Shutting cats outside at night in -4c

sunflower_2

i am loving reading all your cat stories.

i am a dog person but this thread is making me smile - esp the thought of the cheeky things having 2 homes

pogofish

-4 would have been getting just a little bit parky for my last cat.

He used to sit stock still for ages on one or other of his favourite vantage points till he had a good layer of frost on his fur or even a substantial covering of snow.

Even as he aged, he would only come-in when he felt like it and in the end I set-up an outdoor shelter with a view and lots of warm stuff to snuggle in. He used it occasionally and had plenty of wild nests he could use when he wanted.

It was only in his last year or so that he really needed to stay by the heat and he still remained pretty active and happy right up to his death at around eighteen years old.

My current two cats are the complete opposite - Both are curled in the warmest spots they can find and its only -2 or -3 just now.

georgiesmum

I have 3 cats and a cat flap. I have one cat who does not want to be in at night. He used to come in and out at night through the flap bringing presents for us to find in the morning. Alive and dead. We had enough when we found a mouse running around the kitchen,had been there for a while.We now keep the cat-flap fixed so that he can go out but not get back again. (the others always stay in at night ) We have a bed on a shelf in the garage for him and he loves it so much he will sometime stay there all day. The cat-flap is unlocked during the day. Cats are not wimps, they will always find a comfy spot.

jokeyjo

i have 2 cats and they killed my blinds trying to get outside and they soon let us know when they want to come in,mine sit on both neighbours windowsills tormenting their kids but wont go into their houses, at the minute one is curled just above the radiator on my windowsill and the other is curled up next to the tumble dryer, we did have a cat that if he saw an open door he would be in whether it was house or car and even tried to come to school a fair few times

katiefinger

missmontana wrote: »

This is my lot the other night when it was minus something outside.

Oh my gosh, I got the biggest shock when I saw your picture (not quoted!) missmontana. Why do you have my Boy Cat in your house, hmmmm?

I had to double check your location in case you were the Crazy Cat Lady who lives down the road from me; she's always trying to steal my Boy!

I do tend to like my cats being in regardless of the temperature, but sometimes I do have to give up if I've spent an hour calling and Boy Cat hasn't come home (Girl Cat is a real homebody, rarely ventures far). I have to trust that he's found somewhere warm and snuggly, even if it is Crazy Cat Stealing Woman's house! In fact, I must go and call him in now ...

UKTigerlily

While not something I enjoy (knowing Tess is out in this cold weather) I do have to remember she's a cat not a human. I think it's fine so long as it's the cats choice to go out & they can get back in. Tess has a catflap in the back window so can always get back in as soon as she likes. She is slightly strange though in that while she doesn't seem a fan of the cold weather - she's currently sleeping on her radiator bed - she demands to go out whenever it's really hammering it down with rain.

gettingready

Just found Fred UNDER the duvet and the rest of the gang on top of the duvet (4 in total). Heating set to 22 degrees, Zara is clearly too hot and the cats are cold.... need ato find a happy medium really to accmodate all of them.. and me too

Yolina

My two spend the winter huddled in their basket in front of the radiator. I'm in a flat but have a terrace so they could go out - however, if I even dare do something outrageous such as opening the patio doors or windows in winter whilst they're in the room, they soon relocate to another room. At night they go to sleep on the bed but by morning they're usually in between the bedspread and blankets. One's nearly 14 so can be forgiven, the other one's only 6 so has *no* excuse :rotfl:

blossomhill_2

Thanks for this thread - because of it we will be leaving an empty hutch door ajar tonight under the car port by the tumbledryer vent and putting an old army blanket in it for any poor kitty soul who find themsleves outside in the freezing temperatures
There will also be a cardboard box on our porch facing inwards, which we have done other winters and know gets used