I don't have a cat-flap, so the cats are either in or out at night (their choice).

If they are in, and need the toilet, they will jump up on to the bed and mew - so no dangers there.

If I let them out, either in the middle of the night, or before bed - I give them a good 10 minutes or so to do their business and let them back in if they want - but I can't wait forever.

They seem to enjoy going out at night - but obviously if I'm asleep they aren't going to be able to come in.

Do cats really mind the cold.. does their fur give them adequate protection (a bit like it does for arctic creatures)?

They don't seem to mind, so it's never been a problem, but it is getting very bitter outside!

I think a cat flap would be a good idea. then you can rest assured that your pet can come in if he starts to get too cold or wet.
My cat loves to roam at night and it is surprising how much old he will tolerate. he just will not stay inside. But i feel happier to know that he can come and go as he pleases.

Most of our domestic cats have descended from wild species living in warm, dry areas of the world (Africa, Middle East etc) so they're generally not particularly well-suited to cope with damp, cold weather. Domestic cats are not descended from Scottish wild cats so don't have their resilience to cold conditions.

Having said that, cats are also pretty resourceful so can be quite good at finding shelter & warmth. And conditions in the UK are rarely so cold or so wet for prolonged periods that it would be life-threatening to cats (unpleasant, miserable & uncomfortable though).

If you are not able to have a catflap, what about providing some outdoor shelter for them for the times when they don't want to come in when you want them to? Perhaps a small shed with shelves off ground level & with warm blankets, beds, fleeces, cardboard boxes etc? As long as the shed is rainproof & windproof it will provide some temporary relief if the weather is really bad & they can't get back in. You may have to watch that all of the local feline population don't all try to move in though.

How old are your cats, hypnodisc?

I agree with wilhemina. Imagine - would you like to stay outside all night dressed in your outdoor clothing - and with your bare feet in contact with the cold ground? I would say that is what it would be like for a cat, fine for short periods if you keep moving, but miserable for hours on end. Then you're already cold and it starts raining.... do they have shelter from the rain?

If you can't get a catflap, how about keeping them in and giving them a litter tray so they don't bother you to go out in the night.

Our neighbours cat cannot have a cat flap as we are in flats so they let her out when they go out (which seems distressingly to be for longer and longer hours) so when we come home we try to let the cat in, sometimes she is in like a shot and obviously likes to be in the warm hallway other times (like last night) it was littering down with rain and freezing cold but she still chose to stay outside.

Seems some cats just have a mind of their own !

We don't have a cat flap either, but one of us is always on hand to either let our Penny out or let her back in again. She doesn't like it when it's really cold outside and certainly not rain, but if on the odd occasion she won't come back in when called when I go go bed, then I just leave my bedroom window open and she gets back in again that way.

We have a weather proof kennel for Stripe if she decides not to come in at night - plus many sheltered parts of the garden. She has blankets and motor cycle parts in it (Don't ask)

That said, since the cold weather started, she hasn't failed to be in by 10PM.

Caught short, she'll use one of the litter trays. But in the morning she is the first out of the door - which is good as the Crestie dogs can be reluctant but always follow her out.

My Impossible Princess has a cat flap. She likes the cold and the rain but is able to come in when she feels like it.

I've got a cat flap, but mostly (esp if it's chucking it down) my brood will stay in the warm and dry. As we live close to a farm, there is always shelter at hand for them anyway, in the barns and such like; should they decide to linger outdoors. I have one, Turbo, who since being poorly recently has taken a huge dislike of being outside now in the cold.
He'd much prefer to stay upstairs thank you very much, and lollop around on the bed, soaking up the warmth in the room.
I don't mind one bit, if it stops him hunting and making himself rather ill with whatever he's caught, he call lollop around all he likes.

I'm such a worrier about my two kits- I woke up about 5 this morning and the house was really chilly as the heating goes off overnight and I was worried that they would be cold downstairs (I lock the catflap at night at the moment as they haven't been neutered yet- that's next Tuesday so more worry for me.....)

They wll be miaowing a few keys higher

My little boy certainly will!! His sister will just have her stitches to worry about......

They should be fine. Mine was and she had to stay in for two weeks after her ovarian hysterectomy which I couldn't stick to as in no time at all she was using the banisters as a climbing frame, so I had to put her out early.

they normally do the girl puss cats from the side but the boys are laid out and OOH MATRON

Yes the pamphlet from my vets says 10 days but I can't imagine that happening as she loves to go outside. I raised this on a thread a while ago and the general consensus seemed to be that 10 days was the vet being exceptionally cautious and as long as the wound looks like it's healing ok you can let them out sooner.


I keep looking at his little bits when he is having a tummy rub and thinking "those won't be around much longer mate..."

He will look down and think OI who's pinched them

Not necessarily.
My vets have always used a technique whereby they are still 'there', just smaller. My male cat didn't seem to realise anything had happened, he still gives them plenty of attention

Oh I hope that they leave something there! I had two male kittens neutered 23 years ago and although one was killed on the road when he was only 1 the other lived until he was 15 and I can't remember whether he had anything left down there or not! I keep trying to have a look at my neighbour's cat who thinks he lives with us but he is huge and not appreciative of me peering at his nether regions.......The kittens' dad is still hanging around the close (their mum is owned by a neighbour) and he is definitely still all there.....

Well my friend has 3 all been done of course

SBK = Soot Ball Kitty (female)
Joker = KMog (male)
Millicent=Mil (female)

Both SBK & Mil have standard miaows but since Joker had his bits chopped off everytime he miaows I cant help but laugh you got this huge cat with the most feeble miaow

My two neutered male Burmeses both had magnificently macho miaows .

its a good thing cats cant read as Kmog would be upset