What you need to know

Do Cats Feel the Cold?

Josie F. Turner
By Josie F. Turner, Journalist specialized in Animal Welfare. Updated: September 1, 2024
Do Cats Feel the Cold?
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When us humans are cold, there are several options we can take in order to raise our temperature or our environment's. However, have you ever wondered what happens to your pet when they reach low temperatures? Cats, unlike other furry animals, do not have such a thick coat or double layer, like dogs do, for example.

Do cats feel the cold? This question, as well as some other queries, will be answered in this AnimalWised article. We want to inform you on how to make your cat feel warmer and at ease when the cold weather begins and temperatures drop.

You may also be interested in: At What Age Do Cats Calm Down?
Contents
  1. Cats are more sensitive to temperature changes
  2. How to prevent your cat from feeling cold
  3. Can cats catch a cold?

Cats are more sensitive to temperature changes

The first thing to bear in mind is that cats are more sensitive to temperature changes than us, especially if they are used to living only indoors. They moult during autumn to prepare them better for the winter, so they can withstand contact with surfaces up to 50 ° C. However, cats feel the cold equally or even more than us. In particular, must take special care with:

  • Breeds with little or no hair: Some breeds of cats such as the Ukrainian Levkoy, peterbald, sphynx or Siamese cat, that almost have no or very little hair, are likely to feel cold and therefore must be kept an eye on more in winter. We must provide them with extra protection against the cold.
  • Sick cats: Like humans, cats suffering illness often have low defences and are more likely to catch a cold with low temperatures.
  • Small and older cats: Kittens or young cats do not have entirely developed immune systems. Older cats over 7 years old have weakened immune systems. Therefore, their defences are also lower and they are more susceptible to disease when there temperature changes.
Do Cats Feel the Cold? - Cats are more sensitive to temperature changes

How to prevent your cat from feeling cold

  1. Although it is obvious, an adequate and balanced diet will improve your cat's health and strengthen their defences against the cold. But you must keep in mind that during the winter, cats often exercise less and are generally less active than in other seasons. If they are always in the house, you must not provide extra food and no food supplement because they do not burn it off. They may come to suffer problems resulting in feline obesity. However, if your cat tends to wander away from home or lives outside, it is better to make their portions larger for an extra energy boost when you feed them - in order to maintain their body temperature.
  2. A good way of preventing your cat from getting a cold when you're at home is to close the windows, turn on the heating or radiators and keep the atmosphere warm and comfortable both for them and us. You can also open the curtains or blinds to let the sunlight in from the outside, so that your cat can lie down and warm up in the light.
  3. If you are not at home, it is advisable not to leave any radiators or heating on to avoid domestic accidents. But, you can prepare several strategic places for your cat to shelter when you're out. Place lots of blankets and a bed with hot water bottles in several areas of your home, especially if your pet has little or no hair. In this case you can also provide special clothes for cats.
  4. Whether you're home or not, apart from leaving several blankets available for your cat to shelter from the cold, you can also put blankets or quilts on your bed and sofa, so your cat is insulated and can withstand the low temperatures better.
Do Cats Feel the Cold? - How to prevent your cat from feeling cold

Can cats catch a cold?

To confirm that cats can feel the cold is if they have a cold! Like humans and many other animals, cats can also catch colds and suffer many symptoms similar to those that we have, such as:

  • Producing more mucus than normal through the nose
  • Having red and / or watery eyes
  • Sneezing more than usual
  • Feel listless and indolent

In these cases, it is necessary to go as soon as possible to a good vet to examine your pet and determine the proper treatment you should give them before they get worse. You can also take advantage of some home remedies for cats with colds.

We hope you found this article informative. If so, you may be interested in our article on do cats sleep more in winter?

If you want to read similar articles to Do Cats Feel the Cold?, we recommend you visit our What you need to know category.

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1 comment
breanna
Whats the average temperature for hairless cats (like a peterbald cat) during winter, spring, summer, and fall? Doing a research and i can't find anything. Thanks for your help.
Administrador AnimalWised
Hi Breanna

Thank you for your comment- throughout the year it is suggested the temperature of your house should be placed at around 20 to 25 °C (68 to 77 ºF) for a hairless cat, as they suffer from the cold more than other cats.

We hope this answers your question, if you have anymore questions please feel free to ask us here at AnimalWised
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Do Cats Feel the Cold?