Cat outside at night in winter - How to protect your cat from the winter cold

Cat outside at night in winter - How to protect your cat from the cold?

You worry about your cat outside at night in winter and want to know how to protect it from the cold ? Indeed, despite all your efforts, your cat does not come home in the evening and spends all night outside despite the winter ...

Here are my tips to prevent your cat from getting sick or freezing to death when he spends the night outside in the middle of winter.

Cat outside at night in winter - Why?

Some cats do not like to come home at night because they have kept their nocturnal predatory instinct. Indeed, they like to stay outside at night to hunt but also to explore or, depending on the season, to mate. They appreciate the darkness of the night because they can easily see and locate in the dark. And whether in summer or winter, some cats stay outside all night despite the cold. But after wandering or hunting, they end up falling asleep outside, which is risky if the temperatures are very low.

Can a cat stay outside at night in winter?

The greatest danger to a cat that stays outside at night in winter is the cold. Of course, his coat is suitable and will protect him. But at night in winter, when the cold is intense, if there is wind, it rains or snows, there is a danger to the life of the cat: A cat can freeze to death.

But the risk is not the same for all cats. Stray cats, for example, survive freezing winter nights when an indoor cat would not. It all depends on the cat's lifestyle (outdoor or indoor cat), his age, his physical activity, his weight and of course his health.

It is therefore not recommended to let your cat sleep outside at night in winter.. However, some cats do not come home at night and do not answer your calls.

Prevent a cat from staying outside at night in winter

It's hard to get a cat in when it doesn't want to. For my part, I have experimented with 2 effective solutions to prevent a cat from staying outside at night in winter:

  • Get him used to coming home at night;
  • Allow him to come home on his own at night.

Teach your cat to come home at night

Because my little Mistee loved sleeping in the summer, I quickly understood that these bad habits had to be changed before winter. In the fall, I changed his eating habits. I took away the kibble dispenser, I only gave him food in the morning and evening and nothing else between his 2 meals. So my little cat had to come home to eat and got used to coming home at around the same time every night.

And so, as soon as it started to get cold and she came home to eat, I wouldn't let her go out. I thus avoided that she stays outside at night in winter!

Allow your cat to come home alone at night

My Mistee was used to coming home in the evening to eat, but what should I do when I myself was not at home in the evening or at night? Here is the solution to allow your cat to come home alone at night: Install a cat flap!

Cat flap to prevent your cat from staying outside at night in winter

Thus, even if you are not there to bring your cat in, if he feels that he is hungry or that it is too cold, he can come home on his own to get warm!

Protect your cat who sleeps outside

If despite everything, your cat tends to stay outside at night, even in winter, you will need to protect him from the cold. For this, you will need to provide some equipment that is essential to its survival.

Cat house sleeping outside

So that your cat can take refuge in a place sheltered from the cold, install a warm kennel where it will easily access. Choose a place sheltered from the wind and rain to place this niche (terrace, balcony, roof overhang, etc.).

However, you will have to gradually get your cat used to entering it by giving him a pillow, his favorite toy and some treats.

kennel for cats that stay outside at night

Cat basket sleeping outside

To keep your cat warm in its kennel, consider equipping it with an enveloping and very cozy basket:

Cat basket that sleeps outside at night in winter

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