Some cats are strictly indoor pets and prefer to lounge on beds, towers, or couches. However, some people divide their time between indoors and outdoors. So where do furry felines like to curl up when finding a safe place to sleep outdoors?
Outdoor cats will sleep anywhere that is safe and relatively quiet. It is desirable to have food and water nearby. However, there are some places where outdoor cats sleep relatively well. Let’s take a look at them below.
7 places your outdoor cat might sleep
1. Open garage
An open garage is an open invitation as a place to sleep, especially if a caregiver uses the space. Your scent can calm cats down and give them a sense of security that nothing else can provide. Felines recognize their environment through their sense of smell. They use several forms of nonverbal communication, including scent. A place that smells like home is heaven for outdoor animals. Plus, there’s nothing like a sturdy shelter to protect you from the harsh elements of the outdoors. Garages also have plenty of nooks and crannies where you can hide or crouch. =
2. Abandoned building
Stray and community cats quickly learn the activity patterns of their area. Therefore, they tend to choose abandoned buildings as a place to sleep. They can explore these structures at their own pace and determine if they are safe. Once accustomed to the building, it can become part of a proper shelter rotation for your cat.
3. Under the building or on the balcony
Small spaces under buildings or porches are perfect hiding spots to sleep and let your guard down. These areas are often not used by many people. Wild animals may avoid things in human-inhabited areas, leaving cats free access when they are outside. The advantage of this type of hideout is that it has walls around it, restricting access to and from the space, thus providing shelter.
4. Hiding place in the forest
Our feline friends have a wild side when it comes to instinctive behavior. That includes finding a place to hide, no matter where you are. There are plenty of places in the woods where outside cats can curl up and take a nap. They can use abandoned burrows, burrow under fallen trees, or crawl inside hollow logs.
5. Barn
Barns are natural sleeping places for outdoor cats. Agriculture helped bring humans and felines together, so it makes sense to return to these domesticated roots for refuge. It’s possible that the same thing that attracted the cat in the first place – rodents – is still present in the barn. That means a comfortable place to sleep, plus a readily available food source.
6. Box-shaped housing
The ideal location is one where your cat feels safe. That’s one reason why these animals prefer boxes. Surprisingly, the only thing that works is the feeling of being enveloped. Felines may even sit within the outline of the box, perhaps with the same sense of security. Any reasonably safe, box-shaped object found by an outdoor cat will fit the bill.
7. Under the car
Veterinarians and animal welfare groups say to be wary of cats sleeping under the hood or tires of your car, especially during cold weather. The warmth of a car engine is appealing, but your cat can get hurt when the car starts. Therefore, before starting the engine, you should scan the car and make a sound to alert the dozing cat to proceed.
Risks of outdoor cats
We would be remiss if we did not mention the risks of outdoor cats to both pets and wildlife. While some may think outdoor access is essential for pets, it also increases the risk of disease, predation, and road accidents. Diseases are of particular concern because some diseases, such as rabies and internal parasites, can be transmitted to humans.
When many people think of rabies, they think of dogs, but as of 2018, the number of cases of rabies in cats was more than six times that of dogs. 216 people in 2021. Infected cats may not show symptoms for up to a year, making them even more dangerous. Once infection is established, it is 100% fatal. All mammals, including humans, can contract the disease, which carries an equally grim prognosis if left untreated.
The impact on wildlife must also be considered. According to Center for Integrative Ecology, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin UniversityCats have contributed to the extinction of 40 bird species, 21 mammal species, and two reptile species. A total of 367 species are under threat from feline predation. it is a global problem, Polish Academy of Sciences (PASIFIC) has gone so far as to classify domestic cats as “invasive alien species.”
Cat problems include predation on species that haven’t had time to adapt. It’s literally like shooting fish in a barrel. And these animals aren’t even the most successful predators. Kill rate is only 32%. just imagine Estimated 2.4 billion birds If the percentage were higher, they could be killed by felines.
conclusion
Outdoor cats are opportunistic when it comes to finding a place to sleep. They are not picky. However, it must be safe and give the animal a sense of security. A covered space with an opening that allows them to see what’s going on outside is ideal for them.
Above, we’ve identified some common spots where cats take a much-needed nap, but there are probably many other places outdoor cats keep private.
Featured image credit: caligari77, Pixabay
