Thermal Comfort of Companion Animals

-Steady Heat Balance Model of the Feline Body-

Abstract

Owners of companion animals need to establish a thermal environment that balances energy conservation and thermal comfort for both companion animals and humans. To study the thermal comfort of felines, a simple steady heat balance model was constructed on the basis of the classic two-node model proposed by Gagge et al. and the experimental data by Adams et al. The calculation results by the proposed model agree well with the experimental values by Adams et al. in the range of room temperature (20 – 38℃). The thermal comfort zone of the felines was estimated to be within ±17% of the standard metabolic rate according to the calculated and experimental results. As an application of the proposed model, this study examined the effect of a commercially available pet heater and noted its advantages and drawbacks.