Cat outside in freezing temps

[Pyjamageddon]

A neighbour's cat (I don't know which neighbour for sure) spends a lot of time outside even in these freezing temperatures. I'm a bit worried about it as it's only a small thing but it is long haired if that makes a difference? When I come home from work it runs up to me shouting and is ever so friendly, purring its little head off. It was out in minus 3 this afternoon. Last week it was sat outside all day in the pouring rain
Is this ok? Not ok? If not ok, what would you do?

Her not it*

My cat is currently out and has been for past 3 hours!

He has a cat flap so can come in whenever he wants. Bit surprised that he's been out so long in these temps to be honest!

If the cat is shut out and doesn't have a cat flap then that's a different story.

NO, it isn't ok. If I lived near to someone whose cat was out in this cold, I'd take it in and look after it

Cats hate rain, so not a good sign if it was out in the rain ☹️.

Have you got anything that you can put out for it to shelter under? Like a plastic dog kennel?

One of mine loves the cold. It’s snowing and cold here, will be all winter. She’s been outside since around 6am. She usually comes in overnight but not always. She hates being in.

Her brother on the other hand is sitting indoors at 20 degrees, looking at the cold through the cat flap. He goes out for 3 mins and returns.

Both have access 24:7 indoors via microchip cat flap. Just one chooses not to. We tried locking her indoors more the first two winters, but she hated it

I like my cats inside in this weather but do put them out for the toilet etc before bed. The youngest cat is now in her bed asleep and the older one ignoring me calling her. We do have a very enclosed gazebo with cat beds and a cat box etc they can sleep in if they don’t come in. I personally feel it’s a bit cold for my cats to be out overnight though so like them in. Can you put a shelter out with blankets anywhere like a shed for it just in case it can’t get in?

My cats are WHIZZING outside for comfort breaks and coming the same speed back to the couch! It's cold out there and that weather kills things. I would understand a reluctantance to feed but please consider offering shelter if you can?. 🙂

My cats have a cat flap, outdoor kennell, cat flap on shed, as well as full run of the house, yet my neighbour insists encouraging them in hers which is very annoying as l worry where they are, especially this weather.
I would look on ebay at second hand outdoor kennels, or ask neighbour has the cat got any shelter?

My cat is outside in all weathers. I don’t have a litter tray so she goes out for the toilet but likes being outside anyway. She has a cat flap which gives her access to the house (utility room over night which has her bed and food/water in).

My cat has been going out for the same amount of time in this weather as he normally does which is completely his choice. He was out all night last night as usual.
He doesn't have a cat flap or an immediate way of getting back into the house either, but he meows outside the back door when he's ready to come back in, and 99% off the time someone is in to hear him. If everyone is out then I leave the window open for him (also leave open at night).

You've been given some great suggestions here. I just wanted to agree with those posters saying that it definitely depends on the cat. Our cat couldn't care less about the rain and won't return home until he is completely soaked to the bone (and then waits for you to dry him). Anyone catching sight of him would assume he had been left wandering the streets but he hasn't! He doesn't like snow on his feet but as soon as it ices over a bit and he isnt sinking, he is straight back out doing his rounds of the neighbourhood. He doesnt care how cold it is as long as its not windy. If the cat appears well cared for, is purring and not yowling or distressed, its possible that he's just a cat who doesn't care about the weather.

Ask yourself why? @AllThingsServeTheBeam

Because cats are cussed little beings.

One of ours decamped every summer for years. Sometimes she was missing for weeks or months, and we would just find her on the doorstep doing her big beaky yowl at us one evening. ‘Not really a pet cat’, to quote the vet.

That's such a generalisation - it depends on the cat.

I regularly look after a cat who loves the rain - if I try to keep him indoors he shouts at me until he's let out and then disappears for hours!

-2 here and since I posted on this thread earlier our cat has been in and out and in and out and in and out. From about 10pm she is like a yo-yo, but she will be locked in for the night very shortly.

I have no idea why. Because he's a cat? What exactly are you implying?

Please don't. Ffs.

My little guy was out at his own insistence yesterday from his usual 6am start until about 7pm, when he bounded in and demanded chicken. And beef. And Dreamies. And Lick-e-Lix. Despite my entreaties he refused to come in any earlier.

i fully expect that the snow he will wake up to in a few hours will further inspire my little panther to grand wintry adventures, followed by a big evening feast and lots of warm cuddles.

I have 2 cats ( boys) and they are totally adored and we count them as family 🐈‍⬛, however one is in at the moment sleeping and the other who is older is out and won’t be back till at least 7 am but if he comes back early we have a cat house outside with blankets in that he will happily go in .

Some cats are night owls who like to go out and hunt mice and rats and I know this because my cat regularly brings back a dead rat or two and leaves it on my doorstep..
So I wouldn’t worry too much about outdoor cats in bad weather unless they look skinny and in poor health.

Some are fine with the very cold temperatures, some are not, just like people. However unlike people they do have fur and the ability to tuck all their legs and tail under so keeping themselves warmer than we can.

One of ours that has now sadly passed loved the cold and was often out on the doormat. Another hated it and was always closest to heaters! He was the longest haired, too! My young kitty was out this evening at -1 for quite some time, but he was hunting and brought back 3 mice, so I think the cold wasn't on his mind!

Mine is a litter refuser, he's just been going to do his business in the garden then straight back in. I wait for him at the door 🤣. Some cats do want to go outside in all weathers.

Are you my neighbour? Don't touch my cat! He is fine has a cat flap and will either be hugging the radiator or rolling about on an ice patch. He is long haired and has done this his whole 13 years of life. We call him in and get ignored as he sleeps in a frozen hedge, he might spend all day asleep in his bed cozied up or spend the whole sub zero day greeting people as they walk by. So sick of people thinking that someone else's way of living and doing things if it's even a tiny bit different to theirs is wrong. Stop being a busy body and mind your own business ffs. And for the idiot who "takes in cats in the cold" you are a prime example. Basically stealing peoples pets because your own personal opinion gives you a false sense of propriety over others.

Alrighty then.

We have a similar cat in my area she was out in it on Saturday morning. I opened my shed so she could go inside that. I have 2 indoor cats what she's always arguing with at the window.
Saw her yesterday on front of the house can tell she doesn't like walking on the ice and she was sitting where a car had been be parked before it snowed.
Sheds still open for her if she can't get indoors.

Sal

I'm reassured by a lot of you that as this cat looks healthy and well looked after, that it might actually not mind the cold. Thanks to those of you with helpful answers. And to fifteenohfour no I'm not your neighbour thankfully. I'm not a busy body either. Just someone checking on an anonymous Internet forum about an animal's welfare and there's nothing wrong with that. Your post is such an over the top response.