Snugglesafe heatpad

I was fortunate enough to win one of these in a competition. It actually came as a complete surprise as I'd forgotten about it - and I really couldn't believe that I would ever use it. However, I couldn't have been more wrong.

he SnuggleSafe is a red 210mm round disk - slightly smaller than the average dinner plate. The reason for this is that it has to be the right size to fit into a microwave. This enables it to be warmed up, and it can then be used to heat a pet's bed or carrying case - in fact anywhere that a bit of warmth and security is needed. The warmth then lasts for about twelve hours.

I have to admit that after this arrived, and was thoroughly inspected, it remained in its box in the cupboard for some time as I could find no reason to use it.

The first time it came into use was when my beloved cat, Jamie became ill. He was quite old at sixteen and was, in fact, dying. He had always been a very slim cat and, during the last few weeks of his life be became very thin. As a consequence he seemed to feel the cold more than usual, which was when I remembered the SnuggleSafe. Once warmed, I placed it under a blanket and Jamie on top. I was impressed to find that the heat stayed constant all night, and I feel sure that it made Jamie's last hours more comfortable.

The next time it was used was only a few weeks later. Shortly before Jamie died, we had taken in an abandoned kitten (Casey). The only other cat we had at the time was Stella - another sixteen-year-old - who really wasn't too keen on having a boisterous kitten jumping all over her. We decided, because of this, that we should get another kitten as a companion that he could play with. By the time we collected Lui it was early November and the SnuggleSafe went with us in the carrier. For the first few months Lui chose to sleep in the carrier - with the SnuggleSafe under his blanket. He was quite a small kitten and being half Siamese had fine fur - he was always to be found curled up on top of the SnuggleSafe which is a good indication that it was appreciated.

The instructions, both on the box and on the item itself, are that it should only be heated in a microwave. It also says that overheating could be dangerous. It doesn't say how, but I don't intend overheating it to find out! Times are: for 1000 watt - 4:30 minutes, for 750 watt - 6:00 minutes and for 500 watt - 8:00 minutes.

Of course, care should be taken that the animal is not able to burn itself. I have always made sure that it has been wrapped inside a folded blanket, which seems to be very satisfactory, however I have noticed recently that there are covers specially made for them.

If you have pets, this is definitely a good investment. It's ideal comfort for kittens or puppies who may be separated from their mother and siblings for the first time. It is also a useful addition to the medicine cabinet or first aid box, for those emergencies we all have with our pets at some time or other. The price is £19.99 with the cover an additional £4.99.

Website: www.snugglesafe.co.uk

I hope this will be of use to you. Thank you for reading.

A few minutes in the microwave and the Snugglesafe heatpad gives your pet up to 10 hours of warmth and comfort. It is bite resistant and non toxic. A must for newborns, convalescing or any cherished pet. I bought mine at www.snugglesafe.co.uk Keep your pet warm and secure!