In the cold, a winter cat does not freeze much. Thanks to its dense, thick fur, the animal can easily tolerate low temperatures, and even when it is very cold in winter, the seals ask their owner to let them go for a walk. However, you should not leave your pet outside at temperatures below 15 degrees, because not all cats survive extreme weather conditions and can suffer from hypothermia and related consequences.
What sub-zero temperatures can cats tolerate?
Most cats tolerate low temperatures well. Thanks to its thick and dense coat, the animal is able to survive severe frosts, reaching down to -15-20 °C. However, you should not think that your pet will easily cope with extremely harsh weather conditions. The animal will not survive if the thermometer drops below -20-25 degrees outside in winter.
Unfortunately, not every cat has a warm home and caring owners. A stray cat has a much greater chance of freezing, especially at night. In winter, street animals often live in basements, hallways, and abandoned buildings. This is the only way to survive and not freeze to death.
How cats prepare for cold weather
Cats are not as sensitive to temperature changes as humans, thanks to their fluffy and thick fur coat.
It’s no secret that cats gain several kilograms of excess weight during the winter. In this case, owners do not need to sound the alarm and put their pet on a strict diet.
In this way, the animal prepares itself for winter, and does this on a subconscious level, thanks to genetic memory, when cats still walked on their own and were forced to take care of themselves.
All cats gain several kilograms of excess weight during the winter.
The fur of these creatures also becomes a little thicker and longer in winter and, remarkably, cats practically do not shed in winter.
Another interesting fact is that cats rarely bathe in winter, and this is due to the fact that wet fur is unable to protect them from the cold.
At what temperature can a cat walk outside?
Cats are one of the hardiest animals , and these creatures live on almost all continents, so most of them are perfectly adapted to cold climates.
Most cats tolerate cold climates well.
A cat can safely walk outside, even if the thermometer shows ten to fifteen degrees below zero.
Thick wool and dense undercoat perfectly protect animals from cold and frost and thanks to them the cat almost does not freeze.
Extremely negative temperatures
But don't think that a cat can survive in extreme subzero temperatures. If she stays in the cold for a long time at minus twenty degrees, then this can end disastrously for her: the animal will freeze its paw pads and ears, which are almost devoid of fur.
Most experts claim that cats can survive at temperatures as low as minus thirty-five degrees, but this is not true.
A cat cannot survive in extremely low temperatures!
Unfortunately, not all cats are lucky enough to have a home and loving owners. Homeless animals are forced to survive in the winter, taking refuge in hallways, basements or abandoned houses.
What to do if your cat is cold
If the pet is too carried away by a walk in severe frost, then in order to save the cat from hypothermia, it should be immediately wrapped in a warm terry towel.
If your cat is cold, you need to wrap it in a warm towel.
As a rule, a cold cat will instinctively look for the warmest place in the house, for example, near a radiator or electric fireplace. Many animals can crawl under a warm blanket or blanket.
What you should absolutely not do in this case is bathe your pet. A hot bath will not only not help, but will also cause your pet to freeze even more after it and may even catch a severe cold.
What rocks freeze in winter?
Cats with fluffy coats, for example, Maine Coons, Siberians, Neva Masquerade, Norwegian, feel comfortable in the cold. The same cannot be said about short-haired and hairless breeds, such as:
- Abyssinians;
- Persians;
- Burmese;
- Devon and Cornish Rex;
- sphinxes, bambino.
Purebred couch potatoes are very difficult to tolerate temperature changes.
What temperatures cats can withstand depends not only on external factors and the presence of warm fur and breed. For example, a kitten will freeze very quickly because its thermoregulation is not fully developed. For the same reasons, older pets also freeze. A cat that lives at home all the time and is not used to street life can immediately get frostbite. Short-haired breeds are absolutely not suitable for living outdoors. If the temperature is not so comfortable for him, the cat will immediately get sick and die. The maximum that a purebred pet can afford is to sit on the balcony, wrapped in a warm blanket.
If a hairless or short-haired pet is lost in winter, it will not be able to withstand low temperatures. Therefore, when you happen to see an unfortunate animal on the street, you should not throw it to certain death. We need to help the cat survive.
What cat breeds can't stand the cold?
Oriental cat breeds are extremely heat-loving and will not go outside in the cold.
It is clear that such fluffy cats as Siberian, Maine Coons or Norwegian Forest cats, thanks to their luxurious fur coat, can stay outside for a long time in winter.
But eastern breeds, for example, Abyssinians, Persians or Burmese cats, are extremely heat-loving and for them even five degrees below zero is a good reason not to leave the house.
At what temperature do hairless cats die?
There can be no question of releasing hairless cats in winter! Such exotic pets as “sphinxes” or “bambinos” get very cold and if the animal is outside at sub-zero temperatures, it will certainly die.
Hairless cats should not be allowed outside in winter!
Cold is also poorly tolerated by small kittens, elderly animals, pregnant cats or those suffering from any disease. It is strictly forbidden to let them outside in winter.
In winter, you should be especially careful about your pet and it is advisable to walk him on a leash. After all, if a cat gets lost and cannot find its way home, then it is likely that in severe frost it may die from hypothermia.
At what temperature can a cat walk in winter?
Thanks to the special structure of the coat, the cat walks freely in cold weather without experiencing discomfort. The heat generated by the body remains under the fur coat; thanks to this thermoregulation, these animals survive and are not afraid of low temperatures. However, wet fur loses its ability to retain heat, so it is extremely undesirable for snow to remain on the fur coat, which will then melt and get under the fur.
But a cat has unprotected areas of its body - its paw pads. There are much fewer receptors on them, and if it is minus 15-20 °C outside, the cat runs the risk of frostbite. Therefore, when the thermometer drops below 20 degrees, a pet tries to hide in the house, and stray cats and kittens take refuge in basements.
Does a cat's fur keep her warm?
Sphynx cats definitely get cold, but what about cats with fur? Pets with a dense, well-developed undercoat are most fortunate in terms of insulation. It is designed to retain natural heat, maintaining the animal's normal body temperature for a long time.
But, as in the case of human clothing, such protection does not last forever: if a person, even warmly dressed, after spending some time in the cold, begins to feel cold, the same happens with cats. If we talk about the temperature at which animals begin to freeze, then everything depends not only on the thermometer readings, but also on other factors:
- whether the pet is in motion or sitting still;
- what is the air humidity;
- is there any wind;
- whether the sun is shining or cloudy, etc.
In “dry” frost, cats do not feel the cold longer, and if the pet does not move, it begins to freeze quickly. With increased humidity, the pet freezes even faster. Practically, in this aspect, everything happens the same as in humans, but with one clarification - cats are superior to people in endurance.
Representatives of hairless breeds and breeds without undercoat are less resistant to low temperatures than cats with “shaggy” coats. Streams of cold air quickly penetrate the skin, but the heat is not retained. When such pets freeze, their ears and limbs become cold, even if the walk does not last long and the thermometer shows a temperature of at least -15°C.
But Maine Coons, Siberians and other cats with good coat protection, especially if they are not too pampered, can safely walk even at -25 - -30°C.
What to do if your cat is cold and gets hypothermia?
External signs will help you understand that it’s cold for a cat to be outside - the animal is curled up in a ball, the muscles are tense, the fur fits tightly to the body. Once in a warm room, a frozen pet tries to position itself closer to a heat source - a radiator, stove, fireplace. If the cat is very cold, you need to wrap it in a woolen blanket and place the basket near the radiator. It is prohibited to bathe the animal. Some people think that warm water will warm them up faster, but this is not the case. After bathing, the fur will dry for a long time, and the pet risks freezing even more. And instead of benefiting the animal, it will cause harm. Sometimes a cat cannot withstand such stress and dies.
To save the animal, it is necessary to melt the ice that has frozen the limbs.
If a cat finds itself frozen to the ground, it is necessary to help it free itself, because the animal will not tolerate the cold and will die. It is necessary to make sure that the ice that binds the body melts, but without harming the animal. You can melt an ice trap using warm, but never hot water. While pouring the ice, you need to help the cat free herself at the same time. So that she does not worry and worry, you should talk and stroke the poor thing. If an animal has frostbite in any part of its body, it is necessary to urgently take it to a veterinary clinic, where a doctor will provide first aid.
Other useful tips
A pet that eats high-quality, balanced food will survive sub-zero temperatures much easier. When cold weather sets in, energy costs for heating increase. Therefore, it is recommended to pay attention to the diet, especially for kittens and older cats. In winter, it is necessary to increase the calorie content of the menu, add complete proteins and fats. These substances are found in sufficient quantities in meat and dairy products.
Homeless animals rarely eat healthy food, so it is natural that not all will survive in the cold and severe frosts. Therefore, if abandoned cats live in the yard or nearby, you should try to help them cope with bad weather. You can feed the strays with leftover food or give them inexpensive dry food. Particularly compassionate cat lovers make them a primitive shelter where the animal can hide from snow, wind and severe frost. But if the cat is cold and all the signs of hypothermia are visible, you should not leave it to suffer outside, because the body will not stand it. A rescued animal can become a new member of the family and find caring and loving owners.
Are there freezing cats?
The owners of such pets confidently answer – yes! Of course, pampered animals who only look outside from the window and then with longing, dreaming of the summer sun, freeze more often. In addition, some breeds are naturally thermophilic, especially if their origin is associated with warm regions. Such cats will huddle close to heating devices and ask for a blanket, even when there is no question of cold. Owners of such pets note that in winter their pets sleep more and move much less.
Another factor influencing the “freezing” of cats is their age. Kittens tolerate low temperatures less well due to imperfect thermoregulation mechanisms. A similar phenomenon is observed in elderly animals - their body, alas, no longer works “like a clock.”
In addition, unhealthy cats begin to freeze faster - those suffering from a disease, recovering from an illness or surgery, having a weak immune system or being very thin and lacking body fat.
