Some cats are strictly indoor pets and prefer to rest on a bed, tower, or sofa. However, others divide their time between being indoors and outdoors. So, when it comes to finding a safe place to sleep outside, where do our furry cats like to curl up?
Outdoor cats sleep anywhere that is safe and relatively quiet. Better yet, have food and water nearby. There are some places that are fairly common for outdoor cats to sleep in though. Let’s see them just below.
The 7 Most Likely Places for Outdoor Cats to Sleep
1. Open the Garage
An open garage is, well, an open invitation for a place to sleep, especially if a caregiver is using the space. The scent of the owner can calm the cat and give them a sense of security that they cannot find elsewhere. Cats are aware of their surroundings. They use several methods of nonverbal communication, including scent. A place like home is a refuge for an outdoor animal. Plus, you can’t beat a sturdy shelter that protects you from the harsh elements outside. Garages also have many nooks and crannies to hide and hunker down.=
2. Abandoned Buildings
Feral or community cats can quickly learn patterns of activity in an area. Because of this, they are open to choosing abandoned buildings as places to sleep. They can explore these structures at their own pace to determine if they are safe. Once familiar with a building, it will likely become part of the cat’s rotation in suitable shelters.
3. Under Buildings or Porches
Small spaces under buildings or porches provide the perfect hidden place to sleep and let their guard down. These areas are often underutilized by people. Wildlife may avoid those in residential areas, leaving it free for an outdoor cat to use. The advantage of these types of shelters is the shelter they provide, with surrounding walls and limited entry into and out of the space.
4. Sheltered Area in the woods
Our feline companions are in touch with the wild side when it comes to natural behavior. That includes finding a place to hide wherever they are. Many places exist in the woods where an outdoor cat can curl up to sleep. They can use an abandoned den, go under a fallen tree, or crawl inside a hollowed-out log.
5. Barns
Barns are a natural choice to sleep for outdoor cats. Agriculture helped bring humans and cats together, so it’s only fair to return to the origins of this domestication for shelter. The same thing that attracts cats to them in the first place is likely still present in barns, namely rodents. That means a readily available source of food in addition to a comfortable place to sleep.
6. Box-like Enclosure
The best place is anywhere the cat feels safe. That is one reason why these animals love boxes so much. Surprisingly, only the feeling of confinement does. Cats will even sit in a frame of a box, perhaps with the same sense of security. Anything that an outdoor cat can find that seems reasonably safe and box-like in its shape fits the bill.
7. Under Cars
Vets and animal welfare groups will tell you to watch out for cats sleeping under the hood or tires of your car, especially in colder weather. The heat of a car engine is attractive, but cats can get hurt when a car starts. That’s why you should scan the car and make some noise to alert any snoring cats to move on before starting the engine.
The Dangers for Outdoor Cats
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the dangers for outdoor cats, both to pets and wildlife. While some may think outdoor access is important for their pets, it also increases their risk of disease, predation, and road traffic accidents. The disease is particularly worrisome because some conditions, such as rabies and internal parasites, are transmissible to humans.
Although many associate rabies with dogs, cat cases are about six times more than dogs at 216 in 2021. An infected cat may not show signs until a year, so it is more dangerous. It is 100% fatal once the infection is apparent. Any mammal, including humans, can get the disease, which has an equally grim prognosis if left untreated.
We must also consider the effects on wildlife. According to the Center for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, cats are a factor in the extinction of 40 species of birds, 21 mammals, and 2 species of reptiles. Another 367 combined species are threatened by feline predation. This is a global problem, with the Polish Academy of Sciences (PASIFIC) going so far as to categorize domestic cats as an “invasive alien species.”
The issue with cats involves predation on species that haven’t had time to adapt. It’s literally a case of shooting fish in a barrel. And these animals are not even the most successful predators, with a kill rate of only 32%. Imagine the estimated 2.4 billion birds killed by cats if that percentage were higher.
Conclusion
Outdoor cats are opportunistic about finding a place to sleep. They cannot be chosen. However, it should be safe and give the animal a sense of security. Covered spaces with an opening to monitor what’s going on outside are ideal for them.
Above, we’ve identified some common places where you might find a snoring cat taking a cat nap, although we’re sure there are many more that our outdoor cats keep private!
Featured Image Credit: caligari77, Pixabay
