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How Cold Can Cats Survive Outside?

cat in cold

It was a long time ago when people started adopting cats in Egypt. People kept them for protection against rodents. Later on, when they moved towards colder areas, they took their feline friends with them too. They thought that the fur-coats of the cats would protect them, but they were wrong as people are today. It is true somehow that the fur protects them from increased or decreased temperature. But they do not provide them 100% protection.

Seasons change every year, and like every living being, cats need some adaptations too. Cats are naturally well-adapters but, still, they cannot protect themselves from a temperature below zero Celsius. If we talk about the stray or feral cats, they are more immune to cold than your pet cats, yet up to a certain point only. In the following article, we will discuss how cold can cats handle, and the steps that can prevent them from getting chilled.

Factors That Determine the Level of Cold a Cat Can Get

Fur-coat Of Your Cat

The cats with a reduced coat of fur or whose hair has been trimmed for grooming or any other medical reason are likely to get the cold at the most. If your cat is hairless, make it wear a sweater, be it inside or outside.

Healthier Cat

healthy cat

If your cat is healthy and is heavier by weight, it is likely to bear the cold better. But cats with more weight face other problems, so that is not quite a solution.

Type of Your Cat

There are generally stray cats, feral cats, and indoor cats. People also adopt cats that are outdoors and foster them. But the lowest immunity is of indoor cats. They are not habitual of facing severe conditions, be it hunger or cold. Stray cats and feral cats are usually adapted to bear harsh environments. Thus, they require maintenance only after a certain level of frost.

Medically Hypothermic Cats

Felines that are medically not okay usually are intolerant to the cold. For example, cats with endocrine diseases are more hypothermic. They are recommended to be kept indoors until they get perfectly okay.

How Cold Can Cats Handle?

Cats are usually very stubborn animals. They hate to feel bound. When they are wrapped up inside something or are made to wear a sweater, they get clumsy. However, they will stop being clumsy below 45 degrees Fahrenheit because it will help them get warm. The optimum temperature of the cat’s body is between 100 and 103 Fahrenheit. If they go outside at a temperature that is not so cold, simply make them reach optimum temperature by keeping them in a warm room. If the temperature is too low for them, rush to the hospital.

Warning: What can happen with you cat if they catch cold?

When the cats get cold, they suffer the following medical conditions generally.

Hyperthermia

When the temperature of the cat’s body falls below the optimum level, the cat becomes hypothermic. It can be mild to severe, depending upon the exposure to cold. However, this condition can further lead to another one called, Frostbite.

Frostbite

In this condition, the cats face damage to the tissues. If the tissue is not treated, then the damaged tissue can die. It is usually caused by cold wind and low-temperature seasons. Usually, the whole part of the body can become damaged and will have to be removed. In this condition, there are no early signs either that make it quite harmful.

How Do I Know If My Cat Has Cold?

If the cat faces low temperature for long, it may show the following signs:

  • Absence of mind
  • Shivering
  • Pupils become dilated
  • The hardness of the muscles
  • Decrease in the rate of blood pressure
  • Reduction in rate of heartbeat
  • In the most severe case, cats can go into a coma too

How to Keep Cats Warm?

Feral Cats 

Warm cats are happy cats. If we talk about feral cats, then they are too irrepressible. You cannot behold them. They do not want company either outside or inside the houses. They are the type of animals that live in colonies. When they feel cold, they dig the grounds up or start to live in empty places. If you want to care for them, simply make a shelter in any area that is abandoned.

Stray Cats

Stray cats accept to socialize. If you feel like it is too cold outside for a cat, and you have a place to let it in until the temperature goes up. Please do. It is also beneficial to keep a outdoor cat as pet. Let them stay for a while in your garages. But be careful and check if there is any harmful thing there. In contrast, you can also build some shelters outside your house to give them space to get warm.

Indoor Cats

indoor cat

Indoor cats are not adapted to any extreme temperature changes at all. If your cat starts being stubborn to go outside, don’t let them. Adjust the degrees of the room in which they reside. And they are good to go.

Last Words

It is challenging to know the exact value of the degrees that can harm felines. If it is cold for you, the cat’s fur will not do wonders to them. Avoid trimming and shaving your cat especially in winter. As much as most people like winters, it is a little difficult to get cozy. Never make your cat suffocate by overprotecting them. Just get little arrangements done and take proper care of them. It will be enough for your fur babies.

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