Cats, Cold and Wind Chills

[mxw1214]

There have been articles written about how hard it is to accurately predict the weather. I don’t think the weathermen lie as much as they do their best and get it wrong - a lot! It has to do with the fact that one has to predict ALL the circumstances exactly right to know what will happen to create weather and that is near impossible. I live two miles from my sister, yet sometimes we have different weather. One day it rained and hailed where I am and it was clear where she was.

You can only do what you’re comfortable with and able to do for the cats, if you have put food out and the tent, she will likely go find some place to go when she gets too cold and she will be OK. It’s great that you’ve seen her daily! I’ve been keeping a log of my cat sightings to see if I can figure out their new routine. Before it snowed last week, my TNR cats were sighted a couple random times. They used to come every day so when I spotted them 5-6 days after being missing it was a weight off my chest. Now I have more hope that they’re out there safe somewhere.
di and bob - thanks for the encouragement! I really hope you’re right!

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

Maybe but the weather people are just right up the street. I can see their tower from my house. Now Treasure is gone and he likes to get himself into trouble. I'm very sad about this entire situation How do you know if a cat has lost it's body heat? I did the test with the eartips earlier and they were warm but he seemed to be shivering. Please I'm very sad and afraid something happened to him now Tourmaline is off again and it's snowing. So now not only is she getting wet but she's getting chilled. I'm doing a horrible job as a caretaker.

 

[mxw1214]

I know exactly how you feel and I’m in a similar boat as you. But you have done all you can by putting food out for them, and water. If you can keep their calorie and hydration intake high then they’re going to burn those calories to stay warm. Their normal body temp is something like 102, so if they have enough calories to burn they can keep themselves fairly safe from the elements with shelter. And cats are so smart, they are going off to some place they can stay dry and warm. If they didn’t have a place to go they would stay outside in your yard and then you would need to figure out how to help them more, but since they’re going off then it’s a good sign they know where they are going. I built my own shelter using a Rubbermaid tub and styrofoam cooler just in case anyone wants to use it but no one has used it yet. But if you make something like that it will protect them from the windchill if they really have no other place to go. Just keep reminding yourself that even stray cats have instincts that kick in and they know how to stay alive. I hope the season passes quickly for you and them!

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

I know exactly how you feel and I’m in a similar boat as you. But you have done all you can by putting food out for them, and water. If you can keep their calorie and hydration intake high then they’re going to burn those calories to stay warm. Their normal body temp is something like 102, so if they have enough calories to burn they can keep themselves fairly safe from the elements with shelter. And cats are so smart, they are going off to some place they can stay dry and warm. If they didn’t have a place to go they would stay outside in your yard and then you would need to figure out how to help them more, but since they’re going off then it’s a good sign they know where they are going. I built my own shelter using a Rubbermaid tub and styrofoam cooler just in case anyone wants to use it but no one has used it yet. But if you make something like that it will protect them from the windchill if they really have no other place to go. Just keep reminding yourself that even stray cats have instincts that kick in and they know how to stay alive. I hope the season passes quickly for you and them!

The worst is over on Tuesday. Treasure was shivering earlier but maybe that's normal? He was born feral and lived feral for 6 plus years so I don't know. We've had worse winters then this that he survived so not sure why he's shivering now or if he's sick. Tourmaline wasn't born feral and so this is a first for her. I would do the Rubbermaid thing but I have severe nerve damage and frozen shoulder so I can't do much as far as cutting and such. And as I've stated in the What's On Your Mind Thread I have no one to help me and a mother that constantly throws tantrums.

 

[mxw1214]

If Treasure has been through winters then he definitely knows what to do. He was probably shivering because it is cold! Shivering is a sign that frostbite is starting, but when he goes back to his shelter he will be better. Sorry to hear about your condition but in that case you really are doing everything possible. If you want you could just lay the container on it’s side facing the house, and lay the lid at a slant so that there is a gap for the cat to get in. Like so the lid is touching the house and gets a little sturdiness from having the house there. Especially if the snow is over, you just need to worry about the wind and that will allow them to get out of the wind. You could put your food in there too so they are a little protected while they eat.

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

If Treasure has been through winters then he definitely knows what to do. He was probably shivering because it is cold! Shivering is a sign that frostbite is starting, but when he goes back to his shelter he will be better. Sorry to hear about your condition but in that case you really are doing everything possible. If you want you could just lay the container on it’s side facing the house, and lay the lid at a slant so that there is a gap for the cat to get in. Like so the lid is touching the house and gets a little sturdiness from having the house there. Especially if the snow is over, you just need to worry about the wind and that will allow them to get out of the wind. You could put your food in there too so they are a little protected while they eat.

It looks like he was playing with Tourmaline. They both came back a bit wet and little shiver. Both ate, and Tourmaline hops on top of the utility cart where I have a self warming pad and Treasure joined his friend Sopdet in the shelter.

Ugh I'm feeling the cold now

 

[mxw1214]

I’m sorry that you’re going through this. It is really hard that we have no control over what happens out there! No matter what happens to Treasure, he was better off knowing you and having you help him out. If you hadn’t then he would be having that much of a harder time right now. All that said I do think that he will make it past this bad weather stretch.

 

[mxw1214]

It looks like he was playing with Tourmaline. They both came back a bit wet and little shiver. Both ate, and Tourmaline hops on top of the utility cart where I have a self warming pad and Treasure joined his friend Sopdet in the shelter.

Yayyyyyy!!!!!

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

Now to get them water that doesn’t freeze in 5 minutes. I have tried everything and nothing works

 

[mxw1214]

That’s tricky if you can’t use a heated dish. I used to use hot water in a large dog sized steel bowl that wouldn’t freeze for a few hours, before I switched to a heated dish. I would run the water really hot so it would heat the steel first and then used warm water to fill the bowl that wouldn’t burn them to drink it. Some say a pinch of sugar will help lower the freezing point which might get you a little extra time.

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

I thought sugar was toxic to cats. And it’s-17 windchill. So very worried. Tourmaline seems ok. Her cam is only one still working. I hold I don’t have a horror scene tomorrow morning

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

If Treasure has been through winters then he definitely knows what to do. He was probably shivering because it is cold! Shivering is a sign that frostbite is starting, but when he goes back to his shelter he will be better. Sorry to hear about your condition but in that case you really are doing everything possible. If you want you could just lay the container on it’s side facing the house, and lay the lid at a slant so that there is a gap for the cat to get in. Like so the lid is touching the house and gets a little sturdiness from having the house there. Especially if the snow is over, you just need to worry about the wind and that will allow them to get out of the wind. You could put your food in there too so they are a little protected while they eat.

Huh? How did that happen

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

none of them came to eat. I’m terrified

Well Tourmaline returned. Another milestone. She survived -19 windchill. Her ear tips were warm. Treasure emerged from his shelter. He was sneezing but his eartips were warm. Please can someone help me on this? What is wrong with him? Do I need to rush him to a vet?

Sopdet left at 4:30 am (as far as I saw as my cams died in this cold weather ugh) and 3 hours later she hasn't returned although she did eat really good before she took off. Other cats came and left.

 

[mxw1214]

I know it’s hard but you need to wait it out. There are only a few more days of this horrible weather and then if Treasure still seems sick you could take him to the vet. For me I am hoping my cats get through this Friday and then things will be warmer. I haven’t seen my TNR cats since last Monday for one and last Saturday for the other two, so be glad that you have proof of life with them coming around.

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

I know it’s hard but you need to wait it out. There are only a few more days of this horrible weather and then if Treasure still seems sick you could take him to the vet. For me I am hoping my cats get through this Friday and then things will be warmer. I haven’t seen my TNR cats since last Monday for one and last Saturday for the other two, so be glad that you have proof of life with them coming around.

I know. If I wasn't so helpless because of evil woman I live with it wouldn't be so bad. I can barely walk. Otherwise I could go outside and do more. I just worry. I worry about the birds in the trees, I worry about the raccoons who haven't got any food for a week and so on. I worry if I'll be here in a month to care for the cats due to me not feeling well or my Mom albeit she should be placed in a home and be done with (sad to say).

 

[mxw1214]

Your cats are doing the right thing by coming to you and loading up on food. When it’s -25 they might not show up if they are thinking it’s better to stay in their shelter until it gets a little warmer. But if they’ve eaten consistently then they will be ok staying put for a day or two while they wait it out. If you see them then they are still ok - try not to worry until you haven’t seen them for several days.

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

Any idea why he would sneeze and shiver for a few minutes after emerging from the cat shelter when his ear tips are warm? Just curious as I keep asking that is probably driving everyone nuts. But my health is bad too which a lot of people don't understand. I can't get to urgent care as no one to take me. I'm not going to endanger anyone by driving the way I feel and I can barely move as it is at the moment. Tourmaline did survive the cold weather but I think she's 4 years younger then Treasure. I know Sopdet is smart (unlike Treasure) and stays put when she gets a warm spot. Treasure always and I mean always gets into some kind of trouble coming back sick or injured. I can't count how many times I had to wipe blood off his paw or nose or something. He got into a fight at 3am with one of the other visiting cats.

Well Treasure is back although crazy cat won't go into the shelter.

 

[mxw1214]

Any idea why he would sneeze and shiver for a few minutes after emerging from the cat shelter when his ear tips are warm? Just curious as I keep asking that is probably driving everyone nuts. But my health is bad too which a lot of people don't understand. I can't get to urgent care as no one to take me. I'm not going to endanger anyone by driving the way I feel and I can barely move as it is at the moment. Tourmaline did survive the cold weather but I think she's 4 years younger then Treasure. I know Sopdet is smart (unlike Treasure) and stays put when she gets a warm spot. Treasure always and I mean always gets into some kind of trouble coming back sick or injured. I can't count how many times I had to wipe blood off his paw or nose or something. He got into a fight at 3am with one of the other visiting cats.

Well Treasure is back although crazy cat won't go into the shelter.

Cats do shiver and sneeze in the cold so if the temperatures are that low he could just be really cold coming out of the shelter. As much as you want to be able to control the situation, cats are going to do their own thing and if they don’t use your shelter then they probably have one somewhere else they do use. Just keep giving them food and they will decide what they do. It’s really hard but you are doing everything you can and they are better off because you feed them.

 

[CatladyJan]

It's brutal out there it looks like at least one of the cats at work used one of the shelters. We have strong cold winds and getting more snow as we speak. It's upsetting.

 

[mxw1214]

It's brutal out there it looks like at least one of the cats at work used one of the shelters. We have strong cold winds and getting more snow as we speak. It's upsetting.

Here too. The next four days are going to be the worst here and then it should start getting better but it’s been like this for a week already so I am really worried about the TNR cats. I have seen a few random cats (stray Toms I think) hanging around and they seem to be doing ok coming and going, so that gives me some hope that my TNR cats can make it if they found a new food and water source. I just wish this month was over already. I’m glad to hear you’ve seen some action at your work shelters, that is a positive sign!