• Thinkstock
    3 of 15

    2. Put on a sweater

    Although dogs and cats are equipped with fur coats, they vary in thickness and ability to keep the animal warm. What's more, at the beginning of cold weather, most coats are just starting to thicken up again from the natural thinning process that takes place each summer. It usually takes a few months after the temperature drops for them to offer real protection. Some animals may never develop an adequate winter coat, though. If your dog or cat starts shivering when he's outside, either bring him in or bundle him up with a sweater. Frost-bite or hypothermia (a potentially deadly condition in which the core body temperature drops dangerously) can develop if unprotected pets are left in the cold too long.