Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties:
We have a kitten who came to us during the summer months. We live in the mountains of North Carolina, and we’re wondering about the cold weather. Our cat is strictly an outside cat, but we thought we would put him in the basement on nights that were very cold. Now our question — how cold does it have to be before we bring him in? In other words, how much cold can he stand?
~ Vicki
Image courtesy of The Cat's Whiskers blog
Siouxsie: Although in a perfect world this cat would be able to go indoors whenever he wants, we know there are plenty of legitimate reasons why you might not be able to allow this. We’re grateful to you for caring enough about this kitty to want to keep him safe and healthy this winter.
Thomas: Cats’ cold tolerance varies based on their coat length and coat type. Cats with longer fur may be able to deal with temperatures a few degrees colder than their short-haired kin. Some short-haired cats have soft undercoats that provide a little extra insulation, but others don’t.
Dahlia: But even thick fur doesn’t stop a cat from losing heat. If you’re outdoors on a winter day and you’re not wearing a hat, your head is still going to get cold, even though there’s hair growing on it.
Siouxsie: If it’s too cold for you to be comfortable outdoors in a jacket and jeans, it’s probably too cold for your cat. Any temperature below freezing is definitely too cold!
Thomas: Cats don’t have any insulation on their paw pads. When they walk around in snow, the fur on their feet and legs gets wet and extremely cold, and this can lead to frostbite.
This cat has frostbite on his ears. Image courtesy of Craig Street Cats
Dahlia: Cats’ ears have very thin fur, and cats can and do get frostbite on their ears.
Siouxsie: So what can you do to keep your outdoor cat safe? If he’s socialized to humans, you certainly can bring him inside and put him in the basement once temperatures get below freezing.
Thomas: You’ll want to take this opportunity to get him neutered and vaccinated, too. The neutering will reduce urine spraying and other unpleasant behaviors, and the shots will keep him–and you–safe.
Dahlia: Litterbox training may be an issue. If this kitty was ever an indoor cat, he probably knows what a litterbox is and how to use it, and you won’t have any trouble. However, if he’s been an outdoor cat all his life, this may be a little bit more complicated. The ASPCA’s short guide on how to bring an outdoor cat indoors provides information on how to get an outdoor cat used to using a litterbox.
Siouxsie: Is your basement heated, or is it cold and dank? If it’s on the cold and dank side, make sure the cat has a nice, warm bed to snuggle into. This could be something as simple as a cardboard box (not sitting right no the ground, of course) with some old towels inside, or it could be a super-deluxe piece that would be right at home in your living room with your other furniture.
Thomas: We recommend you follow some of the other tips in the ASPCA guide about enriching the cat’s environment so he doesn’t go crazy or get depressed while he’s inside.
Dahlia: You didn’t mention if this cat will let you pet him or approach him. If he does, you’ll have an easier time bringing him inside during the winter. However, if he runs away at the sight of you or refuses to allow you to touch him, he may be a feral cat, which means he’s wild and will never be comfortable with people.
Siouxsie: You can protect this cat from the elements even if he is feral and you can’t get him inside. The Neighborhood Cats website provides instructions on how to build a variety of winter shelters for stray and feral cats.
Thomas: Some of these shelters are made of Styrofoam, others of rubber storage totes. Here’s another great winter shelter, this one courtesy of Spay and Stay.
Dahlia: If you’ve got more carpentry skills than money, check out Alley Cat Allies’ plan for building a wooden cat shelter. It’s designed to hold five to seven cats, so you’ll want to scale the size down quite a bit if you’re just housing one.
Siouxsie: Be sure to follow the instructions on proper bedding and how to keep the shelter warm during extreme winter weather, too.
Thomas: Good luck, Vicki. We hope this helps.
Please, if at all possible, try to make your outside cat an inside cat. He’ll be safe and warm and you will be relieved.
My 1st question is, is kitty spayed or neutered? And why can’t kitty go in or out as it pleases? Try to make kitty an inside cat if possible. They are much happier & safer inside. Cats can get too hot or too cold outdoors. My 3 kitty boys have pet doors that allow them to go out when they wish or to come in when they wish. At night they come in to stay which they choose to do by themselves anyway.
We have owned 3 different outdoor cats in Nebraska, where below 0 weather is common in the winter. We solved this problem by installing a cat door in the bottom of our garage door, and buying heated cat beds to put inside the regular cat bed in the garage, someplace up off the floor. Our cats have always been happy with this arrangement. They seem to still enjoy running around outside even in the snow. We’ve never run into a frostbite or health problem doing this.
If you must keep him an outdoor cat, then you must bring him in when the temps go below freezing (32 degrees Not Zero)! Remember to have a warm place for him to sleep up off the ground. He will feel safer that way.. Make sure food, water and a litterbox are available to him! Although the ideal way is to install a kitty door for him to be able to come in when he’s cold or too hot. Again keep the bed and food, water and litter box! And do as the kitties suggest,….check out their reading suggesttions and build an outdoor shelter for him! For the nights he doesn’t want to come inside but he is still chilly! Dont Forget That He Needs To Have Food And Water Available At All Times! When water gets dirty or it freezes change ir for fresh water!
I have 2 cats that live outside. One is feral and does not want to come in. The other used to be a house cat but, because he doesn’t like the other cats, has decided to live outside. There are 2 others I would prefer they stay outside because they like to pee on furniture and in other inappropriate places. I have special warm places for them to sleep on the back porch. If it gets too cold, I will let the last 2 come in for the night and keep them confined.
Alley Cat allies has instructions for a totally simple shelter that worked well here in WI
during cold spells for dear alley cats who would not allow themselves to be caught.
Just a Rubbermaid storage container, lined with styrofoam purchased in big sheets at
Home Depot, and cut into shape of the inside of the box, then lined with ‘Space Blanket”,
cost about $1. somewhere on line. All duck taped in place, little door openingmade__
I used an electric drill to make holes then cut with really sharp knife.
Very cheap and worked. They say do NOT put blankets in…I think straw is okay..but
their breath makes too much moisture…or something like that. Main point is that these
are totally workable and easy to do. only hard thing is cutting the door…