A friend once called to ask if she could have caught a cold from touching a goat at a petting zoo. This is not a common question, but many people do ask if any of the following things can cause a cold:
Sleeping in front of an open window
Getting a chill
Sleeping in front of a fan
Getting caught in the rain
Sleeping with a wet goat in front of a fan in the rain

The answer is no. Cold or wet weather does not cause a cold, but nobody seems to want to accept this.

The common cold is caused by a virus. These viruses are everywhere and it is difficult to avoid them. When you are exposed to someone who has a cold, you are more likely to get ill yourself, so be careful about close contact and definitely wash your hands. Not getting enough sleep or eating poorly can also reduce your resistance to infection. Remember that antibiotics won’t fight your everyday cold. Antibiotics work only against bacteria.

To take care of a cold, rest, eat well, and a little chicken soup couldn’t hurt…

-from Why Do Men Have Nipples? by Mark Leyner and Billy Goldberg, MD