to be comfortable but at the same time, don't want to have the room baking hot - any ideas?

Is 20 mean?