Where Do Cats Go When It Rains? How to Easy Find and Help Cats in the Wet

On a rainy day, cats need a safe place to go to avoid getting wet and having fun ruined.

Where do cats go when it rains? How do I find and help cats in the wet? The short answer is “anywhere they can get away from it.” Cats don’t like water.

They have no control over their environment and they’re not smart enough to avoid the rain. So, if you see a cat out and about during a rainy day, here are some ways you can help them.

Why Do Cats Not like to Get Wet?

Cats have several reasons to dislike water and becoming wet, beyond the obvious fact that no one enjoys being drenched:

When a cat’s coat gets wet, not only is it difficult for them to dry off, but it also causes their body temperature to drop.

When their temperature dips below 100 degrees F, cats are at danger of several major health complications. Not least hypothermia as I describe in greater detail later in the text.

Because of the constant exposure to moisture, their coats become cumbersome. A cat’s thick, wet coat is extremely unpleasant in any temperature.

It’s hard to explain what it’s like to wear a wet coat, but try to picture it. This is hardly a pleasant idea, is it?

Where Do Cats Hide When It Rains?

Most cats dislike the rain and will seek shelter when it begins to fall. This is the case whether the cat in question is a youngster, a stray, an oldster, or a housecat.

When cats are caught in storms, they know they are in danger from the strong winds, lightning, and rain.

When a cat needs to hide, it will go for the most secure option first. When possible, it’s ideal to keep your pet in the same environment in which you live.

Good food is available here, plus it’s warm, soundproofed from the outside world, and dry. House cats will choose your house as a hiding place if they think they can get there from anywhere nearby.

If the cat decides that the ideal location is too far away, it will look for a suitable alternative.

Included in this category is the most convenient and comfortable location possible, such as a neighbor’s house or the trunk of a parked automobile.

Obviously, if you’ve just acquired a stray cat, it may still prefer the places it frequented before coming to live with you.

After all, it knows that these are the best places to take cover if it starts to rain. If it doesn’t know any different, it can mistake your house for a much nicer (at least not yet).

Do Cats Come Home When It Rains?

When it starts to rain, most indoor cats will head back inside. Since the cat:

During a storm, your home is the safest place they could be.
When it detects poor weather, it will probably turn around and head back.
Wasn’t too far from home to begin with, probably

Mammal Study found that feral cats, and by extension, indoor and outdoor cats, had narrow home ranges.

That implies your cat won’t venture too far from home when it goes outside. That way, it can come back as the rain starts to fall.

Can Cats Find Their Way Home in the Rain?

Cats find their way home utilizing both their strong senses and their small home range. However, the rain might interrupt it.

Rain influences how the terrain looks by disturbing the soil and generating mud. It can also wash away smell cues that your cat left behind to guide it.

Because of this, your cat can find its way home in the rain. However, it may be more difficult than on a sunny day.

Your cat may instead prefer to bunker down in a makeshift shelter until the rain stops. Once the disturbance to its senses has passed, it can then attempt to navigate toward your spot.

Where Do Outdoor Cats Go When It Rains?

Whenever they are in need, cats have a knack for discovering safe havens. You shouldn’t worry if your outside cat hasn’t returned inside during a storm. It may conceal itself in a variety of areas, including:

Beneath Cars

Finding a safe haven in an urban setting can be challenging owing to the absence of trees and other natural cover. Cars, however, are overwhelmingly ubiquitous in cities or suburban settings.

They always have a dry place below them where felines can camp out. Even better, the shape of automobiles will divert water away, which protects cats from getting drenched, even in a deluge.

Cats are safe in vehicles because huge predators can’t get beneath them to get to them. This is why many outdoor cats consider them as excellent shelters. Some even risk the cold to get up up and personal with the engine.

If you hear meowing from under a car but don’t see anything, the cat is probably hiding in the engine. Don’t start the automobile until you’ve determined if it will come out on its own or has to be rescued.

If you’ve lost your cat, investigate under every car in the neighborhood. Make noise to attract attention as you look for it.

Your engine-bound feline will likely respond to your voice with a mewl if you call it. Then you may either try to coax it free, use your hands to untangle it, or call the fire department for assistance.

Beneath Houses

You can avoid the rain in your raised home the same way you do in your automobile. You should check your neighbor’s crawl area, any cracks in the foundation, and any small overhangs where your cat may seek shelter.

Before the rain started, the cat probably would have hid beneath your home if it had more time.

If you think your cat has gotten under the house, search for cracks or other openings. These could be hidden behind the siding or along the edging. Perhaps some are concealed by thick vegetation.

It might be tough to remove your cat from these areas, but there’s good news. Obviously, it has the ability to leave if it entered. Either use food or toys to coax the cat out, or wait for it to come out on its own.

Inside Garages

It’s possible for a cat to seek refuge in someone’s garage during a downpour if the door is left open. Your cat may be trapped in the garage if the door is closed and there is no way out.

The owner of the house will eventually come home and let the cat out. There’s a chance you may get a call, too.

The garage might also be a hiding place for your outside cat. Its criteria may have been reduced if it didn’t have time to make it to the kitty door or front porch before the rain began.

When it’s loud, such during a rainstorm, cats tend to hide for no apparent reason. In case you think your cat may be hiding in the garage, you should:

Away from the vehicle, underneath it
Automotive engine
Underneath desks and tables
In or behind a stack of boxes

Under Alcoves or Overhangs

Overhangs are seen over entrances or along rooflines. A cat may seek refuge from the rain under one of these.

If your cat is an expert climber, it may have even climbed up and hidden in one of the spaces right below them. Do not forget to turn your gaze skyward if you find yourself at a loss for words.

The underside of a window sill, for example, is a perfect place for your cat to hide. The water is deflected away from the window by these notches, which keeps the sill dry.

The cat won’t appreciate being thus exposed if it rains heavily. There’s a chance it will begin here but go on to another location.

Inside Sheds

Sheds prevent water from getting in, and some of them even have spaces small enough for a cat to fit through. It’s dark and quiet, just the way cats like it while a terrifying storm is raging outside.

It’s best for a lost cat if the shed is a fair distance from the main home, whether it’s yours or your neighbor’s. A cat will seek cover more quickly in severe rain.

Decks or Porches

When it starts to rain, cats often seek shelter under porches and decks. If given the choice, even strays will frequent these areas. This is due to the fact that

Take precautions against water damage.
Block the breeze
facilitate access; are simple to get
It’s best to keep your cat on the ground.

Should it feel threatened, it may quickly and easily hide in the basement, adjacent bushes, or escape away. Don’t worry if you can’t find the cat if it’s hiding in here.

Once the storm has passed, cats will be able to safely leave their shelter. That usually means right into your own backyard.

Inside Abandoned Buildings

It’s not just the rain that makes abandoned structures perfect cat shelters; cats may take refuge there any time of year.

This is because there won’t be any people around, there won’t be many predators, and rain won’t be audible inside the walls.

If you have a stressed-out cat, this is the perfect place to give it some peace and quiet. Abandoned properties often deteriorate into disrepair, providing cats with easy entry.

Finding your outside cat after it has sought refuge in a derelict structure may be challenging. However, once the storm has passed and your cat is no longer afraid, it will go outside on its own.

Junk Piles

Your cat can find rapid, temporary shelter from the rain in a junk pile comprised of scrap wood, sheet metal, or furniture. Your cat may have taken shelter from the rain beneath a garbage pile on your property or a neighbor’s.

Worried that your cat has taken refuge under a mound of trash? Give a shout as you draw near. Another option is to use a potent-smelling goodie as an attractant. Moving the pile around to look for the cat might be risky.

Your cat might get crushed if the rest of the mound collapses inward. Using bait or patiently waiting for the cat to come out are both good strategies.

Trees

Scared cats often seek for high places to survey their surroundings and regain their sense of security. The best bets are any trees in the area. You may take refuge from the wind and rain beneath the dense canopy.

Domestic cats can climb trees well, but they have more trouble getting back down. When the rain stops, yours can become trapped.

The best course of action depends on the circumstances; you may either use goodies to coax the cat down, wait it out, or get aid.

Bushes And Shrubs

Bushes and shrubs, like trees, may offer protection from the rain thanks to their thick foliage. Since many individuals use them as decoration or fences, you may easily come across them in urban or suburban areas.

A cat seeking shelter from the rain may dart under a shrub or into a hedge if it can find one quickly enough.

Are Cats OK in the Rain?

Cats are never happy when it rains, no matter the temperature outside. Some people could even find it enjoyable.

The cat will be OK in the water, and it will dry off as soon as the rain stops. However, a cat caught in the rain during the winter months might freeze to death.

It might get cold, and if there’s no way for it to warm up again, it could die of hypothermia if it can’t dry off.

Because of this, when it starts to rain, most cats will go indoors. Cats who live outside often try to return indoors because they know it will be warmer there.

Can Cats Survive Rain?

Cats can tolerate wet weather because they know how to seek for cover. However, a cat’s health may rapidly deteriorate if it is trapped in a cold rain. Your cat has to be found and brought inside promptly so it can warm up.

If it came back on its own, you should dry it off as soon as possible. Do your best to pet it and cuddle it with a warm meal and glass of water.

This will increase circulation, which will bring the cat’s temperature back up to normal. Any indication of hypothermia warrants an immediate phone contact to the vet.

Can Cats Get Sick from Rain?

Rain does not pose any health risks to cats. A wet coat won’t hurt your cat too much if you’re traveling somewhere warm. Cats are immune to the common cold and other illnesses that can be spread by getting wet in the rain.

You should be aware that your cat’s body temperature might drop significantly throughout the winter.

It can’t fend this off since its wet coat isn’t able to keep its body warm enough. It will be completely open to the outdoors, which will cause it to lose body heat quickly.

Should I Let My Cat Out in the Rain?

Whether you should let your cat out in the rain is a judgment call that you and your cat must make together.

It’s fine to allow your cat go outside when the weather is warm, whether or not it has access to water. There are probably good reasons for your cat’s curiosity, such

Fond of liquids
Urgent need to go to the restroom
Having a strong desire to go hunting

It’s best to keep your cat inside if the weather is bad (heavy rain, thunder, low temperatures, etc.).

Your cat’s agility and warmth-keeping abilities may be diminished by the heavy rain that may soak its hair. In the winter, this is a particularly bad idea.

Cats are more likely to be scared during a thunderstorm, leading them to seek refuge in undesirable locations. In its haste to find cover, you don’t want the animal to get caught in a tree or dart out into traffic.

Cat Out All Night in the Rain

You might be concerned about leaving your cat outside in the rain if you let it out at night. It’s OK as long as it’s not too chilly outside.

The feline in your care will seek temporary cover and burrow down. If you’re not going to be there to let it in when it gets home, that’s a very real possibility. In lieu of formal hedges, a porch, garage, shed, or even backyard hedges will do.

However, you shouldn’t allow your cat outside at night if the temperature is low. During certain times, the temperature may drop to its lowest point. Your cat is at risk of hypothermia if there is an unexpected downpour.

If the cat spends the night outside in the rain and then comes home, you should examine it for any symptoms of disease. These are all bad signs:

Shaking
Lethargy
Shallow respiration
Cold and clammy
Drowsiness

Why is My Cat Sitting Out in the Rain?

While most felines would rather stay indoors, there are a select few who welcome the chance to get wet. Some cat species even actively seek out water because they find it so appealing.

Different breeds of cats have different proclivities, but some, like the Bengal, the Turkish van, and the Maine coon, may choose to sit in the rain on purpose.

Though some cats despise the rain, they can’t deny the appeal of the eerily empty streets and parks as it starts to pour. A wet season may be perfect for your cat if it enjoys venturing out into the backyard or down the pavement.

This is why it’s possible that your cat’s rainy day naps are actually the result of its active pursuit of prey.

During this period, it may be simpler to catch prey. Its chances of success are greatly enhanced by the rain’s ability to cover up the sound of the cat’s feet.

Animal Conservation claims that weather conditions, such as rain and snow, affect the diet of wild cats. That is because different types of prey are accessible at different periods of the year.

In the event that you have just taken in a stray, it is possible that it is engaging in a tried and true ritual.

Do Cats Like the Rain?

It’s understandable that felines would rather stay dry. Their outer layer protects them from light rain, but heavy downpours will soak through.

Cats lose body heat more rapidly when their fur is soaked through, so a wet coat makes it harder for them to stay warm. Wet fur is thicker than dry fur, which might hinder a cat’s agility.

However, there are always a few that defy the norm. Some feline species have a pathological fascination with water and love to splash around in any available container.

They can be cute as oddballs, but this is only a hereditary oddity. Examples of breeds are:

A bunch of scumbags from Maine
Angora from Turkey
Dogs with short, stubby tails that originate in Japan
Bobtailed Americans
Manx
Norway’s woodland cats
Domesticated in the United States, American shorthairs
Autos turcas
Often referred to as “Bengals,”

Why Does My Cat Like Being Out in the Rain?

A cat that isn’t one of the above types may nonetheless brave the elements despite its aversion to water. A cat could like these benefits more than it dislikes the rain.

Desire to Hunt

Unlike their wild counterparts, domestic cats don’t have to go on hunting trips since they can acquire all they need from their owners.

Cats have a natural urge to hunt, therefore many of them continue to do so even when they are outside. It may be tempted to venture outdoors by yours, knowing that the impending storm will:

Hiding its movements and footsteps from its victim.
Coax some species of prey out of hiding.
Reduce the number of potential enemies or predators it must face.

Needing to Use the Bathroom

However, not all felines are comfortable utilizing the indoor litter box. Rather, they like taking care of business in the great outdoors. If your cat is like this, it will attempt to go outside whenever nature calls, rain or shine.

Still attempt to coax your cat into using the litter box, even if the weather is unpleasant and there is heavy thunder outside.

However, if the weather is nice and the rain isn’t too heavy, your cat can go outside and play. The good news is that it won’t hurt anything.

Maintaining Routine

Cats, by nature, are routine-oriented animals. They prefer regularity and order and are easily unsettled by disruptions.

If your cat has gotten into the routine of going outside at the same time every day, it may insist on doing so rain or shine.

Your cat may still come back to the house shortly after or use an outside shelter when it rains, despite its need for regularity. Getting wet is almost as bad as having its routine interrupted for it.

The Desire to Mark Territory

Though cats mark their territory with urine and excrement, the odours can be washed away by rain. Your cat may feel the need to establish its territory during a rainstorm or shortly afterward.

It’s possible that your cat will be quite irritated with you during this time. While that is happening, it will worry that other cats are moving into its area.

Can Cats Sense Rain?

Cats can notice changes in barometric pressure thanks to their heightened senses. When the barometric pressure drops slowly, rain is likely, but when it drops quickly, a storm is on the horizon.

Cats’ sensitivity to such changes suggests they may be used to forecast severe weather. Afterwards, they’ll either go back to their homes or make preparations to find safety elsewhere.

Cats also have heightened senses of smell and hearing compared to humans. With this, they’ll be able to detect the aroma of rain and hear distant rumbles of thunder.

That way, they’ll have plenty of time to prepare before the storm even becomes detectable to us.

Do Cats Like the Sound of Rain?

Some cats enjoy rain because it brings back pleasant memories of being outside. Your indoor cat may feel more at ease if you play it recordings of rain, birds tweeting, and other natural noises.

While some cats enjoy the sound of rain, others do not. Cats may react by making loud meowing noises, pawing at their faces, or being upset. It may make people think of getting caught in the rain, or it may foreshadow the arrival of thunder.

Do Cats Get Sleepy When It Rains?

Compared to humans, cats require significantly more sleep (12-16 hours daily). Although it may appear that your cat becomes drowsy whenever it rains, this is not the case.

As opposed to humans, cats are not easily lulled to sleep by the noise of a passing storm. Instead, they can become restless from waiting about indoors all day and opt for a nap. Humidity and barometric pressure are irrelevant.

Why Do Cats Sleep When It Rains?

If the cat is trying to conserve energy, it may choose to nap during a rainstorm. They are predators, therefore they appreciate the need of lightning-fast bursts of movement to seize their prey.

They rest whenever they can to make sure their supplies are never low.

Due to their aversion to water, cats are more inclined to remain indoors when it rains. When there is nothing else to do, sleeping is the best option.

It’s far more pleasant to wait out the storm indoors, even if they have plenty of places to hide outside.

How to Spot Signs of Hypothermia in Cats and What to Do

Cats are susceptible to hypothermia in cold weather, especially when it’s wet outside.

PetMD is an excellent reference for feline health issues and care. I’ve skimmed their sections on cat hypothermia and distilled the essential information for you:

How to Tell If a Cat Has Hypothermia

Your cat is at danger of hypothermia if it has been exposed to cold weather for an extended period of time or if it has been wet while outside.

When the core temperature of the body drops below 100 degrees Fahrenheit, hypothermia sets in. This causes the heart rhythm and other organs to slow, which can be dangerous if not addressed.

Shaking is the initial symptom. A cat’s body will strive to create heat in this way. Feeling your cat, you’ll notice that their paws and ears are the coldest places on their body.

The next sign of impending cardiac arrest is generally difficult breathing. It’s time to take action if you notice your cat is lying down and having trouble breathing.

How to Treat Suspected Hypothermia

Cats can suffer from hypothermia or die from it if you do nothing. PetMD lays out the procedure as follows.

Put the kitty somewhere warm. To dry damp items, we recommend wrapping them in towels and soaking them.

Avoid overheating them, however hot water bottles, warm blankets, etc. might be helpful.

Take the feline body temperature if you can. A healthy feline body temperature ranges from 100.4 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

Get your cat in for an appointment with the vet as soon as possible by calling and providing as much information as you can over the phone.

Prevention Is the Best Cure

The risk of hypothermia and other health problems associated with cold and rainy weather has hopefully been highlighted by this discussion.

Keep your cat indoors during severe weather. In the event that this is impossible, provide them with a number of covered outside spaces to escape the elements.

Concluision

It’s important to know where cats go when it rains, because it will help you avoid potential hazards. For example, if you see a cat in the street, you know that it probably came from inside, so you don’t need to search for a house.

Also, you can make sure the cat doesn’t slip on a wet sidewalk. When you’re walking outside, always walk at the middle of the road. It’s safer and less likely to fall off the curb.

source https://catshint.com/where-do-cats-go-when-it-rains-tips-and-tricks-to-find-and-help-cats-in-the-wet/