Catching a cold from getting wet?

[MEgirl]

So our little devil likes to be outside, whatever the weather. He's come home several times soaked to the bone. Our previous cat rarely went out in the rain, enough to use the flower bed then come back inside.

Is it possible for a cat to catch a cold or get sick from getting so wet? I usually towel him down when he comes in. Today he seems to be unwell though it may not be from getting wet.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Well I've never seen it happening. Do other animals get cold or is it just us?.

[cozietoesie]

I've never known it. Cats are usually sensible enough to find shelter in weather which is bad for them - and if he can come in at will.......?

What sort of 'unwell' is he?

[MEgirl]

He's been either very quiet or mewing like a toddler. Different to his usual meowing. He spent all morning on the sofa instead of outside. Went outside for a couple of hours and then back to the sofa. He also burrowed himself in to a blanket which he only seems to do if he's not quite himself.

[cozietoesie]

Hmm. Owner instinct that a cat's behaviour is very different is usually quite telling. See how he gets on overnight ? Does he sleep with you?

[MEgirl]

Yes he does. I'll carry him upstairs otherwise he'll stay on the sofa all night. I'm hoping that he'll be better by the morning otherwise we'll be off to the vet tomorrow.

[cozietoesie]

I was half wondering that myself.

Good luck to him and let us know how he gets on.

[cozietoesie]

I think partly because going out several times and being soaked to the skin is a tad obsessive - makes you wonder whether he feels the need to patrol? (My outside going boys have, if soaked, tended to have a real thorough wash and then settle for a good snooze.)

Has he got a Nemesis outside at all?

[MEgirl]

I haven't got a clue where he goes. I've only seen one other cat on one occasion. Said cat used to ome around a lot when we had our previous (female) cat but hasn't been seen for months up until a couple of weeks ago.

Sometimes when I call him he is sitting under a bush at the end of the garden and he comes running. Other times he is either ignoring me or is out of earshot. I know he ranges in all directions as we often find him out the front of the house even though he exits through the back. He has to go out of the gate alongside our neighbour's house unless he has learnt to jump over our gate. Something I haven't yet witnessed him doing. One day I saw him trotting across the road out the front on his way back home. I don't know how far he goes. I'm seriously considering getting a GPS tracker for him.

Most days he is like a yoyo. Over the weekend when the weather was nice and the windows were open he would go out the front window, re-appear a while later through the back door for a few biscuits then back out the front window. Today he only went out the back because it was raining and no window was open.

Keeping fingers crossed that he will sleep it off, whatever "it" may be.

[cozietoesie]

How is he this morning?

[MEgirl]

Thanksfully he seems to be more or less back to normal. He hid under the bed this morning but came downstairs when I did. Asked for breakie then wanted some attention. I had to go out and he was outside when I got back. He came back a while later announcing himself loudly which is what he usually does. He didn't do that at all yesterday which is why I think he is okay now. He's currently lying on the sofa next to me cleaning himself, another thing he didn't do yesterday.

[cozietoesie]

Good.

Maybe he had a little collywobble but it sounds as if, if so, he's got over it.

[MEgirl]

I love that word. Never heard it before. I did wonder whether he might have a UTI. Many years ago we had a cat who used to bladder problems. He eventually disappeared. I suppose he went off to die somewhere alone.

I just grateful that he seems fine this morning, not that I won't keep an eye on him.

[cozietoesie]

It might take him a day or two to recover entirely, if he wasn't well. The usual TLC, I guess.

[MEgirl]

Of course, nothing else will do