Do you let your cats out in the snow?

[Pillypolly]

My cats seems to love the snow and spent most of today chasing snowflakes. I do worry it’s a bit cold for them or do you let your decide for themselves? They have full access to come inside if they want.

Posted this on another thread, so apologies to thise who have already seen it, but it seems appropriate here too.
Yes, ours go out when they want. Not sure Lenny was impressed with the snow though.

I have 2, aged 17 and 18. The 18 year old goes out, digs little holes, peers into them, fills them in again, and comes back indoors. The 17 year old - it’s business as usual - she still has to patrol the street and persuade passers-by that she is starving and needs fuss. The sheer size of the animal evidences that she is not starving, but she does get fusses.

It has never occurred to me to try to keep them in - they can let themselves in if they don’t want to be out, and they both have important things to do out there. They do come in at night.

Mine will go out and about in snow for a while but he's very much a heat junkie and will sit as close to the fire as he can without actually being in the fire 😆😊

Ours loved it till he started to get old, then he’d spend a long time with his head partway out the cat flap weighing the situation up before nipping out for a wee or poo and scurrying back in.

There is little to match the joy of a cat who enjoys the snow... 😍 Our ginger boy was an absolute snow leopard, he'd race around and cavort and play until he was exhausted, like a kid... He particularly enjoyed the novelty of peeing on the frozen pond... 🙄

But his black Lady Queen Sister hated it, and my DH would have to dig a path for her to tiptoe out for five minutes so she could hate it close-up then run back to the house in high dudgeon.

God, I miss them both so much! ❤️

First time our giant cat saw it his eyes turned to saucers and he turned his back on it. Then found him in a wardrobe. However he will go out in the rain and the other evening he met my brother at the gate. Suspect though he had heard him and gone out of the cat flap to greet him and get a lap for an hour or so.

Mine can go out if they wish but both have decided that’s it’s far too cold and want to hunker down inside!

DCat sister doesn’t go out between September and April anyway, as it’s too cold!

DCat brother used to go out quite a bit in the daytime. Now, officially he’s old (aged 10), he only goes out to do his business. Yesterday, he went out and flicked his paws about every time, they touched the ground - he got about two feet from the French doors, and was straight back, scrabbling frantically at the glass, to be let in again!

I keep them in between dusk and breakfast.

I beg to differ about them being stupid, but I do still allow them to come and go as they please!!

I had a super smart wee black cat who couldn't be bought or manipulated with treats or food, would rarely go out, and never in the snow, but she was a rare one. All my others have been lovely wee idiots, I wouldn't be without them though!

Yes, most of them love it and if they get too cold, they come in. One of mine was a real snow fan and we had quite deep snow one year, I watched him leaping through it like an antelope!

Here's a handy hint - if your cat loves dashing about in the snow, try filming them on the slo-mo on your phone... it's like a nature documentary! 😄 And fascinating to see how they move...

When I had my cat I used to leave him free to decide. He had a cat flap so could easily make his own choice.

However, he viewed anything that made him wet (including snow) with great disdain! 🙄 He usually shot back in again as quickly as possible after doing his business, especially as he grew old.

I found it best to provide a litter tray indoors for winter weather so that he didn't have to go out in it if he didn't want to. As he got very old he became pretty much an indoor cat whereas as a youngster he had loved being out and about whatever the weather.

mine has been going out for essential reasons like the toilet but other than that she usually just stays in herself.

I find it hilarious watching mine hop around 😂

A relatives cat slipped off an icy fence, landed on her neck and died instantly. She was a healthy, middle ish aged cat.

She's got the choice. If she asks to go out, I open the door.

When she was little she used to love a short play in the snow then a cuddle to warm her up.

She's 12 now and although she still tells me to open the door, she just stands in the doorway for a minute before giving me a filthy look and storming upstairs like I personally went out and put the snow there just to ruin her day.

They go out & come in whenever they want. They'll soon be in if it's too cold or wet

Ours take one footstep outside and then say ‘feck this I’ll give it a miss’.

It's the blame, isn't it?! 'How could you?!' They definitely take it personally, and it's all you stoopit hoomin's fault! 😄❄️

As you already know, cats do what they like.

The old cat never goes out but strangely enough she did go out for a sniff around the garden yesterday evening. Its such a rare occurrence I had to look twice to believe it.
The three year old does what she wants, she's go insane if I locked the cat flap.

We usually have snow on the ground December to March and my cats almost never go out during that time. They mostly just fight for the spot nearest the woodstove.

Obviously will make sure that in at night but otherwise, yes will let her go out, she will pop up at the patio doors or front door to let in I trust when ready and isn’t usually out for that long before coming in again to make herself comfortable on the bed (ground floor small flat here) 😂

Me too. With every step, one if mine lifts up his leg and does an annoyed little shake to get the snow off. It's so fun to watch!

Mine can go out whenever they want. I trust them to decide if they're too cold.

Yup. Snow, rain, high winds... all my fault.

Funny how I never get thanked for good weather...