January 7, 2018

You Know It's Cold When ...

... Meowy wants to stay indoors!


Meowy is 100% farm cat. She loves to prowl, loves to hunt, and loves to be outdoors. She runs into the house only long enough to grab a bite to eat if hunting isn't good, and then it's out and off again. All day long she's busy stalking and catching mice, shrews, rats, chipmunks, rabbits, and squirrels. I've even seen her worry a snake or two. She loves going squirrel hunting with Dan, and is willing to fetch the prey, even though it's almost as big as she is! She's just a wee bit of a cat.

Sam and Meowy

Meowy hates rain. When we have long rainy spells she'll come inside, but paces constantly like a caged panther. She'll try to lay down for a catnap, but soon pops up again to pace some more. Every ten minutes or so she'll go to the door and meow, but when either Dan or I open it for her, she just stands there and glares at the rain, tail switching impatiently. Then she'll turn back and give whomever opened the door a good swat on the ankles as though the rain is our fault!

Because she's small and lightweight, we've always made her come in at night when the weather gets below freezing. She would prefer to spend the night nestled down in the hay, but we figure she doesn't have enough spare calories to spend on keeping warm. Over the years she has grudgingly accepted this. And anyway, hunting is poor when all the critters worth catching are burrowed deep in their dens for the night. Even so, Meowy is always the first cat out the door in the morning, ready to begin a new day.


These frigid January temps, however, have been too much even for Meowy! She not only volunteers to come in, but has been taking long daytime naps indoors as well. That's fine with us, because everything is frozen solid now. She likes to accompany Dan or me when we go out to swap frozen water buckets for fresh, but she's also willing to come back in when we are. You know it's cold when Meowy wants to stay indoors!

Sam, on the other hand, never passes up an
opportunity to be as comfortable as possible.


Do you have a "you know it's cold when ...?" Let us hear it!

22 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

One of the bloggers in Virginia said the same thing about his cat.

Unknown said...

We have a chihuahua and he absolutely hates the cold but he'll still go out to potty until it reaches single digits. When that happens I know I need to put the potty pads down inside because he's not taking one step outdoors.

Leigh said...

Gorges, I think even our goats would come in the house at night if we'd let them!

Ashley, your story reminds me of a miniature Poodle my in-laws used to have. She always wore a doggie sweater in winter and hated to give it up to be laundered. She would sit right there by the dryer waiting for it and would bark excitedly when the dryer went off. She wanted her sweater put back on!

Sam I Am...... said...

Nitty the Rott loves the cold (she was born in Iowa) but she lets me know when she's had enough and this week her outdoor laying about was shorter than usual. The dahschund (born in AR) doesn't like cold at all or rain and there have been a few "accidents' simply because she refuses to go out in it....frustrating for the owner! My cats are indoor cats so they have it 'made in the shade"! LOL! My feet can't seem to warm up this week...that's when I know it's cold as I had frost bite on them as a child...my hands too so they don't tolerate cold well. Stay warm and next to that cozy fire!

Woolly Bits said...

yes, I know it must be very cold outside if DH packs the porch with firewood:) normally he goes out every day, but right now it stays below zero even during the day, so he brought loads in yesterday:) won't last long though, another day or so and we're back to normal for ireland - 6-8 deg. C or so - plus rain of course:) another not so welcome sign for a longer cold spell is when suddenly no water runs out of the tap anymore:( it tends to freeze if we have several days of subzero during the day! hasn't happened for several years in a row and - it can stay that way:)
happy new year to you and yours!
Bettina from ireland, where we have brilliant sunshine, but "arctic" cold:)

Quinn said...

-17F when I got up this morning. It's getting a bit wearing. Carpenter observed the other day, "Piper hasn't peed more than 12 feet from the back door since the last snow!"

Seeking Serenity said...

i love Meowy because thats my nickname, and even funnier is that my brother's name is Sam LoL!

Mama Pea said...

We know it's cold when we're sure someone is coming during the night and stealing wood from the wood shed. I mean, otherwise why would the stacks be disappearing so quickly? ;o)

Don't you just love the different personalities of animals? When we first moved here to MN, part of the family was our 12 year old cocker spaniel. Shortly, we added Max, our Bouvier. Our cocker spaniel thought moving to the cold northland was a personal affront and I don't think ever forgave us. Max, from the get-go, had to be dragged inside even in -20 degree weather.

Leigh said...

Sam, having frost bite is bad news for staying warm forever after! You need to convince your dogs or cats to sleep on your feet. :)

Bettina, so you've got that arctic blast too! Like you, I'm happy for it to stay away, but I keep telling myself we should have less insect problems in the garden next year because of this winter's cold.

Quinn, that's qay too cold! Piper is such a smart dog. At least she goes out to do her business!

Serenity, that's too funny. Does your brother like cats like you do?

Mama Pea, we must be having the same problem! Thieves in the firewood. It certainly is disappearing quickly th. is year. Also have to say that we seem to be tolerating colder indoor temps. Funny how extreme cold can do that.

Sandra @ Thistle Cove Farm said...

At the last farm, Dave and I had that exact same wood stove...it was wonderful! I don't have a wood stove, only a propane fireplace and miss the wood stove. Although, my energy level is decreasing and a propane fireplace is a lot easier on my old bones!
It's been nasty cold here and I'm weary of it; higher temps this week...YAY!

Goatldi said...

Leigh my cold story is my new blog post. So I won't repeat myself on your space just invite folks over if they are interested.

I am smiling like a Cheshire Cat as I needed some info on hem stitching a woven scraf for Geoffrey and guess whose fiber blog came up?

You are a well versed fiber person and you need to revisit the craft! I am impressed. Happy warm up 😊

Ed said...

We had a cat called Scar that somehow lived through an almost gutting by some animal one night and hence obtained his name. Years later he came home after being missing for several days when it was extremely cold and eventually lost both ears and his tail. Needless to say, he was a tough pathetic cat to look at but did live a long full life for an outdoor cat. The extreme cold is certainly no place for a cat!

Michelle said...

Too cold for man or beast, period!

deb harvey said...

squirrel dog cat!! a wonderful thing.

Rain said...

Okay...I know it's cold when my eye lashes turn frosty lol...and...get ready for an "ewwww" moment...when I pick up the dog poop and it warms my hand through the poop bag lol! ;)

Your cats are so cute...ours are all house cats, though one of our tabby's constantly tempts fate by trying to run out the door when we take the dogs out..he instantly changes his mind when he feels the cold air, but keeps on trying silly thing!

Harry Flashman said...

The cold here in the mountains has been absolutely abysmal. At night, we have temperatures in the teens or single digits, and a couple of nights below zero about dawn. During the day, it has rarely broken freezing.

Lots of trouble for people because this has caused all sorts of things from electrical fires to busted and frozen pipes. We made out ok but it has been tough, going outside can cost you the skin off your nose.

We brought our animals in, including barn cats, and now have about 15 cats living inside. I do a lot of potty box emptying. However, today we are expecting freezing rain, in the forties temps, and maybe this awful arctic freeze is finally over.

The Wykeham Observer said...

I sure like those kitties. I think "you know it's cold" when the full birdfeeders empty in one day!

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi! Loved reading about your cats! They are so cute with their different personalities. Somewhat just like kids! We have had a break with a little warmer weather this week but Sunday is suppose to only be 16. Ugh. Nancy

Leigh said...

Sandra, I love our woodstove! I know you miss yours although a propane fireplace would still be a comfort. Have you gotten any of the warmer weather and rain yet? We're just getting ours and I'm so happy for it!

Goatldi, thank you! My fiber blog was what kept me sane those years of living in an apartment before we bought our place. With so much renovating and rebuilding my loom is in pieces until we get our spare room livable. That will mark quite a transition for us, being done with building and repair!

Ed, Scar sounds like he was one tough cat! Funny how different their personalities can be. I agree that extreme cold is no place for a cat outdoors.

Michelle, I agree!

Deborah, she's one unique cat!

Rain, LOL. Cats can be persistent like that, and they are all attracted to the outdoors!

Harry, yikes, that's cold! And that's a lot of cats to have in the house! Did you start to get some of the rain and warmer temperatures today? We did and I'm so relieved to not be so cold. Even so, Meowy's indoors tonight. She's not real keen on rain either. :)

Wykeham Observer, welcome! So nice you've just started a blog of your own. Very true about the cold and those birdfeeders!

Leigh said...

Nancy, I somehow missed your comment while I was writing mine. Cats are very much like kids! Glad to hear you're getting some relief from the cold. We are too, but winter isn't over yet!

Donna OShaughnessy said...

You know it's cold when...I sleep in socks. I hate socks in bed, I run quite hot but these last two weeks we've been sleeping with a fair share of our wardrobe draped over and about us. It's not so cold when we go to bed but when we wake up....brrrr. Looking forwardthe heat wave continuing. High 50's tomorrow!

Leigh said...

Donna, you all sound like us! Someone actually gave me bedsocks for Christmas, which I love. Comfy, warm, but not binding. :) Enjoy your warm spell! I just looked at the weather forecast and we're supposed to get rain tomorrow and then back down to lows in the teens! Disappointing, but winter obviously isn't over. :(