Is it ok for my cat to be out at night in this weather?

dizziblonde

Mine never goes out (disabled moggie) but my mum's were out last night, and will be out again tonight... one is a complete ASBO headcase and goes ballistic if he's kept in, the other is his dopey brother roped into feline mayhem. There are plenty of buildings for them to shelter in, no traffic (my mum lives in the middle of nowhere) and, although there's no cat flap - they've got the unique technique of hurling themselves onto the bedroom outside window ledge and yowling to be let back in through the window when they're ready to come in to thaw out a bit - so it's not as if they're out with no means of getting warm - and judging by the trail of pawprints in the snow this morning - they appear to have had a hectic night before the 5am human alarm wake up call to be let back in to zonk out by the bathroom radiator.

I love mine dearly - but they are animals and not babies - the average moggie is tougher than he looks... hell even my spoilt indoor princess was a semi-feral farm cat living a decent enough life before she lost her leg and had to retire to an indoor life of splendour.

As for cats feeling the heat - my mother's other (now dead) cat had no concept of overheating at all - he'd lie in the heat of the sun, to the point of steam almost rising from him and it never occurred to him that "gosh I'm rather hot and uncomfortable - I'd better move"... he'd just sunbathe himself into a cinder - but he was incredibly stupid.

Raggs_2

As you may have gathered from all the replies. Depends on the cat.

My dads cat will be out hunting at night, regardless of weather, she gets a very thick coat in winter (she spends most her time outside all the year).

If you have a shed for the cat to retreat to if necessary (maybe put a box with some old clothes/rags), then give her a choice. If you get a loud yowling at your door come 11pm, your cat doesn't approve, if not, let it enjoy being able to wander as it wishes.

As for accidents, though I haven't been thorough in my reading of the topic, it depends on where the OP is based. My dad lives next to 1 quiet road, and a lot of fields. Someone living in the middle of the city, next to several main roads, may wish to reconsider.

stargaze_3

At the end of the day - pain is pain, no matter if its a human or an animal feeling it.And I still feel that its better if you can keep an animal in at night, to try to encourage them to learn to stay indoors and learn to use a litter tray - even if they only use one during the night, - Fox's are used to being out night time, and there was a beautiful red fox here that we would put food out for, - but a week ago he was lying dead at the side of a nearby road, --very sad. well a fox you can't do anything about, - but you can try to keep a cat in. -The fox had been killed on the road during the night. - Stargaze

Morgan_Ree

zartub wrote: »

posting rubbish like this ITS A CAT MUPPETT NOT A HUMAN BEING !!!!!!!!!!

Hello

I'd like to introduce you to a full stop

---

> .

Anyway thanks to everyone else who replied

Update is that seperating the cat and dog didn't work so the cat is back outside at night. Surived fine in the snow. One night i was on call (at home) so sat in the living room and he didn't once appear during the night to be let in. I'm gonna assume he's fine outside!

As for the suggestion about putting the dog outside ( I was waiting for it )
I did have her living outside in a purpose built run but got complaints from ex-neighbour that I was ''cruelly'' allowing my dog to live outside in all sorts of weather :rolleyes:
I don't own this house so really didnt want to get in trouble wi the landlord by getting involved in a neighbour row over a dogs sleeping arrangments

Thanks again

KiKi

Hiya Morgan

Did you leave the shed open for the cat at all with a blanket?

I like your introduction to the full stop.

KiKi

Morgan_Ree

KiKi wrote: »

Hiya Morgan

Did you leave the shed open for the cat at all with a blanket?

I like your introduction to the full stop.

KiKi

Yeah I did leave it open a bit for him to get in an out
I was feeling quite generous at the time so i bought a nice basket for inside
TBH I'm not sure he's actually used it but i don't feel so quilty booting him out now!!

lee316

Morgan Rae, I have the same problem. Three cats, at war with the dog (even though secretly I think they like each other) but I am not prepared to test the theory :rolleyes: So during the day they are outside, and at night when doggy goes to bed (he sleeps with us), I am at the back door calling them until they are all in (sometimes only bribe works). In the morning kids let them out (no cat flap) before doggy wakes up, luckily he is not a morning person ooppss doggy. It's been like that since we had him (he's two now) and the arrangement seems to work fine.

delain

One of my cats hates to go out at all, the other regularly stays out overnight, cold or not. To be fair the outdoor cat has one of the longest thickest coats I've ever seen which has got thicker with the cold weather, so it's reasonable to assume the cold doesn't get to her much.Also her father was a feral cat, from what I've heard. So in one case of my cats, yes she stays out overnight (no i don't have a catflap) but often she doesn't come back until 9.30am when she meets me at the bus stop and walks me home after I've come back from the school run. She also 'visits' lots of my neighbours, who have been known to feed her and probably wouldn't chuck her out if it was sub zero.

The other, no i wouldn't leave her out overnight, she's a softie, I doubt she'd last a night even in march or april.

It depends very much on your cat.

judygarland

I'm absolutely devastated. My ginger tom which I've had from a kitten for 13 years, is lying by my back door, on his side, dead. The back door to my house is in a covered alleyway so is dry and sheltered. Nearly every morning my husband finds him curled up in a ball in his blanket which is on top of some rockwool insulation, he speaks to him, and he greets you with a me-ow. He is now just lying on his side, looking peaceful, but no sign of life.

He was a feral cat and would only come in the house for food. Once his food was eaten, you wouldn't see him again until he was hungry. He will come into the house for about 10 minutes at a time and then just cries to get out.He was an excellent mouse catcher. He developed a limp a couple of months ago and the vet said that it was probably arthritus. Both my neighbours watch out for him and he quite often steals food from their cats bowl. They also have a sheltered alley down the side of the house where their cats sleep.

Two of my neighbour's cats have been treated for cat flu in the last 10 days and I am wondering whether this is what has finished him off.

I've had cats for 20 years and he was my fourth. The other three were indoor cats.

Both of my young children worship him and I just don't know how to approach things.

I'm so upset and I don't want them to see how distressed I am.

Fire_Fox

Sorry to hear of your loss. Were you and your neighbours cats not vaccinated against cat flu? Would be worth getting this done if you have a known pocket of infection locally.