NFT - Outdoor pets in the winter... a question

[Mephistopheles Janx]

Winter is coming... and I've never had an outdoor pet before.

Some of you might remember that we recently moved to the area around KC and are now living on acres. About a week after we moved in we had a black kitten show up that has adopted us and we care about a lot. He has been an outdoor cat this whole time but with this cold weather around the corner I have some concerns.

I built a little house for him that sits on our porch and is in a spot where rain and snow cannot get to it but I still have concerns that it will still be too cold for him out there. The house I built him has styrofoam insulation on both the walls, the rear, and two panels under the flooring.

Here is the house for context:



The other option I am considering is placing his house in the shop and just closing the door on him overnight and letting him back out in the morning. Not my favorite idea as I don't want to have to keep a litter box anywhere.

Have any of you kept a cat outdoors during the winter in Missouri or somewhere that gets equally cold and have thoughts on this?

TIA

[Mephistopheles Janx]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Sorry wasn't talking about you specifically, but the people who either call the cops or shame people on facebook or something because their dog is outside when it's cold.

Ah... gotcha. My mom has a Husky and had the cops called because the dog was outside in deep snow all day. She showed the cop that the dog had no interest in being inside by leading him in by his leash, unclipping it, and watching him run back out and dive into the snow.

Dumb people.

[BigBeauford]

Originally Posted by BWillie

It's amazing how we think animals need our help to survive in the outdoors. It's kind of arrogant.

Then why the **** would someone keep a pet if this is their attitude about it?

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by BigBeauford

Then why the **** would someone keep a pet if this is their attitude about it?

For companionship?

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by BWillie

For companionship?

My cats don't go outside because people are ****ing assholes and will run them over.

[Iowanian]

I cut an entrance into an old igloo cooler and threw some carpet in it and have the opening facing the house.

Farm cats are tough....you don't need to do anything imo.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by BWillie

It's amazing how we think animals need our help to survive in the outdoors. It's kind of arrogant.

I have boxers and they don't do well in temperature extremes. For the cold, they have short hair and so if we walk in the cold, I put them in a coat. In summer when it gets hot, they have short snouts that don't dissipate heat like other dogs. Therefore, they are best suited for indoors.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Sorry wasn't talking about you specifically, but the people who either call the cops or shame people on facebook or something because their dog is outside when it's cold.

The people that piss me off are the ones that get a dog and then leave it outside all the time. It doesn't get attention and walks, etc. I had a neighbor that did that. This poor dog was frustrated. And since she was frustrated, she barked constantly, which drove us nuts. That is being a bad pet owner, IMO.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by MephistophelesJanx

Ah... gotcha. My mom has a Husky and had the cops called because the dog was outside in deep snow all day. She showed the cop that the dog had no interest in being inside by leading him in by his leash, unclipping it, and watching him run back out and dive into the snow.

Dumb people.

Huskies are snow dogs by nature. They love to be outdoors in the cold.

[J Diddy]

I’m not sure that cat house was built to code.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by Lzen

The people that piss me off are the ones that get a dog and then leave it outside all the time. It doesn't get attention and walks, etc. I had a neighbor that did that. This poor dog was frustrated. And since she was frustrated, she barked constantly, which drove us nuts. That is being a bad pet owner, IMO.

Agreed. But you can keep your dog outside and still be active with it on walks, journeys and just playing around with the dog in the yard.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Lzen

The people that piss me off are the ones that get a dog and then leave it outside all the time. It doesn't get attention and walks, etc. I had a neighbor that did that. This poor dog was frustrated. And since she was frustrated, she barked constantly, which drove us nuts. That is being a bad pet owner, IMO.

They're ****ing everywhere, and I have no idea how their own barking dog doesn't annoy the shit out of them.... or maybe it's slightly less shittier than the dog constantly barking inside, in which case, just get rid of the damn thing.

I can't think of a place I've lived... ever... where there wasn't a moron who left their dog outside to bark and bark and bark.... including 3/4 of an acre on the edge of KC with only two neighbors. One had a dog that would be left outside for hours at a time.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by BWillie

I've never understood this crazed culture that freaks out when they see a dog outside in cold weather. It's a ****ing wolf. What did dogs and wolves do before we have nice houses? Plenty of wild dogs and wild feral barn cats that make due. If I had a dog, it would be strictly an outdoor animal. Dogs smell and destroy houses. But seem to make great pets and good hunting animals. Dogs used to be either an indoor or outdoor pet, but in the last quarter of the century they've moved to solely an indoor pet for some reason.

Our dogs are family to us. I’d never think to leave them out in the snow.

[Dunit35]

Originally Posted by MephistophelesJanx

Ah... gotcha. My mom has a Husky and had the cops called because the dog was outside in deep snow all day. She showed the cop that the dog had no interest in being inside by leading him in by his leash, unclipping it, and watching him run back out and dive into the snow.

Dumb people.

My neighbor watches my 12 year old Husky. She has inside dogs. It was 45 degrees today. She was scared that he was sick because he didn’t want to come inside.

Had to remind her that he’s a husky and loves this weather.

[Fish]

[-King-]

Originally Posted by BWillie

It's amazing how we think animals need our help to survive in the outdoors. It's kind of arrogant.

Some animals do though... That was the whole point of domestication. A dog isn't a wolf the same way you're not a caveman. Yes some dogs are naturally at home in the wild or in cold weather but most aren't.