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SHOULD CATS BE PUT OUT FOR THE NIGHT DURING WINTER MONTHS ?

First broadcast on www.provet.co.uk  


This information is provided by Provet for educational purposes only.

You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Although cats and dogs are well protected by a thick coat of hair, they still need protection from extreme weather conditions

Most cats and dogs are well insulated by a thick coat of hair. If your pet goes outside all year round you may notice that the coat appears to become thicker during the winter months. The hair coat traps air which provides a protective layer insulating the skin from surrounding environmental temperatures. Other properties of the skin (including secretions and subcutaneous fat) also provide insulation against cold weather. 

The ability of an animal to survive extreme temperatures depends upon it's physical and nutritional status. Some animals are particularly well adapted to surviving in extreme weather conditions, as this photograph of a snow-covered, sleeping sled dog demonstrates :

Photograph Courtesy of Hill's Pet Nutrition

However, under certain circumstances this protection is reduced. For example, if the coat gets soaked - such as would happen if the animal fell into water or got caught in torrential rain. In addition, strong winds can separate the hairs of the coat, exposing the underlying skin. The wind-chill effect is extremely important when considering whether or not to keep your pet indoors during cold weather. 

Animals without much hair (such as the Chinese Crested Dog, or the Mexican Hairless Dog), with thin hair and short coats (such as some Siamese cats, Dachshunds, or Chihuahuas) or with certain diseases, eg hypothyroidism, are more susceptible to the cold than others. Such animals should be provided with artificial man-made coats or other protection if they are to be exposed to very cold weather.

The ability of your pets hair coat to protect them will depend upon several factors including the length of the hairs, and it's general condition. A pet that is well covered with hair on it's body may have thinner hair on it's extremities - such as the ear tips and tail, and frostbite does occur at these sites in animals exposed to extremely low temperatures. True hypothermia is rare in cats or dogs, but it can occur if your pet is left outside without shelter and it is directly exposed to very low temperatures. In such conditions it can not maintain body heat and it's body temperature will fall to 24o C (75oF) or less, at which point normal physiological processes will be irreversibly decreased.

When they occur, both frostbite and hypothermia are very serious conditions which require careful medical management by your veterinarian.

It is common practice in some countries to "put the cat out for the night". So is this a good thing to do ? Well, cats are quite active at night, they have relatively good night vision and enjoy hunting at night, so it is not cruel to put them outside. As the residents of many a neighbourhood know, cats often encounter each other and fight over their territories during the hours of darkness, and queens on heat encourage the attentions and calling of entire males from miles around. Elderly cats can have a tough time if they are being forced to defend their territory from younger, aggressive cats every night, so perhaps they should be kept indoors.

When they are not active cats will find a protected, usually quiet, dark and warm place to sleep. If you live in a country in which environmental temperatures fall only moderately your pet will be fine if it is put out for night, providing shelter is available if it needs it. However, if you live in an environment in which extremely low temperatures are encountered during the winter - you should provide protection and warmth and keep your pet indoors, or in a purpose-built protective shelter outside.

 

Updated October 2013