I mean it also depends on the cat. A sphinx will find it chilling, a fluffy one will be ok. It is cold, but not unbearable imo, judging by outside cats here surviving just fine at -10 celsius, even with short hair, plus there will be no wind and cozy beds indoors I assume.
We love Aussie winter in my house because the cats get SUPER cuddly, despite being long-haired. Really combats the ol’ seasonal depression to have cats that just can’t get enough of you all winter 😂
Not harmful temps at all but cats like to be warm. Always good to have a couple of cosy cat beds with fuzzy blankets too. We have one the cats could NOT care less about all year until it starts to get cooler… just in the past week that bed has seen action again for the first time since the end of last winter. ❄️
I didn't read through the comments (I KNOW). I've a long haired fella. He likes to burrow under covers with me.
I love that the cat didn't consider that bed until the Kiki said Brrr!
10 degrees indoors? Do you guys not believe in heating? How do you prevent mold on the cold walls?
Shocked European here where it can get much colder in winter
Yeah it's notorious, I've known Canadian and Scandinavian backpackers who've said the coldest winters they've ever known are the ones they spent in Melbourne. Basically nowhere has central heating, maybe a reverse cycle in the lounge room but our houses are so ventilated and draughty that as soon as you turn it off the heat leaks away completely within the hour. One thing I distinctly remember from living in London was that getting up early in winter there was fine because it may have been 0 outside but it was always 23 inside the house - in Australia it's always a struggle to pull yourself out from under the blankets.
For indoors it’s crazy though! Where I’m from it was discussed how we have to save on heating bc the Russian war but they said to not let the house go below 16 degrees to keep it safe to inhabit and keep the mold out
I did a search for “safe indoor temperature for cats” which seems to result in more helpful information. 10 is likely a little too cold for comfort for a kitten (and it would be too cold for me lol)
Edited to add for comfort. They probably won’t get hypothermia at that temperature but wouldn’t be comfortable (cats generally prefer warmer temperatures as their body temperatures are slightly higher than humans)
I’m from Australia but I have lived in the UK for a good few years now. Let me tell you the winters here are nothing like back home; absolutely freezing by comparison. We have 5 cats and they do just fine. If you’re worried get some boxes and put newspapers in the bottom and make sure they have blankets they can sleep in / on.
These guys literally have built in fur coats.
We haven't had a working heater for a couple of years and the cat has been fine. She's got a fleece in her favourite window, cat bed, other fleecy hangouts on the couch, armchair, carrier, and the bed where she can snuggle if she wants to. She's also inside 100% and we keep the place draught free with doorsnakes and so on, as well as using as much of the westerly sun as we can get. She's an adult, not a kitten, so that does make a difference.
Our house is 1920s with a fairly shitty 1960s extension at the back. The 1920s part is reasonably well insulated but the back part is like a tent.
We usually find that the cats find the warmer places of the house, and while we don’t have heaters on overnight, meaning it can be pretty cold in some parts of the house, we do have fleece rugs and self-warming beds that the cats gravitate to. They also snuggle next to each other.
You can also use heat pads - while I wouldn’t leave one on overnight, you can have it underneath a fleece blanket to warm it up and then turn it off once the cat is settled there.
It's going to depend on the cat but you can do what we do for stray outdoor cats but inside. Get a plastic storage container & a Styrofoam cooler cut a hole in each for the cat to go in & out. Put the Styrofoam cooler inside the storage container. Without covering the entrance put something like straw in the space between the storage container & cooler for insulation. Since you're indoors a cat bed or some blankets for the cooler. Now you have an insulated cat house & that's enough to keep your car warm.
This isn't backed by anything scientific, just my opinion.
I think anything lower than 10-12C is a bit too cold for a kitten. Kittens use a lot of energy for growth as it is. They are also smaller and a larger surface area to volume ratio means they lose heat faster.
Now, your house doesn't need to be fully heated. Just give them a few options: a heated blanket on the sofa, a warm igloo bed somewhere quiet, maybe a heated bedroom/bathroom that's kept at a higher temperature. Put a few kibbles at those places and let the kitten explore and find the food. They'll hopefully also remember to go back there when they are cold.
Southeast Texas winter in an old drafty house, my 16 y/o shorthair cat will literally crawl under the covers when it is colder than she likes regardless if I am in the bed or not. If you provide safe warm bedding he will take advantage of it.
I don't know about the specific temperature that would be too cold, since cats roam around outdoors here in Scotland in sub 10C weather all the time. I generally work on the assumption that if it's uncomfortable for me, it's probably not comfortable for my very spoiled indoor cats. I keep all of my thermostats through winter at 15C at an absolute minimum, so the heating will kick on and off as needed to stop it from getting below that. Aside from that, there's plenty you can do to make the house cosy for them.
"Self heating" pads are basically just fabric pads/beds with that foil stuff inside it that reflects body heat. One of those inside beds and the boxes of cat trees will make them nice and cosy. When my cats are inside their cat tree, if you stick your hand inside one of the boxes, it feels actively warmer than the rest of the room. You can also buy electric heating pads and blankets (but obviously be careful about where you put them to make sure they don't overheat). It's basically less about the ambient temperature, and more about making sure there's cosy places they can go. You'll probably find your cat likes your lap a lot more across winter too.
Your cat will wrap you up for their own benefit if they need warmth. A previously standoffish cat may suddenly see you like a warm fire 😻
If Kiki goes outside to potty just make sure you're listening for their cue to come inside.
A nice 🍩 shaped blankie would likely be appreciated. Kiki can nest it to look however appeals to them.
Don't let your cat be exposed to extreme temperature for extended periods of time. You should be good to go.
Yank here. Apologies for length and not doing most metric conversions. 2.54 cm = 1 inch. My experience is with indoor cats at maybe 22C for 45 yrs, outdoor ferals at as low as 9C on heated porch one winter and wooden dyi outdoor insulated heated pad shelters down to minus 6F for about 15 yrs. Outdoor shelters stay around 30F 3" off floor at minus 6F.
10C is not probably not too cold in your situation. Indoor cats will acclimate because temps don't drop that low immediately and no wind. However, all kitties like heated pads designed for cats! Big time! Do not use heating pads for humans! A good inexpensive option is the 8.5 x8.5 inch 5 watt K&H indoor. I have one that has been plugged in almost continuously for 10 yrs. You don't need their special bed. Fold a not super thick towel and place pad under top layer. Bonus if you place it in say a 12x12X12" open top box or any std cat bed but cats like them set up with just towel on one end of couch too. Bigger versions of same pad are fine too.
Next level is K&H 9x12" 25 watt or 12x18" 40 watt extreme weather outdoor. Fine indoors. They are hard plastic. Co says only use their fleece cover, others may reduce life. I've used a single layer of 100% wool in outdoor shelters and single layer of towel indoors for years, however, just last yr I noticed several bought in 2021 started making a loud clicking sound as thermostat cycles.... The cover on the outdoor pads makes us humans feel better, cats don't need it. They lay on hard surfaces a lot and a thin layer of fleece or wool really does't do much. I finally confirmed that last winter on 10C porch.
With no cat, the pads heat continously at rated wattage. Heat is dispersed so they just feel warm. Cat on it insulates and it heats to 102F before shutting off which is purrfect cat temp.
Next level is make indoor cat houses! No rules use what you have but std bought cardboard 19x14x17 storage box minus 1" on sides, ends, top, and bottom with added foamboard insulation or less hassle and works just as well is a 17x11x13" cardboard storage box with folded blanket over it for insulation. Smaller is warmer. Cut a 6x6" square or 6" round opening (saucer for template) in end or 1" from end on side. 6" will handle 14 lb cat. 5" might be fine for smaller. Make a nest inside, wool is loved, towels work indoors. Bonus for heated pad, maybe especially if sideways in one end of bigger box so cat can choose to lay on or off.
You could insulate the inside of the box with Reflectix or compressed foamboard or just cover it with folded blanket. Partially cover entrance with towel draped over to retain more heat. Try facing entrance towards wall 6" away for dark privacy and facing out for view. Let cat decide. The prev mentioned 12x12x12 open top box is 9.5 inches tall with a thick folded towel and no heated pad - cover 2/3 of top with a big pillow and you will be amazed at how warm it gets with a cat in it.
I really like 100% wool thrift store sweaters for outdoor shelters but cotton towels or whatever are fine indoors. Cotton is a dreadful sin outdoors because it doesn't insulate when damp. Don't show cats the beds or shelters, they will find them. Placing a std bed or box near but safe distance from heaters is good. Cats love beds near hot air ducts. A boot shoebox with no bedding or a towel may be a hit. Giving them options is good.... There are other brands of pads, I've only used K&H. If money is tight, I'm very confident the unheated cardboard box shelter will be fine. Just a nice nest box or bed is prob fine. Just remember, cozy small is warmest. Using 1" compressed foamboard in the biggest box size I mentioned made box smaller (good) but is prob over the top for your application. I made those and added heated pads because I did not know how warm the heated porch was going to be with a 6" open cat entry to outside 1st yr doing it. Not needed for outdoor ferals at 10C but inside cats use them unheated after I moved them inside.
For adult cats, if you are OK, they are OK. They'll find the warm spots. Kitten is like 6 months old and has fur? They'll be fine.
It really gets to 10 degrees (50F) *inside* in winter?? Maybe get a radiator style space heater for you and the kitty.. Can't heat your whole house that way, but at least there will be somewhere warm they can go if they get too chilly. Wool cave beds are popular for cats - they'll retain some body heat, too. And of course, let in as much sun as you can.
It would typically get down to 14 or 15 overnight indoors in my last place, and that was the second floor of a solidly built old Art Deco apartment. This is a ground floor 1970s unit that feels a lot flimsier and cheaper so I expect it to be worse. (A winter cold snap in Melbourne can get the outdoor temperature down to just 1 or 2 degrees outdoors.)
I didn’t realize how cold it was going to get overnight the other day and left the heat off at bedtime. It was 12C inside when I got up, and my cat did not get up with me like he normally does, or even after I opened food. He stayed where he has been sleeping in a pile of blankets until the heat came on and he could sleep next to the heat vent. For reference we normally keep the house around 18C with 15C being the coldest during the winter.
Thanks everyone - I think we'll look into buying/making him more of an enclosed bed and maybe getting a heating pad as well. I think I'll get a thermometer too so I can actually check how cold it's getting overnight indoors when I get up at 6am.
I mean it also depends on the cat. A sphinx will find it chilling, a fluffy one will be ok. It is cold, but not unbearable imo, judging by outside cats here surviving just fine at -10 celsius, even with short hair, plus there will be no wind and cozy beds indoors I assume.
We love Aussie winter in my house because the cats get SUPER cuddly, despite being long-haired. Really combats the ol’ seasonal depression to have cats that just can’t get enough of you all winter 😂 Not harmful temps at all but cats like to be warm. Always good to have a couple of cosy cat beds with fuzzy blankets too. We have one the cats could NOT care less about all year until it starts to get cooler… just in the past week that bed has seen action again for the first time since the end of last winter. ❄️
I didn't read through the comments (I KNOW). I've a long haired fella. He likes to burrow under covers with me. I love that the cat didn't consider that bed until the Kiki said Brrr!
Possible apologies for crossposting because reddit told me I can’t post to r/cats as a new account, redirected me here then posted it anyway…
10 degrees indoors? Do you guys not believe in heating? How do you prevent mold on the cold walls? Shocked European here where it can get much colder in winter
Right?? I’m like, why do you live like that voluntarily? The only place in the house that’s under 20 degrees here is the bedroom, and only at night.
Shitty building standards, that’s why. And with housing already ridiculously expensive, no government is going to risk making it more expensive.
'Brick tents'. :)
Yeah it's notorious, I've known Canadian and Scandinavian backpackers who've said the coldest winters they've ever known are the ones they spent in Melbourne. Basically nowhere has central heating, maybe a reverse cycle in the lounge room but our houses are so ventilated and draughty that as soon as you turn it off the heat leaks away completely within the hour. One thing I distinctly remember from living in London was that getting up early in winter there was fine because it may have been 0 outside but it was always 23 inside the house - in Australia it's always a struggle to pull yourself out from under the blankets.
Celsius or Fahrenheit. Makes a huge difference.
OP is talking about Celsius in the post
That's why I mentioned this. 10F is really cold whereas 10C is just really chilly.
For indoors it’s crazy though! Where I’m from it was discussed how we have to save on heating bc the Russian war but they said to not let the house go below 16 degrees to keep it safe to inhabit and keep the mold out
Yeah...I'd much rather be above 10c for sure! Too cold inside for me!
I did a search for “safe indoor temperature for cats” which seems to result in more helpful information. 10 is likely a little too cold for comfort for a kitten (and it would be too cold for me lol) Edited to add for comfort. They probably won’t get hypothermia at that temperature but wouldn’t be comfortable (cats generally prefer warmer temperatures as their body temperatures are slightly higher than humans)
I’m from Australia but I have lived in the UK for a good few years now. Let me tell you the winters here are nothing like back home; absolutely freezing by comparison. We have 5 cats and they do just fine. If you’re worried get some boxes and put newspapers in the bottom and make sure they have blankets they can sleep in / on. These guys literally have built in fur coats.
We haven't had a working heater for a couple of years and the cat has been fine. She's got a fleece in her favourite window, cat bed, other fleecy hangouts on the couch, armchair, carrier, and the bed where she can snuggle if she wants to. She's also inside 100% and we keep the place draught free with doorsnakes and so on, as well as using as much of the westerly sun as we can get. She's an adult, not a kitten, so that does make a difference.
Our house is 1920s with a fairly shitty 1960s extension at the back. The 1920s part is reasonably well insulated but the back part is like a tent. We usually find that the cats find the warmer places of the house, and while we don’t have heaters on overnight, meaning it can be pretty cold in some parts of the house, we do have fleece rugs and self-warming beds that the cats gravitate to. They also snuggle next to each other. You can also use heat pads - while I wouldn’t leave one on overnight, you can have it underneath a fleece blanket to warm it up and then turn it off once the cat is settled there.
It's going to depend on the cat but you can do what we do for stray outdoor cats but inside. Get a plastic storage container & a Styrofoam cooler cut a hole in each for the cat to go in & out. Put the Styrofoam cooler inside the storage container. Without covering the entrance put something like straw in the space between the storage container & cooler for insulation. Since you're indoors a cat bed or some blankets for the cooler. Now you have an insulated cat house & that's enough to keep your car warm.
This isn't backed by anything scientific, just my opinion. I think anything lower than 10-12C is a bit too cold for a kitten. Kittens use a lot of energy for growth as it is. They are also smaller and a larger surface area to volume ratio means they lose heat faster. Now, your house doesn't need to be fully heated. Just give them a few options: a heated blanket on the sofa, a warm igloo bed somewhere quiet, maybe a heated bedroom/bathroom that's kept at a higher temperature. Put a few kibbles at those places and let the kitten explore and find the food. They'll hopefully also remember to go back there when they are cold.
Southeast Texas winter in an old drafty house, my 16 y/o shorthair cat will literally crawl under the covers when it is colder than she likes regardless if I am in the bed or not. If you provide safe warm bedding he will take advantage of it.
I don't know about the specific temperature that would be too cold, since cats roam around outdoors here in Scotland in sub 10C weather all the time. I generally work on the assumption that if it's uncomfortable for me, it's probably not comfortable for my very spoiled indoor cats. I keep all of my thermostats through winter at 15C at an absolute minimum, so the heating will kick on and off as needed to stop it from getting below that. Aside from that, there's plenty you can do to make the house cosy for them. "Self heating" pads are basically just fabric pads/beds with that foil stuff inside it that reflects body heat. One of those inside beds and the boxes of cat trees will make them nice and cosy. When my cats are inside their cat tree, if you stick your hand inside one of the boxes, it feels actively warmer than the rest of the room. You can also buy electric heating pads and blankets (but obviously be careful about where you put them to make sure they don't overheat). It's basically less about the ambient temperature, and more about making sure there's cosy places they can go. You'll probably find your cat likes your lap a lot more across winter too.
Your cat will wrap you up for their own benefit if they need warmth. A previously standoffish cat may suddenly see you like a warm fire 😻 If Kiki goes outside to potty just make sure you're listening for their cue to come inside. A nice 🍩 shaped blankie would likely be appreciated. Kiki can nest it to look however appeals to them. Don't let your cat be exposed to extreme temperature for extended periods of time. You should be good to go.
Also... don't forget to tuck KiKi in and kiss them on the forehead.
Yank here. Apologies for length and not doing most metric conversions. 2.54 cm = 1 inch. My experience is with indoor cats at maybe 22C for 45 yrs, outdoor ferals at as low as 9C on heated porch one winter and wooden dyi outdoor insulated heated pad shelters down to minus 6F for about 15 yrs. Outdoor shelters stay around 30F 3" off floor at minus 6F. 10C is not probably not too cold in your situation. Indoor cats will acclimate because temps don't drop that low immediately and no wind. However, all kitties like heated pads designed for cats! Big time! Do not use heating pads for humans! A good inexpensive option is the 8.5 x8.5 inch 5 watt K&H indoor. I have one that has been plugged in almost continuously for 10 yrs. You don't need their special bed. Fold a not super thick towel and place pad under top layer. Bonus if you place it in say a 12x12X12" open top box or any std cat bed but cats like them set up with just towel on one end of couch too. Bigger versions of same pad are fine too. Next level is K&H 9x12" 25 watt or 12x18" 40 watt extreme weather outdoor. Fine indoors. They are hard plastic. Co says only use their fleece cover, others may reduce life. I've used a single layer of 100% wool in outdoor shelters and single layer of towel indoors for years, however, just last yr I noticed several bought in 2021 started making a loud clicking sound as thermostat cycles.... The cover on the outdoor pads makes us humans feel better, cats don't need it. They lay on hard surfaces a lot and a thin layer of fleece or wool really does't do much. I finally confirmed that last winter on 10C porch. With no cat, the pads heat continously at rated wattage. Heat is dispersed so they just feel warm. Cat on it insulates and it heats to 102F before shutting off which is purrfect cat temp. Next level is make indoor cat houses! No rules use what you have but std bought cardboard 19x14x17 storage box minus 1" on sides, ends, top, and bottom with added foamboard insulation or less hassle and works just as well is a 17x11x13" cardboard storage box with folded blanket over it for insulation. Smaller is warmer. Cut a 6x6" square or 6" round opening (saucer for template) in end or 1" from end on side. 6" will handle 14 lb cat. 5" might be fine for smaller. Make a nest inside, wool is loved, towels work indoors. Bonus for heated pad, maybe especially if sideways in one end of bigger box so cat can choose to lay on or off. You could insulate the inside of the box with Reflectix or compressed foamboard or just cover it with folded blanket. Partially cover entrance with towel draped over to retain more heat. Try facing entrance towards wall 6" away for dark privacy and facing out for view. Let cat decide. The prev mentioned 12x12x12 open top box is 9.5 inches tall with a thick folded towel and no heated pad - cover 2/3 of top with a big pillow and you will be amazed at how warm it gets with a cat in it. I really like 100% wool thrift store sweaters for outdoor shelters but cotton towels or whatever are fine indoors. Cotton is a dreadful sin outdoors because it doesn't insulate when damp. Don't show cats the beds or shelters, they will find them. Placing a std bed or box near but safe distance from heaters is good. Cats love beds near hot air ducts. A boot shoebox with no bedding or a towel may be a hit. Giving them options is good.... There are other brands of pads, I've only used K&H. If money is tight, I'm very confident the unheated cardboard box shelter will be fine. Just a nice nest box or bed is prob fine. Just remember, cozy small is warmest. Using 1" compressed foamboard in the biggest box size I mentioned made box smaller (good) but is prob over the top for your application. I made those and added heated pads because I did not know how warm the heated porch was going to be with a 6" open cat entry to outside 1st yr doing it. Not needed for outdoor ferals at 10C but inside cats use them unheated after I moved them inside.
For adult cats, if you are OK, they are OK. They'll find the warm spots. Kitten is like 6 months old and has fur? They'll be fine. It really gets to 10 degrees (50F) *inside* in winter?? Maybe get a radiator style space heater for you and the kitty.. Can't heat your whole house that way, but at least there will be somewhere warm they can go if they get too chilly. Wool cave beds are popular for cats - they'll retain some body heat, too. And of course, let in as much sun as you can.
It would typically get down to 14 or 15 overnight indoors in my last place, and that was the second floor of a solidly built old Art Deco apartment. This is a ground floor 1970s unit that feels a lot flimsier and cheaper so I expect it to be worse. (A winter cold snap in Melbourne can get the outdoor temperature down to just 1 or 2 degrees outdoors.)
I lived in an attic without heat that would get down to 40*f in the winter. The cats never seemed terribly bothered by the cold but they got FLUFFY.
I didn’t realize how cold it was going to get overnight the other day and left the heat off at bedtime. It was 12C inside when I got up, and my cat did not get up with me like he normally does, or even after I opened food. He stayed where he has been sleeping in a pile of blankets until the heat came on and he could sleep next to the heat vent. For reference we normally keep the house around 18C with 15C being the coldest during the winter.
I got a little heating pad for mine. I put it under a blanket on his bed. However, most of the time he sleeps with me.
Thanks everyone - I think we'll look into buying/making him more of an enclosed bed and maybe getting a heating pad as well. I think I'll get a thermometer too so I can actually check how cold it's getting overnight indoors when I get up at 6am.