CAT to Chicago
-7hCAT
CATSOURCEChicago
CDTGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
CAT and CDT on the World Map
The map below highlights the CAT (Central Africa Time) and CDT (Central Standard Time) timezone regions across the globe.
CAT – Central Africa Time
UTC+02:00Central Africa Time (CAT, UTC+02:00) covers Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and neighbouring countries.
- •Central Africa Time is fixed at UTC+02:00 with no daylight saving.
- •CAT matches South Africa Standard Time (SAST) all year.
- •It is the same offset as Central European Time in winter.
- •Harare is level with Johannesburg and one hour ahead of Lagos.
CST – Central Standard Time
UTC-06:00Central Standard Time (CST) is the time zone for the central United States, Canada, and Mexico, 6 hours behind UTC.
- •CST covers 20 US states fully or partially.
- •Chicago and Houston are the two largest cities in the Central Time Zone.
- •Mexico City, one of the world's most populous cities, operates on CST.
- •CST is 1 hour behind EST and 2 hours ahead of PST.
About Chicago
WikipediaChicago operates on Central Time (CST/CDT), 1 hour behind New York. Home to CME and CBOE, Chicago is a global center for derivatives trading.
The Chicago Board of Trade is the world's oldest futures and options exchange.
CAT vs Chicago: Offsets, DST and Best Call Times
CAT runs on Central Africa Time (CAT) at UTC+02:00. Chicago runs on Central Daylight Time (CDT) at UTC-05:00, also currently on daylight saving time. That puts CAT 7 hours behind Chicago — a difference of -7h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in CAT it is 2:00 AM in Chicago. Midnight in CAT is 5:00 PM in Chicago.Chicago observes daylight saving time while CAT does not, so the gap narrows or widens by an hour part of the year.
CAT to Chicago time conversion table
| CAT (CAT) | Chicago (CDT) | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 5:00 PM | previous day |
| 6:00 AM | 11:00 PM | previous day |
| 7:00 AM | 12:00 AM | same day |
| 8:00 AM | 1:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 AM | 2:00 AM | same day |
| 12:00 PM | 5:00 AM | same day |
| 3:00 PM | 8:00 AM | same day |
| 5:00 PM | 10:00 AM | same day |
| 6:00 PM | 11:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 PM | 2:00 PM | same day |
Why people convert CAT to Chicago time
- Scheduling a call from CAT to Chicago: a 10:00 AM start in CAT lands at 3:00 AM in Chicago, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Finding shared working hours: both CAT and Chicago are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM CAT time (9:00 AM–10:00 AM CDT). That is roughly 1 hours of usable overlap.
- Watching a live event or market open: CAT viewers need 2:00 AM in Chicago to catch a 9:00 AM start there, and 7:00 AM if the event is anchored to CAT.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM CAT" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -7h gap is not.
- Block 4:00 PM–5:00 PM CAT as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from CAT and need Chicago colleagues present.
- Chicago: Clocks fall back on Sun, Nov 1, 2026. Any meeting series spanning that date will shift by an hour in local time.
About CAT (Central Africa Time)
Central Africa Time (CAT) is fixed at UTC+02:00 all year across a broad belt of southern and central Africa, including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. None of these countries observes daylight saving time, so CAT never shifts. It is the same offset as South Africa Standard Time (SAST) and the winter version of Central European Time, which makes CAT a convenient bridge between African, European and Middle Eastern schedules — Harare is level with Johannesburg all year and one hour ahead of Lagos.
About CST (Central Standard Time)
Central Standard Time (CST) covers the central region of North America. It is the second most populous time zone in the US, including major cities like Chicago, Houston, and Dallas. CST is also used in Mexico City and much of Central America including Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Costa Rica. During summer, most of the US and Canada switch to Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC-05:00), while Mexico and Central American countries generally remain on CST.
Best time to call between CAT and Chicago
Both CAT and Chicago sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 4:00 PM–5:00 PM CAT, which is 9:00 AM–10:00 AM CDT. That gives roughly 1 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.
Business hours overlap
CAT and Chicago overlap for only 60 minutes (4:00 PM–5:00 PM CAT), so meetings have to be booked precisely.
CAT is 7 hours behind Chicago (CAT UTC+02:00 → CDT UTC-05:00). The shared working window is 4:00 PM–5:00 PM CAT. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.
🕐 Daylight Saving Time Info
CAT
Does not observe DST
Chicago
☀ Currently in DST
Standard: UTC-06:00 · DST: UTC-05:00
Clocks fall back on Sun, Nov 1, 2026
Learn More About Time
Dive deeper into the fascinating world of timekeeping, time zones, and how they shape our global society:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between CAT and Chicago?
CAT (CAT, UTC+02:00) is 7 hours behind Chicago (CDT, UTC-05:00). The gap is currently -7h.
How do I convert CAT time to Chicago time?
Add -7h to CAT local time. For example, 9:00 AM in CAT is 2:00 AM in Chicago.
What time is it in Chicago right now?
Chicago uses CDT at UTC-05:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the -7h offset from CAT.
What is the best time to call Chicago from CAT?
Call between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM CAT — that maps to 9:00 AM–10:00 AM CDT and keeps both parties inside the working day.
Which is behind, CAT or Chicago?
CAT is 7 hours behind Chicago. When it is 12:00 PM in CAT it is 5:00 AM in Chicago.
Do CAT and Chicago use different time zones?
CAT uses CAT at UTC+02:00, while Chicago (USA) uses CDT at UTC-05:00. The IANA identifiers are Africa/Harare and America/Chicago.
Does daylight saving time affect the CAT–Chicago difference?
Yes at the moment: Chicago is on daylight saving time and CAT is not, so the -7h gap shifts by an hour when exactly one of them changes clocks.
Which other cities share CAT's time zone?
CAT also covers Harare, Lusaka, Maputo, Lilongwe, Kigali.
Which countries use CAT, CAT's zone?
CAT is used in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo (east).
Is there a day difference between CAT and Chicago?
Not normally. The -7h gap only pushes the date over the previous day.
What is the time difference between CAT and Chicago?
Chicago is -7h from CAT.
What timezone is CAT in?
CAT operates on its local timezone.
What timezone is Chicago in?
Chicago operates on Central Time (CST/CDT), 1 hour behind New York. Home to CME and CBOE, Chicago is a global center for derivatives trading.
What are the business hours in Chicago?
Standard business hours in Chicago are 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CST.
Which countries use CAT (Central Africa Time)?
CAT is used in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, and 1 more countries.
Does CAT observe daylight saving time?
No, CAT does not observe daylight saving time and remains at UTC+02:00 year-round.
What are some interesting facts about CAT?
Central Africa Time is fixed at UTC+02:00 with no daylight saving. CAT matches South Africa Standard Time (SAST) all year.
Which cities are in the CST timezone?
Major cities in the CST timezone include Chicago, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Mexico City, Austin, Winnipeg, Memphis.
What is the UTC offset for CST?
Central Standard Time (CST) is at UTC-06:00. During daylight saving time, it shifts to CDT.
What should I know about the CST timezone?
CST covers 20 US states fully or partially. Chicago and Houston are the two largest cities in the Central Time Zone.
When is it midnight in CAT, what time is it in Chicago?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in CAT (CAT), it is -7h later in Chicago (CST).
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