The question should not sound less interesting, even if the answer may appear as obvious: a cat that has the chance to go out should be let unlocked. Yet the freezing temperatures may bring forward some sorts of risks, and it would be wise to take some measures to keep your cat alive and kicking.
The animals are
naturally equipped to resist the cold: the fur is a barrier that retains body
heat and repels water. Thus, even without clothing, the animal is able to face
the winter. Moreover, the density of the coat evolves during the year: denser
in winter, there is a fall of hair after the beautiful days.
This adaptation
is also done during the life of the animal: a cat that lives indoors for
example does not undergo this annual cycle, and loses its hair all year round.
The body is able to get used to the rhythm of life of the animal, and the one
that is subjected to harsher temperatures will have a hair more dense and will
withstand the cold better.
Moreover, the cat
knows how to protect himself from the cold by finding shelters: he chooses
often resting places which are isolated. He will have no hesitation in staying
home if he does not judge the weather to his liking: the cat is often seen
spending more time indoors in the winter. It is therefore rare to observe
lesions due to cold in a cat with a family.
Does my cat like
to stay warm and fear the cold?
So the animal is
naturally adapted to the cold, and the cat tends to select the environment that
seems to him the most comfortable. He will therefore be able to regulate
himself in relation to his sensitivity to bad conditions. Moreover, as an
independent animal, its ethological needs often correspond to a certain freedom
of movement. So a cat accustomed to going out will suffer more from the lack of
activity than the cold if it comes to be locked up.
The simplest is
to offer the cat different rest areas inside and outside. The cat will select
according to his needs those that suits him, and this may change during the
seasons: a small shelter or a niche not far from the entrance will allow the
cat to wait for the opening of the door to the door. free from drafts. Feel
free to give him free access to these areas, so he is sure to find different
shelters when needed. The cat flap is the most convenient for him, assuring him
total independence.
In the end, as a
ritualised animal that does not appreciate change, it is best to offer him what
he used to know during his lifetime: an outdoor cat will suffer from lack of
activity indoors , and conversely, the indoor cat will not tend to demand
passages outside and may even be chilly or frightened if it opens the door.
Does staying
outside in winter present risks for my cat's health?
The cat is not
especially sensitive to a particular disease during the winter. Like us, it has
a weaker immune system with the cold and it is a riskier time for infectious
diseases, but there are no particular diseases that are specific to this
season. In terms of the measures to be taken, unlike dogs, it is not possible
to directly protect the cat against the cold with a garment. It may not tolerate
the presence of the mantle.
Beware of the
return of winter for fleas, there is frequently a peak infestation around
October / November, at the end of the active period of fleas. For cats treated
during the summer, it is advisable to extend the preventive treatment until the
end of autumn and the beginning of the cold weather.
If frostbite
appears, it is possible to cover them with petroleum jelly, which forms an
insulating barrier against frost (to be used especially for pads in very cold
weather, and risk of frost). In practice, this type of lesion is rare, typical
of extreme cases.
Do not hesitate
to increase the ration of an animal that spends a lot of time outdoors: fighting
against the cold requires energy, and additional calorie intake is necessary.
The cat gets its energy from the proteins and lipids that make up 90% of its
needs, so you have to increase the total ration, taking care not to unbalance
it. However, be careful not to give more to the cautious cat that will spend
more time indoors, it's even the opposite: having less activity, it can gain
weight during the winter ...