Don’t Leave Home Without Setting Your Thermostat to This Pet-Safe Temperature

When your pet is home alone, there’s a lot of trouble they could get up to, and it’s up to you to ensure the home environment is safe. Especially in the hot summer months or the cold of winter, you may be wondering what the best thermostat setting is for pets when you’re not home. 

How Temperature Affects Pets

Like humans, pets are affected by the temperature extremes of winter and summer. Without proper precautions, dogs and cats can experience hypothermia or frostbite in the winter and heat exhaustion or heatstroke in the summer.

As long as the thermostat is set at a reasonable temperature and your power is working, your pet is unlikely to experience the dangerous side effects of temperature extremes within the comfort of your home. However, you can still set the thermostat to a temperature that is comfortable for your pet. 

Signs that your pet is too hot include:

Please note that if your pet has bright red gums or is vomiting, disoriented, or having trouble breathing, they could be experiencing heatstroke. Heatstroke requires emergency treatment.

On the other hand, signs that your pet is too cold include:

• Shivering
• Lethargy
• Seeking warm beds or other heat sources
• Whining (in dogs)
• Hunched posture
• Tail tucked (dog) or curled around body (cat)

What is considered “too cold” or “too hot” to your pet is affected by their species, breed, age, coat length, and heat status. For example, most cats tend to like slightly warmer temperatures than most dogs. A French bulldog with a brachycephalic (flat) facial conformation may struggle more than a chihuahua. Puppies and kittens are more sensitive to temperature than adults. And lastly, some health conditions, such as obesity, kidney disease, or heart disease, can affect how your animal responds to temperature.

Recommended Temperature Ranges

In the summer, most dogs and cats will do well with a thermostat setting of 75–78°F. If your dog is showing signs of being too hot at this temperature, then you can decrease the thermostat setting until you find a comfortable temperature for your pet. Cats can enjoy even warmer temperatures into the mid-80s, though this may not be a reasonable setting for your household.

In the winter, your dog is likely to be comfortable with a thermostat setting of 65–72°F. However, cats enjoy warmer temperatures. They may find 69–72°F more comfortable, and even then, you may need to provide blankets and warm beds for them to snuggle into.

If no one is home and you’re looking for safe, comfortable range for all pets in any season, 68—75°F is generally tolerable.

Smart Home Solutions

Smart home solutions allow you to monitor your pet even when they’re home alone.

If you are anxious about the thermostat, consider installing a thermostat with remote monitoring. Some smart thermostats allow you to set the temperature from your phone. Consider setting a schedule for your thermostat to ensure it moves to a temperature that is comfortable for your pet when you’re away at work.

You can also install pet cameras that allow you to check in on your pet while you’re away. Some pet cameras have temperature monitoring systems that can alert you via phone if the temperature drops below or rises above a certain range.  

Special Considerations

As with all things related to pet care, there are special considerations to take into account when setting the thermostat

Multi-Pet Households

Your individual pets may have different temperature ranges at which they’re most comfortable. Choose a happy medium that works for most and then provide options for heating and cooling, such as warming beds or rooms with ceiling fans, to help your pets stay comfortable.

Medical Needs

Some pets may tolerate temperatures differently due to medical conditions. For example, an obese dog with Cushing’s disease or a cat with hyperthyroidism may not tolerate heat as well. For these pets, you may have to keep the thermostat on the lower end of the range for your pet’s comfort. 

Age of Pets

Neonatal animals are sensitive to heat and cold. Even with the thermostat set at an appropriate temperature, you may need to provide additional heat sources, such as warming pads. This is especially true if they are a nursing animal without access to their mother. Senior animals may also be more sensitive to hot and cold. 

Finding the Sweet Spot

A safe way to find a good thermostat setting is to pick a setting within the ranges we’ve listed and then see how your pet does. You can make small adjustments until you find something that works.

Remember, pets thrive with consistency! Regular temperature regulation is a great way to help your pet stay comfortable and safe while you’re away from home.