Last winter was brutal for many parts of the United States. It makes you feel for all of the people and animals who need to tough the streets through the coldest days of the year. Winter is an especially dangerous time for stray animals and those that live an indoor/outdoor lifestyle. The extreme temperatures can pose tremendous risks.
A couple in Kalispell, Montana, were shocked to find their outdoor cat buried in a snowbank in 2021. According to ABC News, the animal had likely been outside, where it was only 8 degrees, for hours. The neighborhood had gotten 16 inches of snow that month alone.
Fluffy was unresponsive. Her fur was matted with ice. The couple quickly brought her to the Animal Clinic of Kalispell. Her temperature was so low that it wasn't registering on the thermometer. Its lowest reading is 90 degrees, and cats typically have a 101-degree body temperature. After a few hours of trying to raise the cat's temperature, they still hadn't made sufficient progress and transferred her to the ER.
That's where things took a miraculous turn.
Outdoor cats face a lot of risks in the wintertime. The extreme temperatures can cause a host of problems for these otherwise self-sufficient animals.
Many communities don't understand the benefit of tending to neighborhood strays. Stray cats do a great deal to control rodent populations in communities. In doing this, PetMD explains, they eliminate the need for unsafe chemicals that can serve the same purpose.
One outdoor cat is lucky to be alive after the treacherous winter weather in Montana nearly took her life. Fluffy was brought into the Animal Clinic of Kalispell with a body temperature so low that it wasn't registering on thermometers.
There are ways to help outdoor cats from meeting the same fate as Fluffy. PetMD offers instructions on how to easily create a shelter that a number of outdoor cats can use to stay safe and survive the elements.
Keeping your own indoor/outdoor cats inside also helps. It creates a less-competitive environment as far as space and resources.
You can also keep your garage tidy. Cats will try to find their ways into garages to stay warm and can ingest harmful liquids from cleaning and car supplies in the process.
Don't forget to bang on the hood of your car before starting it this winter. Cats love to hide under vehicles and sometimes even crawl up into the wheel wells.
Staff at the Animal Clinic spent two hours trying to bring Fluffy's temperature back up with warm blankets and water, but she was still in bad shape. They determined she needed to be taken to the ER. After a few additional hours, she finally started showing signs of improvement.
Fluffy made a full recovery and is back at home with her owners. They've decided to keep 3-year-old Fluffy fully indoors from now on.
Dr. Jevon Clark, the doctor who first treated Fluffy at the clinic, explained that the couple thought that Fluffy might have been injured, which left her stuck in one spot. She has areas to hide away from the elements available to her and has been an outdoor cat since she was born.
People were shocked to see what a dire state Fluffy came back from. While they're happy to hear she's an indoor cat now, they are worried she might find her way back out.
Fluffy's owners have chosen to remain anonymous because people have blamed them for what happened to her. Cat owners who have had cats get out are warning others not to be so quick to judge.
Most people were just elated to hear that Fluffy survived such dire circumstances. Many joked that she used up one of her nine lives that day.
We haven't seen the last of winter just yet. Make sure to keep your furry friends in your thoughts and do what you can to help them out!
