Is it cruel?

Badger_Lady

... to keep a housecat outside in this cold weather?

My !!!!!cat's a 10-yr-old Tom who's very, very cuddly and spends all his time following me around when I'm at home.

During the day, while I'm at work, he gets locked out in the back garden. I've got an old outside loo that he has access to for shelter (built into the house but with a separate door), and I recently found out he likes to visit my elderly neighbour and his kitten, which was lovely to hear!

But on these frosty mornings when I kick him out at 6:30 am, he sits outside the back door crying until I leave, and I wonder whether it's too cold for him. I've set up the outside loo with a fluffy bed and I put a hot water bottle in it every morning so he has something to snuggle into, and I've also put a scratching post and a bowl of biscuits / fresh water down so he doesn't have to venture outside so much.

How well can cats keep themselves warm? I know he's covered in fur, but that doesn't stop him sleeping on my feet at night.

This weekend, I'm going away for a couple of days, and intend to leave him outside with his auto-feeder. Is that cruel? Should he be kept indoors when it's cold like this?

All advice appreciated :-)

zfrl

Feral cats have to live outside all year with no one feeding them! So whilst it might not be the cats first choice I'm sure he will survive. Most cats have more than one home anyway and often find a warm welcome somewhere else.

Badger_Lady

Hee-hee - has the swear filter blocked my !!!!!???

Froglet

Have you not considered a cat flap? Then he can choose for himself!!

Badger_Lady

Froglet wrote: »

Have you not considered a cat flap? Then he can choose for himself!!

Yes - sorry, I should have mentioned that :rolleyes: . We only recently moved in, I'm crap with DIY, so I looked at the old wooden door and decided "I'll fit a catflap when I change it for double-glazing".

I still like to keep him out of the house when unsupervised, though - it's amazing how much mess one !!!!!cat can produce .

cat_saving_expert

I'm sure he'll live being outside, it's true feral cats live outside 24/7.
The only thing is he isn't a feral and will be used to having heating, thus won't grow quite as think a coat as a feral would so would feel the cold more.

Also since he is getting on a bit being 10 years old he may not be able to keep his body heat up as well as he used to, if it were me I wouldn't leave him outside over a weekend, I would either shut him indoors or speak to you neighbour who might take him in on the cold nights (it is going to be very cold on Saturday night)

tanith

I don't understand why you shut him out? I wouldn't leave my elderly cat out overnight or even during one of these freezing days as she is used to having a warm place to snuggle up...

If I am away overnight she has a Litter tray to use and plenty of food.... as long as he has food and water and somewhere to do his business he would be fine... maybe you think he's going to wreck the joint while he is unsupervised... mine just sleeps and sleeps....

Badger_Lady

tanith wrote: »

I don't understand why you shut him out? I wouldn't leave my elderly cat out overnight or even during one of these freezing days as she is used to having a warm place to snuggle up...

If I am away overnight she has a Litter tray to use and plenty of food.... as long as he has food and water and somewhere to do his business he would be fine... maybe you think he's going to wreck the joint while he is unsupervised... mine just sleeps and sleeps....

I guess it's historical - we used to share a tiny 1-bed flat and all my visitors complained that it smelled of cat as soon as they opened the door (despite him being shut into the kitchen 90% of the time).

Now I've got the bigger house I could possibly get away with it, but he does stink and shed a lot of fur...

mattogier

Hi might NEVER forgive you - Cat's are like that - you may come home and find he's packed his bags and gone to live with a kinder slave.

Remember...

I hope I'm the type of person my dog thinks I am

I hope I'm not the kind of person my cat thinks I am

LandyAndy

Easily the worst thing you've done is not have him neutered.

What on earth makes people keep a tom 'entire'. No doubt he's responsible for half the strays taken in by the CPL or RSPCA in your area. Well, not half perhaps but its still incredibly irresponsible.

Badger_Lady

LandyAndy wrote: »

Easily the worst thing you've done is not have him neutered.

Where'd you get that from . He's 10 years old, I've had him since he was 8, and he arrived neutured. What are you on about, Andy???