CDT to CAT
+7hCDT
CDTSOURCECAT
CATGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
CDT and CAT on the World Map
The map below highlights the CDT (Central Daylight Time) and CAT (Central Africa Time) timezone regions across the globe.
CDT – Central Daylight Time
UTC-05:00Central Daylight Time (CDT) is the daylight saving offset in the Central Time Zone, 5 hours behind UTC.
- •CDT is the same offset as EST (UTC-05:00), which can cause confusion.
- •CDT runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
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.
Comparing Time Zones: CDT and CAT
CDT runs on Central Daylight Time (CDT) at UTC-05:00. CAT runs on Central Africa Time (CAT) at UTC+02:00. That puts CDT 7 hours ahead of CAT — a difference of +7h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in CDT it is 4:00 PM in CAT. Midnight in CDT is 7:00 AM in CAT. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.
CDT to CAT time conversion table
| CDT (CDT) | CAT (CAT) | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 7:00 AM | same day |
| 6:00 AM | 1:00 PM | same day |
| 7:00 AM | 2:00 PM | same day |
| 8:00 AM | 3:00 PM | same day |
| 9:00 AM | 4:00 PM | same day |
| 12:00 PM | 7:00 PM | same day |
| 3:00 PM | 10:00 PM | same day |
| 5:00 PM | 12:00 AM | next day |
| 6:00 PM | 1:00 AM | next day |
| 9:00 PM | 4:00 AM | next day |
Why people convert CDT to CAT time
- Scheduling a call from CDT to CAT: a 10:00 AM start in CDT lands at 5:00 PM in CAT, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Finding shared working hours: both CDT and CAT are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM CDT time (4:00 PM–5:00 PM CAT). That is roughly 1 hours of usable overlap.
- Coordinating a CDT-based team with CAT contacts: quoting times in the other side's local clock — not your own — removes the single biggest source of missed meetings.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM CDT" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a +7h gap is not.
- Block 9:00 AM–10:00 AM CDT as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from CDT and need CAT colleagues present.
About CDT (Central Daylight Time)
Central Daylight Time (CDT) is observed during summer months in the US and Canadian portions of the Central Time Zone. Clocks are moved forward by one hour, aligning with Eastern Standard Time (EST). Most of Mexico and Central America do not observe CDT, staying on CST year-round.
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.
Best time to call between CDT and CAT
Both CDT and CAT sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 9:00 AM–10:00 AM CDT, which is 4:00 PM–5:00 PM CAT. That gives roughly 1 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.
Business hours overlap
CDT and CAT overlap for only 60 minutes (9:00 AM–10:00 AM CDT), so meetings have to be booked precisely.
CDT is 7 hours ahead of CAT (CDT UTC-05:00 → CAT UTC+02:00). The shared working window is 9:00 AM–10:00 AM CDT. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.
🕐 Daylight Saving Time Info
CDT
☀ Currently in DST
Standard: UTC-06:00 · DST: UTC-05:00
Clocks fall back on Sun, Nov 1, 2026
CAT
Does not observe DST
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 CDT and CAT?
CDT (CDT, UTC-05:00) is 7 hours ahead of CAT (CAT, UTC+02:00). The gap is currently +7h.
How do I convert CDT time to CAT time?
Add +7h to CDT local time. For example, 9:00 AM in CDT is 4:00 PM in CAT.
What time is it in CAT right now?
CAT uses CAT at UTC+02:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the +7h offset from CDT.
What is the best time to call CAT from CDT?
Call between 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM CDT — that maps to 4:00 PM–5:00 PM CAT and keeps both parties inside the working day.
Which is ahead, CDT or CAT?
CDT is 7 hours ahead of CAT. When it is 12:00 PM in CDT it is 7:00 PM in CAT.
Does daylight saving time affect the CDT–CAT difference?
Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the +7h offset between CDT and CAT is fixed all year.
Which other cities share CDT's time zone?
CDT also covers Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Austin, Winnipeg, Nashville.
Which countries use CDT, CDT's zone?
CDT is used in United States (Central), Canada (Manitoba).
Is there a day difference between CDT and CAT?
Not normally. The +7h gap only pushes the date over for late-evening times.
What is the time difference between CDT and CAT?
CAT is +7h from CDT.
What timezone is CDT in?
CDT operates on its local timezone.
What timezone is CAT in?
CAT operates on its local timezone.
Which countries use CDT (Central Daylight Time)?
CDT is used in United States (Central), Canada (Manitoba).
Does CDT observe daylight saving time?
Yes, CDT switches to CST during summer months.
What are some interesting facts about CDT?
CDT is the same offset as EST (UTC-05:00), which can cause confusion. CDT runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
Which cities are in the CAT timezone?
Major cities in the CAT timezone include Harare, Lusaka, Maputo, Lilongwe, Kigali.
What is the UTC offset for CAT?
Central Africa Time (CAT) is at UTC+02:00.
What should I know about the CAT timezone?
Central Africa Time is fixed at UTC+02:00 with no daylight saving. CAT matches South Africa Standard Time (SAST) all year.
When is it midnight in CDT, what time is it in CAT?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in CDT (CDT), it is +7h later in CAT (CAT).
Related Developer Tools
Explore more tools that work great with timezone conversions for international teams:
Related Timezone Conversions
More CDT time conversions
- cdt to chicago
- cdt to cst
- cdt to new york
- cdt to london
- cdt to dubai
- cdt to tokyo
- cdt to singapore
- cdt to sydney
- cdt to los angeles
- cdt to paris
- cdt to delhi
- cdt to mumbai
- cdt to berlin
- cdt to hong kong
- cdt to toronto
- cdt to kathmandu
- new york to cdt
- london to cdt
- dubai to cdt
- tokyo to cdt
- singapore to cdt
- sydney to cdt
- los angeles to cdt
- paris to cdt
- delhi to cdt
- mumbai to cdt
- berlin to cdt
- hong kong to cdt
- toronto to cdt
- kathmandu to cdt
See every conversion from CDT →·See every conversion from CAT →