# Cats and cold weather **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 6, 2002, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-cold-weather/140857 "2002-12-06T04:36:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-cold-weather/140857/21 "2002-12-06T12:37:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Desmostylus \* > I’m not trying to start an argument. Neither am I. I’m just linguisticly curious. However, in Swedish we just refer to any lynx as a lynx, unless we need to specify. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-cold-weather/140857/22 "2002-12-06T12:42:16Z")
Ah, there’s the answer. Just differences in common names. I didn’t look at your location, and wouldn’t have known about Swedish common names anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Yeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/dbc845/32.png) [@Yeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeah)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-cold-weather/140857/23 "2002-12-06T12:47:56Z")
Cats are clearly flexible creatures. I have Javanese cat, with the characteristic kinked tail and all, born to a semiferal mother in Java. He never experienced a temperature lower than about 20 C the first three years of his life. But now that he lives in the States, he insists on going outside in the morning even when the temperature is below freezing and stays out (and I mean out, not in or under a car) for an hour or so. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-cold-weather/140857/24 "2002-12-06T15:33:43Z")
Story 1: when I was in college, a professor accidentally drove all the way home with a kitten on his engine. The kitten was located by its frenzied meowing and retrieved unharmed from under the hood. Kitten was named “Milagro” (Miracle) and found a happy home with the driver. Story 2: My family had a cat that, in his later years got very itchy skin from being indoors too much (he had always been an indoor/outdor cat). He would rip hunks of fur out… it was awful, poor thing. Tried Cortisone shots and special baths to no avail. One year we made a box for him in the shed (out of the wind and with some blankies for warmth) and he lived out the whole year. We provided food, clean water and petting visits. He did fine and grew a lovely healthy fur coat. He did have the whole fall to become acclimated. ---
**Author:** ![zwaldd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a9adbd/32.png) [@zwaldd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwaldd)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-cold-weather/140857/25 "2002-12-06T16:25:35Z")
Regarding fur insulation: If you’ve ever had a cat that had to be clipped for any reason, you can feel how good the insulation is. The skin where the cat is clipped will be very warm - what would feel like a fever on a human - but when you feel the fur nearby, it’s very cool in comparison. Not much heat gets through that coat. A few years ago, my cat found his way up on the roof of my three story apartment building, made his way to where my door is, and meowed from above. He couldn’t get in though, since he was still on the roof and either couldn’t remember how to get down, or just couldn’t resolve the whole ‘I’m near the door, why can’t I get in’ issue. Meanwhile, the temperature dropped below freezing and my cat still didn’t get down - he just meowed periodically from the roof all night. Whenever I went out to try to coax him down, he’d just roll his head on the roof like he was happy to see me and just stayed up there. Spent the entire night exposed on the roof in below freezing weather. In the morning when I was leaving for work, he was still up there, but as I was driving off, I saw that he’d found the access tree and was finally making his way down. Since then I haven’t worried about his ability to handle the coldest weather Austin has to throw at him. ---
**Author:** ![Siemsi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@Siemsi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siemsi)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-cold-weather/140857/26 "2002-12-06T16:44:53Z")
My tortie, CJ (a/k/a Ms. Eeeeevil kitty) loves to go outside any time of year. She will whine and moan and howl until someone lets her on the screened in back porch, or takes her out for a harnessed walk. Strange little creature. Then 30 seconds later she wants to come inside… That’s my life…Let the cat in…let the cat out…Let the cat in…let the cat out…Let the cat in…let the cat out…Let the cat in…let the cat out…Let the cat in…let the cat out…Let the cat in…let the cat out…Let the cat in…let the cat out…Let the cat in…let the cat out…Let the cat in…let the cat out… ---
**Author:** ![Siemsi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@Siemsi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siemsi)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-cold-weather/140857/27 "2002-12-06T16:49:37Z")
Oops!:smack: My point…CJ Evil Kitty loves to go out no matter how freaking hot or cold (last night it was around 15 degrees Farenheit in Cinti). Her fur seems to change with the seasons…I do think it is because we let her our (monitored and harnessed of course) during the year. Her fur is nice and thick like a mink coat right now. Pretty little beast. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![evilhanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba8739/32.png) [@evilhanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhanz)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-cold-weather/140857/28 "2002-12-06T17:19:08Z")
I once heard a wildlife photographer remark that cats are the most adaptable mammals, right behind humans. Of course, extended periods of time in extreme cold weather can result in frostbitten ears, tails, and paws or hypothermia. Despite their fur, which undoubtedly keeps them quite comfortable in average winter conditions, their cold weather responses are the same as for humans. The Mount Washington Obsevatory in New Hampshire has been the home of many cats who live their life on the summit and will venture out in all but the absolute worst conditions. Here’s a page on the current [Resident Cats](http://www.mountwashington.org/photos/cats/). In my favorite photo, Inga the cat has collected rime ice on her fur. ---
**Author:** ![Siemsi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@Siemsi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siemsi)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-cold-weather/140857/29 "2002-12-06T17:50:16Z")
evilhanz, Love the link! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Tia3child](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/54ee81/32.png) [@Tia3child](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tia3child)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-cold-weather/140857/30 "2002-12-06T18:40:04Z")
I know that it is unwise to ever try to tame a wild animal, but is it possible to ever domesticate either a Bobcat or a Lynx. Would be something like we’ve done to the local wolves in the area who aren’t afraid of humans anymore or would they actually become house pets. I’m sure its not a good idea but I’m sure somoe one who knows someone who heard a story about this from someone else might have some input on it. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-cold-weather/140857/31 "2002-12-06T19:08:52Z")
just to clarify further the lynx/bobcat distinction: > [@](#): > > This felid [the bobcat (lynx rufus) is closely related to the lynx; however, **it is half its size.** The bobcat can be distinguished from the lynx by the **markings on its tail;** whereas the lynx has a black tip to its tail that goes completely around its tail, the bobcat’s had a white underside with the coloration and markings on the top half. \*\*Bobcats also lack the hair on the soles of their feet that lynxes have. The tufts on the ends of their ears tend to be smaller, and their ruff not as prominent. \*\* [http://www.lioncrusher.com/animal.asp?animal=41](http://www.lioncrusher.com/animal.asp?animal=41) so, clearly more of an actual difference than, say, mountain lion/cougar/etc. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-cold-weather/140857/32 "2002-12-06T19:14:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tia3child \* > \*\*I know that it is unwise to ever try to tame a wild animal, but is it possible to ever domesticate either a Bobcat or a Lynx. Would be something like we’ve done to the local wolves in the area who aren’t afraid of humans anymore or would they actually become house pets. I’m sure its not a good idea but I’m sure somoe one who knows someone who heard a story about this from someone else might have some input on it. \*\* I sure wouldn’t want to try it. Admittedly, we’ve been domesticating cats for thousands of years from Egypt and whatnot, but something that big? I think that if you were to, you’d basically have to be like a zoo or one of those places that’ll train animals for movies and such. You could have a shot if you were to raise a bobcat kitten (they really are cute at that age), took good care of it, had lots of room for it to do it’s thing in, and still realized that it’s more wild than your average housecat. The problem is, the people who tend to think it’d be a good idea have _no_ idea what they’re getting into; no training, no space, no time, nothing. You could probably “tame” a bobcat the same way you can “tame” a feral cat, with lots of food and water. However, it’d still be a full-grown wild animal and I would prefer not having a bobcat hanging around. Coyotes are bad enough when it comes to housepets being eaten and whatnot. Honestly, I’d rather run into a mountain lion when hiking where I know that, if need be, I can try and scare it off than try to give one food and encourage it to hang around people. I think the potential for tragedy is much greater that way. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2002, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-cold-weather/140857/33 "2002-12-07T05:20:32Z")
I’d imagine that it’s a lot tougher to tame a bobcat than a feral domestic cat, considering that their evolution split off 9 million years ago, at the same time that lions, tigers and leopads split off from domestic cats–lynxes are more closely related to lions, tigers and leopards than to domestic cats. (_The Character of Cats_, Stephen Budiansky) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-cold-weather/140857.md?page=1)