Where Do Cats Sleep Outside At Night? A Sad And Exposed Life For Some!

We now have six rescue cats who sleep inside at night. My heart goes out to all the fur babies who must sleep outside in all kinds of temperatures and conditions.

Cats prefer to sleep in seclusion, so they often seek out abandoned buildings, feral colonies, or other hidden places where they can rest undisturbed.

Where Do Cats Sleep Outside At Night?

Here are common places to find an outdoor cat sleeping:

These Three Groups of Cats Sleep Outside

1. Feral Cats

A feral cat is born in the wild and has little to no human interaction. These cats are not social and are wary of any human being.

Feral cats generally sleep with and socialize with other feral cats. They find food and find shelter themselves and find places to sleep outside.

Do Feral Cats Hibernate?

No, feral cats do not hibernate. Most feral cats are able to adapt to cold weather by seeking shelter and finding food sources.

Some feral cats may grow a thicker coat of fur to help insulate themselves in the colder months, but they do not go into a state of hibernation like some other animals do.

2. Stray Cats

A stray cat is not a feral cat. A stray may have been domesticated at one time but has been left out on the street to fend for itself.

For the most part, stray cats are social and seek food and water from humans.

Stray cats also must sleep outside and are resourceful in finding sleeping spots. However, a stray is not as creative as a feral cat. 

3. Domesticated cats not allowed inside the home

In cases such as these, you need to question if you really want to be a cat owner.

Adopting a cat is a lifetime commitment.

Outside is a dangerous environment for any cat, day or night. However, the night presents more challenges that your cat cannot fight or hope to win. 

Neighbourhood cats, may find a good sleeping spot in a neighbor’s yard or under a porch.

If your cat tries to mingle or sleep with other cats, a stray or feral cat, this could lead to an all-out catfight in which the stray or feral is likely to win, cat’s paws down.

If you insist on letting your cat roam day and night, but you want to know where your cat goes or sleeps, you can purchase a GPS collar for your wandering cat. 

Where Do Stray Cats Sleep In Winter?

Stray and feral cats do struggle through the cold winter months.

Related: Do cats get cold easily? What are the signs that a cat is too cold?

Even though winter proves a challenge for many cats, they usually get through the cold days and nights.

The tips of the ears and paw pads remain a high risk for frost bite.

Those who have stray cats that come to your home, especially during the winter, can do a lot to help these cats get through the cold winter.

We have had a few strays during our thirty plus years of cat guardianship. We never neglected to care for these stray cats.

Cats in the wild, do not need a lot of room to keep warm.

One dangerous place that cats choose to sleep in the winter is under car hoods, as car engines give off the right amount of heat for a while. 

Some communities with a heart for felines, build an outdoor cat shelter in spots where feral outdoor cats tend to live, while many animal shelters provide places for outdoor cats to stay.

Related: Some cat breeds are better equipped than others to cope with cold weather. Read more!

It is difficult to trap a cat because most cats tend to not like cages and avoid them.

Most times, these crafty cats, whose domain is outside, do well independently. However, they do appreciate a bit of help.

During cold weather, stray cats are not apt to wander so much. When they find a warm shelter, they stay put to conserve their energy for night time hunting.

A stray appreciates extra food and warm water during the winter.

Do not just set out only dry food, because it is harder to digest. Set out moist food with the dry food.

Spray the bottoms of plastic containers with insulation foam to help insulate the feeding dishes and keep food from freezing. 

An Insulated Heated, Outdoor Cat House

This outdoor cat house has all the features that you automatically think need to be included in an outdoor cat house. It is made from 5 layers of waterproof and insulated materials.

The bed is up off the ground and is suitable for any outdoor location, in the barn, on the porch, in the garden and anywhere else that it might be needed.

If the location you have in mind, is super exposed and subject to weather extremes, you may be better off purchasing an outdoor cat house with a wooden frame.

The frame is lightweight which makes it easy to move around to different locations. It has a super strong frame.

The heated model include a very soft covered heating pad that lightly warms.

What Can You Do To Help Stray Cats Through Winter?

We taped boxes together and placed blankets inside, then insulated the boxes with blankets on the outside of the boxes.

Strays took up residence and had a warm place to sleep.

You can purchase an insulated, outside shelter if your budget allows it.

Put some blankets inside and add some homemade heated pads. Make these with fabric and fill them with rice. You can heat the pads in the microwave and place them in the shelter under blankets. 

Anytime a stray comes to your door, please feed them and provide fresh water. The water dish below has a warmer to keep it from freezing.

As soon as the cat finished eating, we picked up the dishes for the next meal. Hypothermia is highly likely for a stray with no help through the coldest winter months. Hypothermia can lead to death.

A cat’s body temperature can drop slightly when they sleep, but it should still remain within the normal range (between 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit) even if they are sleeping outside in winter.

However, if a cat’s body temperature drops significantly below the normal range (below 100 degrees Fahrenheit), this could indicate hypothermia and they should be taken to a vet immediately.

Related: A pad specifically for pets, that is heated in the microwave provides hours of warmth in an outside cat shelter.

It’s important to note that cats are susceptible to hypothermia and should be kept warm and protected from the cold.

What Do Cats Do At Night When Outside?

When cats wander the neighborhood at night, the list of things that cats can do is endless.

it could be as simple as climbing trees. Other activities could include jumping through a broken basement window and becoming trapped.

Cats are natural hunters. Cats love to pursue their prey and play with it for a while before possibly killing it and having a snack.

Never think that, because your pet cat sits high on the royal ladder, it should not want to hunt. Living a good life never takes away a cat’s desire to hunt.

A house cat can spend hours watching and waiting for and who knows what could come along. They enjoy sitting at a window and watching what is happening in the neighborhood.

However, if your cat is allowed to roam the neighborhood at night, know that it is grossly unsafe and that their natural curiosity can get them into trouble, injured, or killed. 

At home and inside, during the night, you know that your cat hunts, watches, plays, catnaps, eats, and may cuddle at your feet or on your pillow.

However, when your cat is outside at night, it is a game-changer.

Researchers studying the night time activity of cats find that the majority of cats hunt wildlife that they could easily tackle, such as, 

Cats fight day or night, and there are two reasons why this happens.

When cats wander at night, they are looking for food or a mate if they are not spayed or neutered, which can cause cats to fight.

Your cat is simply curious about what they find when wandering.

Cats spend their life smelling and sniffing objects before going to the next thing on their journey.

In rural areas, cats may have to roam freely to find a good sleeping spot, while in urban areas, they may have to deal with other pets and people.

Act on the Side of Caution – Keep Your Cat Inside the House At Night

Most cats stay active during the early evening and may sleep during the day.

Adult cats usually sleep for 12-16 hours a day, but their sleeping habits may vary depending on their age, health, and environment.

While pet cats may have a designated sleeping spot, outdoor cats have to be resourceful and find a spot that suits their needs.

I cannot stress enough the importance to make your outdoor cat an indoor cat.

You never have to worry about your cat and know that they are safe when they are tucked up safely indoors.

Related: How to keep your cat cool when the weather is hot.

More Outdoor Cat Houses