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A gray Exotic Shorthair cat curls around a tortoise on a snowy patch of ground outside. 21 / 21

A Gray Cat Curled Around a Tortoise to Shield Him From the Snow

AI imageexotic shorthairtortoisesnow

Snow dusts the ground beside an old wooden shed, and a gray Exotic Shorthair has curled herself around Gus the tortoise, her thick coat covering most of his shell. Her round orange eyes look straight at the camera with a serious look, and her tail lies across his back. The tortoise's head pokes out, calm in the shelter of her body. A few brown leaves rest in the snow. It looks as if she has decided it is her job to keep him warm. Snowflakes stick to her whiskers, and a faint shadow falls across them from the shed.

Tortoises are cold-blooded and cannot generate their own body heat, so cold weather is dangerous for them. Most species need warm temperatures and a heated enclosure, and some are brought into a carefully managed winter rest, called brumation, under expert guidance. Cats, in contrast, have fur that insulates them, but short-nosed breeds like Exotic Shorthairs still need to be indoors in cold weather. If you ever see a cold, sluggish pet, warm it gradually and call your vet. Keep tortoises indoors or in a heated shelter in winter. A warm, dry room is the best place for a cold-weather rest.

For this snowy moment, the cat's fur is the only blanket either of them needs. It's a tiny, thoughtful gesture in a very cold place.

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