How To Keep Outdoor Cats Warm In Winter

Many thanks for the tips. I have one outdoor cat that spends most of her time on my porch. I had 2 cats but one passed on last year. He was sickly and there was no way he'd let me get him to a vet. I think he had feline aids, or something similar. I'm thinking of buying some type of electric heated pad for Pal, my cat to lay on. Right now I use an oil radiator but it's kind of expensive. Anyway, thanks again for the info.

rgcarlin1@aol.com

Jean, thank you for this very wise and compassionate hub! I could feel, that you are a very good person. Thank you, again.

Solarshingles,

Thank you for your kind words. I adore animals and I guess it's obvious from my writing.

Since I've visited (& became a fan) of your hubs, I can say the same about you...that you are a very good person. Anyone who's as committed to walking more softly on our Mother Earth as you are, is a wonderful person in my estimation.

I have 3- 4 cats that wondered to my yard, now that we are coming into winter I am worried they will freeze, there is a dog house that was left here and one of them goes in there, but I worry about the other 2 they are about a year or older and mom was around but I don't know where she went, they want in the house so bad but I have 3 of my own and can't let them in. There is also a play house that was left here, which I put a couple blankets in for them and leave the door open just enough for them to get in, I worry that they won't go in and stay in on those REALLY cold night, right now they sleep under our back deck. Any ideas?

Thank you,

I have learned on my tight buget that I can not buy the heaters but since my dog sleeps on my back porch many of the strays have gone in there to. But for the cat that get sick and have to be kept seperated from the population my mother had me build a large enclosure with a large house attched to it the enclosure alone is 8foot long by 5foot wide by 4foot high and while they are in there they get the medicine given to me by the vet food all the time and they have stuff to climb on and nice beds to sleep on in the house then when they are better they get put back with the stray population who get feed twice a day by me and during the winter warm water 3 times a day in their large water bowl.

Hello Jean,

I have just invited a beautiful peach and white stray cat that I have named Gracie up on my second level porch. She has accepted my invitation and since she seems to like it there I have gone to great lengths to keep her warm. We have pulled together a big box, cut a hole for a door, added some old towels and hope that she is warm when the temp. drops to 22 degrees. Brrrr. Since we are on a metal porch I keep a sample carpet under the box and I even cut up an old windshield sun cover to try and keep the heat in the box. She seems to be very happy there. But I noticed on wet days that I have to wash and dry the towels since they get very damp. It is good to check that out.

My question is what can I place on the walls inside the box to keep it warmer with the exception of styrofoam since it MAY be toxic to her. I know some outdoor houses are lined with styrofoam but this is a very small space. Have any ideas? If not, I just may have to break down and buy one of those "cat"igloos that you mentioned.

PS: Just a little note for those who have new visitors during the winter months. I also mix Gracie's hard food with some soft food in the mornings and warm it up as well as warming up her water. (making sure the food or the water is not TOO hot) She loves the warm water. We will be visiting the vet soon for shots and the most important thing...spaying or neurting. TNR...(trap, neuter and return)

has any one used hay to keep the cats warm.I use it under my porch all sides closed but a space for cats

I made several cat houses by simply getting boxes of the right size, duck taping those Styrofoam panels to the bottom, top sides, front and back (door cut out of course) wrapping the whole thing in several layers of foil bubble wrap insulation, and then sealing the whole mess in a heavy duty black plastic trash bag, duck taping a plastic panel cut from an old shower curtain liner to the door.

I got a couple of those cheap fleece "cat beds" for like 5 bucks a piece " at the local Walgreens and change them out when they get wet (wet bedding is death to your cat) . The bedding needs to be checked and replaced when wet.

Don't know how comfortable the cats are, but they've been using them for 2 years now.

Hi, Jean. Great site! Very helpful. We have an older tuxedo cat (whom we've named Felix) who found his way to our door (apparently, according to our neighbor, he's been wandering around here for years). He was clearly once owned by someone since he's been neutered, and he delights in not only our company but our dog's, as well. I tried to introduce him into our household (after taking him to the vet and having him checked out and vaccinated--thankfully he's FIV and FeLV negative), but our indoor cat wanted NO part of this idea. Nor, it seems does Felix. I've taken to letting him indoors when our cat is down in the basement--the happy hunting ground, as we call it--so he can have some affection time, but after a brief while he wants back outside. My question is we've made an enclosure for Felix out of a large TV box, insulated it with foam panels, plus it's wrapped with an old rug, several blankets, and waterproofed and windproofed with a large tarp. Inside (apart from those foam panels) he has a large foam bed covered with a couple of fleece blankets plus I've lined the sides of the box with a couple of old fleece jackets. But I still worry that this won't be sufficient to ward off the cold and wind of our upstate New York winter. Unfortunately we have no garage, no car port, no shed, or any other enclosed or even semi-enclosed area to put the box in, so it's just out on our front porch, up against the house but otherwise exposed to the elements--other than a roof to keep off the majority of the rain and snow. Is there anything else I can do to provide additional warmth? Thanks so much for your help!!

Hi, again, Jean--and, wow, thanks for such a fast reply! I have a very limited budget, unfortunately, but I'll check around for a used sleeping bag. Also, I saw another recommendation to use a solar pool cover (foil side down to reflect the heat back), though I don't know how effective that would be if wrapped on the outside of a box, especially in this circumstance when Felix's body heat would have to pass through half-inch thick cardboard covered with inch-and-a-half foam-core insulated board before it reached that solar cover. (Or is my logic illogical??) At any rate, we had initally created his shelter out of the large cardboard box thinking that it would just be temporary and he'd soon be living indoors. Since that clearly is NOT going to be the case, my next question for you is what's the best material to construct a more permanent abode for Felix? Would half-inch plywood faced with the foam-core board provide decent insulating properties? Or is there something better we could use (keeping in mind the budgetary restraints)? Thanks again!!

Hi, we have a cat that has adopted us and we love her but it's not possible to have her inside and I am so worried about her outside in the cold. She comes to our back door (deck) not covered. I tried to move her to the front porch (covered) more cozy, but she just got scared and ran off. I'm not sure how to get her to "move" to the front please help...

Thanks

I have a feral cat that I have set up a shelter with a wooden box over an insulated cat box. It took a while for it to use it. Sometime ago a friend went to get the cat and of course it ran off. Although it comes every day for food, I don't think it is using the shelter. Is there anywhere to get it to use the shelter again? This is a young cat

Dear Jean,

Apparently I have been doing everything wrong to keep my strays warm in winter. They have cardboard boxes that sit on the concrete, but have lots of pillows and towels in them to snuggle into. The tops of the boxes are open. They are against the house in back under a covered patio. However, the patio acts as a wind tunnel and the cats really have to hunker down into the box to get warm. I heard something today about using Christmas lights in the boxes to keep the cats warm. Have you heard of this? Do I cover the lights with a sheet or pillowcase? Can they catch fire? I am going to get some carpeting to put under the cardboard boxes and put in the old sleeping bag that I have, but I cannot afford to buy wood or foam core. Normally, Tucson does not get cold too often, but the weather report predicts snow this evening. I need something that I can do fast, that will keep the cats warm, and that will be safe for them. I have about 4 strays that come to be fed and watered twice a day. Oh, lastly, should I be taping the boxes shut completely and cutting a hole in the side for them to get in and out of the box, or should I leave the top open?

Thank you!

Cindy

I just came across this site while doing research about how to keep cats warm in the winter. I live in upstate NY in an extremely windy area and have a neighbor who either abandoned her cats or simply leaves them out at night... she is of the mind that pets can take care of themselves. I am beside myself trying to figure out what to do. For a week now, her two cats have come to my home in the middle of the night (I know because my indoor cat howls when they come to the door). I have begin feeding them, and one of the cats even comes inside (when my own cat is kept upstairs). The cat who comes inside is affectionate but also turns on you and bites and scratches, particularly when she hears my cat at the door. He comes in willingly, but after about 20 minutes wants out again. The other cat will come up to the house, but won't come inside.

With the temps dropping here, I've been doing a lot of research on how to create a suitable shelter for these poor cats. I have read the postings on this page with great interest but do have a few questions, as the info here seems to conflict with info I have read elsewhere.

First, I have read that STRAW is the best bedding for cats...several sources indicate this is true. Straw and hay are not the same thing (or so these sites suggest)... I am not sure what the difference is. Does anyone know?

Second, many sites indicate that cloth bedding, blankets, towels, etc are the WORST for cats since they draw away body heat and can be deadly to cats if they get wet (not only don't provide warmth but can also get moldy and mildewy). Is this true?? I can see why straw would be a good option, but think a towel might be more attractive to a cat.... but I would hate to use that if it isn't good for the cat.

I have also found conflicting info about whether raised housing is better or worse. Certainly, keeping the housing away from water and flooding is important, but if you put it on top of a pallet , doesn't that allow cold air to circulate underneath and make it colder? I am not sure if the ground or air is colder, but I am assuming the air is.

Lastly, I would ideally like to buy or build housing that will also be good for summer shelter since the summers here are as hot and humid as the winters are as cold and windy. Any suggestions? Also, since these cats are not truly feral and willingly come up to my house, can I put the shelter behind my house, or should it really be in the woods?

I live on a military installation, and we have no animal control and there really is no way to report this family for neglect (also not everyone sees it as neglect... they think they're outdoor cats). There are rules about providing adequate outdoor shelter for pets, but getting something like that enforced here is like pulling teeth.

I would very much like to take these cats to the no kill shelter a couple of towns over, but my husband tells me it is wrong and I really have no way to do this because one cat won't come close, and the other can be aggressive.

My heart is breaking and I want to help these little guys, so any advice would be much appreciated. many thanks!

Jean,

Thanks for you response ragarding getting my young feral cat to use shelter. The weather has turn very cold and snowy and I still don't see it using the shelter. I was just wandering....there had beem a possum in the yard recently going for the cat food at night. I have since removed the food after dark. Would this been keeping the cat from using the shelter, since the food was set up next to the shelter. I really don't want to move the shelter since it is under trees for protection, but not next to the house because I have a dog and didn't want it to be disturbed every time the dog was in the yard. I just don't know if the possum is keeping it from using the shleter. The cat recently is still hidung under the deck...where I can't put the shelter becase there isn't any room?

Am I over thinking this ...and just take your advice that the cat will eventually use the shelter provided?

Thanks again for your advice.

Hi Jean,

I'm glad to find something like this because I have a few questions.

My wife and I kind of adopted a cat 2 years ago. Well actually the cat adopted us on cold night in December. We don't know where she came from or why she chose us. We named her Noel, appropriate for the time of year we started caring for her. My children, 5 and 3 love her and Noel loves all of us as well. At first Noel was very skittish and would run if you got close. She now lets us all pet her, pick her up and cuddle her. She purrs like CRAZY!

I made her a house out of a very large RubberMaid gray container. I cut a hole in the side of it for an entrance and attached a piece of plastic over the door to knock the wind down and keep the rain/snow out. Inside - I cut 3 inch think foam panels typically used for sound in recording studios. I put this foam on the floor, four walls, and attached a piece to the top off the container as well. I put one of our spare bedroom pillows in there and a fleece blanket draped over the walls and pillow. To tell you the truth, I'd sleep out there, that's how cozy it looks. My question to you is... Do you think this is warm enough for her if the temp gets down to like 10 degrees or cooler?.

Secondly, Occasionally we'll let her in the house for an hour or so. She is very good I might add. She hops up on our kitchen chair and curls up or follows us around purring like crazy. Do you think this is ok to have her come in every now and then? We never brought her to the vet to get checked out. My wife did buy stuff for ear mites during this past summer. Would you advise us to take her to the vet to get a checkup?

My daughter and son were laying on the floor inside last night when we let the cat in for a while. Noel walked over to the two of them, sniffed them and laid down right next to them and gently nuzzled her nose into them (purring like crazy). Noel was rolling around like she was in heaven with the to kids petting her. It sounds like this cat really loves us that much to allow us to handle her and be comfortable enough to come in and act like she is part of the family forever.

Any advise you may have would be great!

Thanks in advance, Paul

Hi! I have been caring for a feral cat for about 3 years now. One of the things I did for those of you on a limited budget was buy a big plastic storage container with a lid. I cut an opening on the front of it for him to go in and out. I lined the container with egg crate material, sides and the bottom and put a heating pad in the bottom of it with a light layer over the top. I keep the heating pad on low. Or you can buy a pet mate heating pad that always stays on the right temperature and it also stays on 24 hours a day. This way your cat has a roof and insulation. The heating pads work great too. Just don't turn them on to high.

But I have also bought a cat igloo and put it over a large basket with a heating pad inside. My wild kitty loves the basket with the blankets and heating pad, but is scared to death of the igloo over the top of it. Like one other person said a cat is going to do what a cat is going to do. I always have fresh food and water each morning.

I recently purchased a product called snugglesafe for an outside feral kitty and love it. It is a disc you put in the microwave and heat for 5 minutes and then put it in the cover it comes with or wrap in a blanket and put it in the cats house. I purchased 2 so I could switch them morning and night without disturbing her too much. I heat one and when I feed her I make the switch and bring one in to do the same thing in the morning. I like it because I do not have to worry about starting a fire with an electrical heater. Snugglesafe.com if anybody is interested in further information regarding the product. I have seen them offered at petco and amazon.com also.

Another great product is the mysterious purr pad, it reflects the cats body heat back but without the crinkly noise of some of the other products.

Hello,

I have a mom feral (her kitties are in our house) but she will not come in. I purchased a feral villa for her. ($75)www.feralvilla.com it is a 2 floor insulated cat house, I have the villa on our covered screened porch (and made hubby cover screen with plastic) she has a pet bed with an indoor heated pad that heats to the cats normal temp. she seems to be using it frequently - it is still very cold out there but hopefully she will be fine during this really cold spell. It is 8 degrees tonight! But hoping since she is in a shelter that is in a shelter with the heated pad - she will be ok? I am feeding her twice a day wet (warmed) and dry food. - I have not been warming the water - but saw several posts of people doing this - great idea!

Thanks for all the great ideas - I really recommend the feral villa to anyone looking for a shelter - just needs simple assembly - already preinsulated. (also has a shingled slanted roof.

Mysterious purr pad can be found at petco or drs. foster and smith or amazon.com . I have also seen them in the local grocery store (weis market is my local grocery store). The ones in the grocery stores are not specifically called mysterious purr pad but it's the same principal, polyester fibers that absorb and hold the body heat of the cat. I have 2 purr pads in the cat box with the snugglesafe tucked in between the two of them. They are sold 2 in a package and cost between twelve and fifteen dollars.

Jean,

Any luck finding any of the products?

I am happy to hear you are having success.

What a great article Jean! With your love for cats, when can we look forward to more articles from you???!!! Keeping our cats warm and cared for is one of the special gifts we can give to those who give so much to us.

Until next time...Annie

Sorry just checking back now. I purchased my Feralvilla online from their website. It was shipped to me within a week. It comes pre-insulated and my husband put it together within 20 minutes. It is a wonderful product. The insulation has a silver reflective coating that reflects their heat. It is suggested that if you are putting the shelter outside that you raise it up a bit and put straw or hay in the top floor for added insulation. Because it has a sloped shingled roof, it stays plenty dry inside! The only word of caution is if it is kept outside, once the weather gets nice, I rinse with a hose every once in a while so that ants dont get in the insulation. I found a spot where they started to burrow in the insullation.

Because my villa is on my covered patio, I have it near an outlet and put a cat bed with an indoor heated pad on it (the top lifts off like a box, so I could put the heated pad in and have cord come out the back)

Our feral, which is now our outside cat :) loves it! www.feralvilla.com

I do not think they sell them in stores, as I think it is just a guy that makes them at home and ships them. He does allow pick up, Pickup locations currently include Greenfield area (7 miles east of Indianapolis off I-70), and Fishers area. He also sells covered feeding stations.

I cut an old blanket in half folded it over a couple of times and sewed the sides up like a pillow case. I place a heating pad (not the kind that plugs in) that's been warmed in the microwave inside the blanket and place it inside my cat's carrying case that I placed outside. It stays warms to the touch for 4-5 hours.

Thank you for all these helpful hints. I just found this site while looking for ways to keep my ferals warmer than last winter. In addition to what I've been doing, I think I'm going to cover my porch screens with heavy plastic for winter and buy the heated water bowl that was previously mentioned. Again, thanks to all for the great ideas.

Thanks for the tips. A feral cat adopted me this summer up at my lake house and uses my gazebo to sleep in. I purchased an automatic feeder for it since I am only there for a week at a time each month - and it always seems to find me within 30 minutes of my arrival when I come back. I enlisted the help of some neighbors to help the cat this winter. I have purchased an insulated home for it, 2 mats that help the cat stay warm with its own body warmth and some mylar thermal blankets that I will put down inside. I am about to get it a feeding station next. I promised to keep the neighbors supplied with pet food and they will keep the cat house on their premises. Is there anything else I need to do to help this little guy survive the three really rough winter months. I have grown quite fond of him.

Sheryl - You may want to trap him, get him fixed, and then release him once he is ready/healed (healing time is shorter for males). That way you can start managing the population. You want to be able to do this when you are there for a week or 2 and you need to use cat-friendly traps. For more info, here's a good link http://www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid...

Good Luck!

cool i have an outdoor cat

I started feeding an abandoned cat, this summer, that was left behind after the 2008 IA flood. I know I saw him around last winter and he survived okay. He lives in the next door empty house so he does have shelter. Although I still haven't gotten more than 15 feet away, I feel he was once someone's pet and not totally wild. I can't bring him into my home, but am still trying to befriend him. I've gotten attached, as I am an animal lover and now I'm concerned about him being out in the cold over the winter. I can get into this empty house and was wondering what would be the best thing to maybe take over there to help him keep warm on the cold IA winter nights.

the link in my previous post for the "petco comparison" won't launch completely...you'll just see the largest insulated dog kennel... but if you click around you can see a slightly smaller dog kennel, etc.

yeah, these are supposed to be insulated dog houses, but should work well for cats and they're bigger, too.

you could do one of these with the 20degree sleeping bag I mentioned in my previous post...that might be what I END UP DOING...

my family ain't cat fans... so I got to keep this a bit away from the house and out by the shed, so elec extension cords might be a problem for me, etc.

but I figure an "insulated dog house" plus a 20degree sleeping bag MIGHT BE THE BEST I CAN DO... and real good for the cats, etc. (plastic tub will work, but then that's not insulated, though good for cold rain, etc...might do that til it gets below freezing, etc.)

anyway, good luck and God Bless...

regards

flashrob

...thanks Jean for the advice...I'll look into your suggestions.

What I did do so far, and this is just to get something in place...

1. I looked around in my basement for materials I might already have...and settled on an "empty large plastic trash can.

2. I also found a "used comforter."

Actual temp solution:

1. I dusted the inside surface of the trash can (it had only been used to store dry stuff when I had last moved, so it was never really dirty or wet...just sitting empty in the basement.)

2. I used "duct tape strips" which I looped making them double-sided sticky, and applied them liberally to the inside bottom and sides of the plastic can.

3. then, I cut the comforter (not down...but inside was 3/4in thin foam) into two strips about 18in X 72in and affixed the center of the first strip to the bottom of the can and patted the comforter strip sides to the side of the can. Then, I did this with the other comforter strip (with some xtra tape strips to the bottom of the now covered can to hold the 2nd strip of comforter in place. Then I ran several rings of duct tape acround the top of the can, thereby binding the 2in or so of excess comforter sticking out at the top open end of the can to the top of the can. The inside of the finished can now had a cushioned/insulated interior.

I used an xtra "plastic tub lid" that fit over most of the opening...leaving about 4inch space for the cats to crawl in. I affixed this to the can by running a "6ft long bungee cord around the outside bottom/sides of can to "hold the lid cover in place.

Now, to keep this from getting wet outside. I had an outdoor "table next to my outdoor shed" (about 4ft diameter)...so I covered this with a "a heavy duty shower curtain liner" (you can get these 72in x 72in heavy duty shower curtain liners at Walmart for about 6 dollars... and they are better and easier to use than a tarp. You can place stones or bricks on top of table to keep it from being blown by wind or weigh down ends of curtain with flips and fasten weights to them, etc.

Anyway, I got the cover on the table to cover both the can and the table. I put about 1/2 the can under the table with the opening facing inward. The covered table, and now covered give the cats a dry outdoor area under the table, plus dry access to the can.

I saw the cats exploring this, and assume they'll try it. (the kittens have a crawl hole under the shed, which gives them some protection from elements, but I don't think it's too comfortable under there.

Time will tell if this works.

In continuing days, I'll look around for a "large plastic container or can, and work on affixing one of those 12dollar plastic doors you can get at Petco...this to give greater warmth potential as it will "not have a permanent access opening" as my present jury-rig solution does.

Thanks again, for your suggestions...I'd definitely prefer not to have to do electric, etc., so I'll look into them.

regards,

flashrob

Over the years I have come up with several places for outdoor cats to spend the winter or just get away from bad weather.

I have 5 cats now, all of which are indoor only (and all rescues) and there are 2-4 strays I take care of as well.

They seem to find me all the time.

I have done several of the things already mentioned. I have 2 'dog'loos, 2 outdoor hotpads, 4 home built cat shelters and I use tarps to build windbreaks under my back deck.

The best thing I have ever done is to buy bales of straw (not hay) and use it to insulate everything. Straw is cheap and easy to change out if it gets wet, spoiled by cat spray or whatever. It is an excellent insulator and the cats like to worm right in and make little nests.

The last thing I did but don't recommend, is to cut a small opening in my garage for them to get in there. I have an old oil-filled heater that I turn on when it gets too cold.

the only reason I did this was because we had a record breaking winter as far as low temps last year. It felt like I was back in Alaska! The bad thing about letting them in the garage is that some spray to mark territory and that can be nasty. I felt the cats lives more important though.

Other than that, the other most important thing is to try and leave them clean water, changed daily if possible and keep from freezing too. Animals need to be given water more in winter as it is harder for them to find on their own.

I adopted 2 cats from the shelter about a month ago. They are outdoor cats and are enjoying roaming our 100+ acres of woods. I am curious, we built a cat house for them with a roof, it is up off of the ground, has a few small windows and a flap door. Since the cats have been on their own, they only come around to the front porch at night to eat they run when they see us look out the window at them.

Will they "know" how to use the flap to go into the cat house? We currently have the flap taped open so that they can come and go, but so far they haven't used it.

I have heard that cats are pretty smart, but do they have to be "trained" to use the flap or will they figure it out on their own? Thanks!

to get outdoor cats to try shelter, I would suggest affixing the flap-door in an open position (temporarily), then placing a can of "wet cat food" inside... I think they will definitely go into kennel to get food... once they are used to doing this... you can free flap... and I think they will now go in, etc. My cat wouldn't sit on "black plastic" bag under a light in garage (to keep warm). So, I put his food under the lamp... and after "testing it," he went under the lamp... and now knows he can get warm there. Though he doesn't sit on his cushion (under the lamp) even on some cold days when I'm around... I have found him sitting on the cushion under the light, when I went into garage "unexpectedly late at night" when it was cold... and there he was sitting under the light. I also used "black light bulbs" because the "regular bulbs" are too bright I think...

regards,

flashrob

I have several feral cats at my complex that I am caring for. I have to be careful when helping them as my landlord is of the opinion that all their shelters and food need to be taken away so they'll go away-we all know this isn't true. As a result, I can't be seen caring for them and as 10 of the houses I've put out have been removed, I have had to limit checking them often. So in the winter I bed them down in Wood Wool. It's shredded Aspen tree I think. It's also called excelsior. The beauty of this stuff is that even if it gets wet, it will hold heat. So if I can't get to the newest hiding places for the shelters regularly to change the bedding, I know if will keep the cats warm. This stuff is amazing.

Hi,

Over the past couple of monthes I've noticed two 12-13 monthe old kittens and their mom hanging around my house ( I live out in the country).. I've been putting food out for them every morning and every night. IN the mornings I put the food out in what I call a clubhouse.. It was made by my uncle a couple years ago. Anyway the kittens and their mom have come to eat the food every morning and every night. I'm pretty sure the kittens and the mama are wild, but I'm able to get somewhat close to the sometimes. Winters coming, it's already starting to get windy and cold outside. I'm afraid these cats will freeze to death or just not make it through the winter. I'm not sure if I should try and catch them or not. I'm going to continue putting food out all winter long. Around my house there's lots of windbreakers for the cats to hide but i'm worried about when we get snowstorms. I want soo bad for these cats to let me pick them up and just bring them inside my house but they wont let me close enough and I want for them to come to me.. not me go to them. Like I said though there's this clubhouse that is somewhat warm, and cuts down on wind a little bit. However there's no door on it and the screens on the 2 window have broken off so I'm not sure how warm it'd be in the winter. I've put 2 blankets in it but I don't think they really use them. The cats look prettyy healthy, they're soo fat! PLeaseeeee help! Should I try and catch them? I'm on a tight budget so I can't really buy anything but I can always improvise with what I have here at my house.

PS: There is also a couple barns that I'm sure if the cats really wanted to they could get int to them.

Thanks, for replying back so fast, and good advice as well!

Thank youuu!

I have 5 outdoor cats. Mom and Dad and 3 kittens.

How I keep my kittens warm.

When we moved into our house, someone left a BIG dog carrier.

Well I filled it with cedar chips (keeps fleas away too)

and put fluffy fleece over it, and being that the carrier has air holes on the sides of it,. I covered the entire top with 2 heavy fleece/flannel blankets to cover the holes. I even tucked the blankets between the top and the bottom to keep any wind out. along with that the opening is covered with those 2 blankets to keep wind out.

also on the super cold nights. I take my mircowavable heating pad, and super head it up. wrap itin a towel and put in the shelter box. so with all that and the 3 of them sleeping together,. I AM HOPING it will be enough to keep them warm through the cold winter!

I may even go ahead and put an electric heating pad in there if it gets to aweful cold.

Oh and I put the sheleter box on my back deck where I feed them, and it is facing a bench I have out there, so that also helps keep the wind out.

not to mention it is close to the dryer vent. so on laundry days they get that extra warmth too. (DO NOT DO THAT IF YOU HAVE A GAS DRYER!!!!)

I'm not real sure of the dryer vent air, if you put your hand in front of your dryer vent air it is a very moist heat, moist will result in the cat being damp and a damp/wet cat in the cold is dangerous. I don't think cats would like the laundry detergent/fabric softener smell either.

P.S. Hi Jean, I still check back on this thread for new information. I am glad you are still using the mysterious purr pads, I have re-stocked for this winter season and I just love them.

Our 3 outside cats stay in a detached garage. There is a pet door that they use to get inside. We use a 250 watt infrared heat lamp wired safely and suspended from the rafters in the garage. The heat lamp draws 2 amps of current, and is much cheaper than any other type of electric heater, as it only draws 250 watts, about the same as your television. This is the type of lamp that farmers use to keep baby animals, like chicks, baby pigs, baby goats, etc. warm in the winter time, and have done this for over 50 years. The lamp heat is infrared, so it is a radiant heat, and is a slow, constant heat when they lie directly under it. These type of lamps are used in barns across the country, and have been for decades. They have a safety grill on them so if they fell, the lamp would not directly touch anything. We also made a bed for them out of a cardboard box, with the top covered, and insulated it with old coats, blankets, etc. The heat lamp is suspended about 2 feet above the top of the box. The cats like to lay on top of the box, under the lamp, and they keep perfectly warm. If you use a heat lamp, you need to get the type they call the Brooder Heat Lamp, for baby chicks. This has the ceramic lamp base, and can take the heat from the bulb. Do not use a trouble light base, since these are usually plastic lamp bases, get the ceramic. We have done this for decades with animals outside, and I don't ever recall any safety issues that any one had from these. I suppose you might hear a story of a barn burning down from a heat lamp, but for every one that this happened, there were thousands of instances where this worked fine. Again, this is for putting in an enclosed area, like a garage, or barn. Here are some examples......

http://www.amazon.com/Woods-550165-Brooder-Heat-La...

and

http://www.amazon.com/WATTS-HOURS-LIGHT-INDUSTRIAL...

Walmart sells these, as well as Tractor Supply, and any farm supply store.

Thanks for posting this Jean - our three cats are indoor cats but there is a cat that has taken to sleeping on our apartment's landing that my neighbors and I look out for and your tip about the bed explains probably why she won't use the one we made for her; it's on the ground

Hi Jean- I have a quick question: I have two precious main coon rescue kitties, they are indoor and outdoor cats, meaning they go in and out. We live in the Texas Hill Country, so its pretty pleasant in the winter, however we are in a cold spell right now and they want out, but I worry how long they should be outside, and what temperature is it generally safe to let them out? How cold is too cold?

PS Petsmart (even though too pricy) has this really neat furry square pad that has the thermal insulator in it, but it doesn't make noise. My kitties love to sleep on it in the garage in their kennel.

Its been a year long process but I re-domesticated and neutered an abandoned male kitty who I named Rags for his torn ear (he will go after and fight cats who invade his outside turf). I have an inside Maine Coon who wants no part of sharing my condo/his house with Rags. Rags for his part has been well behaved when the two were introduced thru a baby gate but Bailey hissed and growled. I work out of my house and my condo is an open floor plan so i cant sequester cats!!!

Rags has an outdoor dog house I fixed up with straw and a fleece mat his living arrangements for most of the summer and fall . Ive been letting him in to my indoor carpeted stairwell that goes up about ten stairs has two big turn stairs and then the stairway continues up again to a landing and the door to enter my condo. I placed his Litter box at bottom of stairs on tile in one corner and his food and water bowls nearer the stairs. I also bought a little plush half dome hidey hole which i placed on one of the bigger landing stairs. Not sure if he is using that yet but this cat has been thru three outside moves and is pretty smart.

I feel bad hes by himself in the stairwell but I know hes safe and although not heated its a lot warmer then outdoors with no wind or wetness to deal with. Im sure he can hear the TV and I do check on him and say hello every few hours. He does got outside in the AM but usually spends most of the time on the doormat. Figure hes not on his guard on the time and will sleep most of the time in the stairwell anyway.

Shelters are overflowing with cats and its not easy finding a good home. So i figure Ill make him as comfortable as possible. What he has now is ten times better then what he had last year when he would run from people and spent all winter outside.

just found a cat earlier this morning, it's cold outside (snowy and all).. we have too many cats inside for me to even ask to bring her in, so I made a bed for her in my garage on the top of the stairs (by the back doors).. i put towels on the ground and found a box in my garage that bottled water had been in (still with the plastic on it) and i wripped the opening wider for her to go in and put water bottles filled with hot water, she went in and cuddled her face against the part of the blank the water bottles were under :). It's almost 9am I'm just making her comfortable for the time being until my mom gets home. I thought of using the bottled water box because I know my cats love them they always sleep in them if it's laying on a table or tha floor.. We also have a few baskets of hay in the barn for the few boy cats that wander around here.. and hay seems to work, my indoor cats love sleeping in one of the baskets of hay if they end up getting stuck outside

I'm stressing out about my outdoor critters. I've put up a couple homemade shelters - rubbermaid storage boxes lined with mylar top and sides and filled with straw but I check everyday and can tell they haven't been used as the straw at the entrance is undisturbed. I understand a cat will do what a cat will do but if there's anything I can do to encourage their use, I'd love to hear it. It's a fairly new neighborhood so no sheltering shrubs are available to hide the boxes in. Maybe if I move them away from the food source ? It's already unseasonably cold here and this is keeping me awake at night

Running water - takes a lot to freeze it. I have a very small ($29) pump in a little fountain I built. It has been running continuously for six years! Even in our 10 to 15 degree winters, it just keeps moving water. Sometimes the ice crowds around it, but just as long as there is some water moving, the birds and small animals have a place to get water. The fountain is less than 2' across and 5-6" deep, built expressly for this purpose but looks nice too and makes a friendly little water-fountain sound.

An abandoned kitty has taken up residence in a box on my porch. I installed an outdoor small animal heating pad (totaling $37) to help out with the overnight temperatures dropping to 14 degrees. Kitty seems very happy! Highly recommended if you can spare the 25 watts. See http://cozywinters.com/shop/kh-002-004.html Be sure to select the "outdoor" version.

Hey thanks for answering so fast =]

Yea, I've been looking in many websites to get the best outdoor heated pad since I'm worrying about the power consumption, is 40 Watt a lot considering the fact it'll be probably running 24h everyday.

And yes, we knew in advance cold air would get inside, we used some kind of flexible plastic, the same material we used for the roof. Unfortunately, the cats didn't agree with that =[

They come and stand before the entrance but won't get in, I guess they're afraid to get stuck inside, since they are feral cats, they don't completely trust us humans. They probably thought it was some kind of trap (even though we feed them and take care of them everyday, it's a shame).

Good thing is, we didn't give up, since the shelter is placed in the corner of our balcony, we decided to cover the fences that surround the shelter with some thick blue plastic, those things you used for camping. At least that way, the wind won't directly hit the shelter and get inside, it would have to get over the fences in order to get in, if you know what I mean.

Well, yea, coming back to the outdoor heated cat pad, I need to know if any of you ever used that product, or simply let me know if 40 Watt makes a big difference in the bill every month.

You got some great ideas here, about the blanket that covers partially the opening. I was thinking about it, I guess I'll give it a try =).

And about the other ways to warm the cats.

I'll do some more research & I'll think about it.

Thank you for all.

THANK YOU for this priceless information! I live in Iowa where it is currently 7 degrees outside and drops way below 0 at night. I have 4 cats in my home and there are several strays (some tame, some wild) that show up at my door. It is heartbreaking to see them in the cold, scrounging for food. I am happy to feed them and thanks to this site, I have learned that they need 'wet' food rather than dry (to conserve energy). I have also purchased a heated water bowl so they have water at all times.

One little guy has been a regular at my door this past week. I feed him but I am desperate to provide shelter for him also. My 4 indoor cats will not allow a new cat to come in. I want to say thank you to the person who posted the Feralvilla.com link. It looks like it will be perfect for my visitors. I ordered it, but the only problem is, they say it is on backorder. I need something else immediately. Then I saw the post with the link for making an 'emergency shelter' from plastic tote bins and straw. I ran to my basement and dumped out two different sized totes and made the shelter. I didn't have any straw so I used flannel sheets and old winter jackets. I was able to pack quite a lot of material around the inner tote, so hopefully it will do the trick. I set it outside last night while my little guy (fairly tame) was visiting. He poked his head inside but did not go all the way in. At least he knows it's there if he wants to use it and I felt slightly better knowing I did what I could for him for now.

Again, I want to thank everyone for their great information and advice, and for caring for the outside cats in their lives.

Thaik,

I also had the same problem with the feral cat I've been feeding. We made a shelter using styrofoam with 2 square holes cut out for entries. To cover the openings, i cut a piece of clear plastic (like the type you use to cover chairs, tables, etc.) the exact width of the opening but an inch or so longer. Then used duct tape to tape it over the

opening. Then i cut the plastic into a few strips from the bottom up so the cat could get in and out without any problem. I put his food bowl right at the opening till he got used to going in and out thru the plastic strips. He waits for me now everyday either right outside or in the shelter. It is on my covered porch right outside my sliding glass door so i can put food and warm water in to it easily.

I also wanted to say that so far my "outside" cat seems to be using this shelter; at least during the day when he waits for me to feed him....not sure about at night, though. I made the shelter (first one listed) on this site: http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/HOW_TO_FERAL_CAT_W...

Thanks so much Jean for this site, I've read it through and have just ordered the snugglesafe microwavable pad for under $30 with free shipping from amazon.com! Hopefully this will encourage the kitty to stay in the shelter during the cold winter nights.

An abandoned apartment cat has adopted my family. I had my patio door open one night to clear some smoke out of my kitchen, and it poked it's little head in seeking food. We don't have much, but I opened a can of tuna I had and put it on a disposable lid, sent my kid down my back patio stairs with it, in the hopes that it wouldn't know who fed it. The next morning, on my way home from dropping my child off at preschool, it stalked us on the way home, and followed us to our front door. Once again, I put tuna on a lid and this time placed it under some bushes in front of my apartment. That night, she was back on my patio. I gave her my last can of tuna and some water, and I set out an old sofa cover that wasn't being used. She ate, and she curled up on the cover. We didn't know it, but it rained that night, but luckily only the bottom of the pile got wet, so it stayed snug.

I finally got some dry cat food for it, 9Lives Plus. I'm hoping that the extra vitamins and minerals for her immune system and digestion will help keep her healthy this cold winter. To keep her warm as best as we can, we took an empty storage container, turned it on it's side, lined the bottom and back with old pillows, and piled some old baby blankets in it. I didn't have enough pillows for the sides, but I'm hoping that the container will be warm enough. She likes it though. As soon as we finished, she curled right up in there and went to sleep. We really can't do much to keep her healthy besides that.

We give her fresh water and fresh food daily. I hope that when tax time comes around, she'll still be alive so that I can take her to the vet and get her spayed and vaccinated. I would love to bring her inside, but I can't afford the pet deposit, and without knowing her health status, I can't risk it. She's well-behaved and very friendly. I feel sorry for it, but I also need to protect it from my toddler. He's not old enough to be around pets, and I don't want the cat to scratch him if he pulls her tail. She's also bringing gifts. We dispose of them when we see them.

I called the Humane Society for Fulton County, hoping that they would come and pick her up to keep her warm, but they gave me the brushoff, saying there's no law in Georgia about stray cats. They said I could put her in a box and bring her, but I don't have a car, and with that kind of thinking, I was more afraid that they might euthanize her instead. So, I'll protect her as long as I can.

Hi,

I have a cat but he has to stay outside because of my mum not wanting him in side , this year is very cold in the winter its really snowed and my cat shivers all the time my dad brought him a cat bed thing and he put some fur underneath it so he can be comfy and not cold i kept him in the store this morning for an hour whice my mum allows but our cat has been lying around in his cat bed for ages were not sure if hes ill or just cold thanks Cats

I have two adopted cats, have had them for going on seven years and they stay in our garage. I have fitted out two inexpensive plastic covered litter boxes with old blankets, towels and pillows and which I change out regularly with the seasons. Installed in the main door of the garage is a cat door so the cats can come and go as they please. They are fed a can of wet food twice a day and share a plate of dry food all day.

My problem is that other critters have been getting into the garage through the cat door. Mice, chipmunks, and yes, even a skunk which sprayed the garage (and my car!) in a fight over the food with the cats.

Occasionally I need to travel and will be gone for a day and a night. I usually feed the girls well in the morning and pile up a whole chock of dry food to tide them over until I come home. But the critters that get in the garage eat all their food and I'm worried they will be hungry. This is a recent problem, one that has me flummoxed. Is there some way I can hide the cat's food from everyone but them? I have a sturdy shelf I could put their food on, but these girls are old, I don't know if they could make it up there and if I install a series of boxes leading up to the shelf for easier access, what's to stop the critters from using the stairs too? Do you have any ideas?

Mary asked about how to deal with other animals coming in through a cat door to get food. She should consider putting a shelf on the garage wall and placing the food on the shelf. The shelf should be at least three feet off the floor. Healthy cats can easily leap this high, but most of the critters coming through the cat door can't. If her cats can jump four feet, a shelf this high will prevent even most raccoons from getting to the food. Putting up a sturdy shelf is relatively inexpensive and can be done with hardware available at just about any hardware store. The shelf needs to situated in such a way that other critters can not climb up to it. It should only be accessible by leaping.

I found putting a cat door three feet off the ground, with a little shelf in front of it for the cats to land on, eliminated a raccoon problem we were having. If possible Mary should consider putting the cat door high enough to prevent the other critters from getting into her garage. While most of the animals getting in through the cat door are harmless nuisances, she definitely doesn't want to deal with a cranky raccoon. Or, heaven forbid, a rabid one.

We have an enclosed porch that two strays take shelter in. Inside the porch there are a couple of sleeping areas I built out of cheap foam pillows. The sleeping areas are on the seats of old lawn chairs. They're basically tunnels built out of pillows that are held together by bungee cords. The entrance to the pillow tunnel faces the side of the chair, and the bungee cords run from the front of the seat to the top of the back of the chair. The cats always have food available and we keep a heated water bowl on the porch for them. The seem quite warm and content with this arrangement.

I have a strictly 12 year old cat that got out last night. It was pretty cold and windy all day today. I have a blanket, food, and water on our enclosed porch, but wondering if and when he will come back. I am sick over this. We have called animal control, spca, sent around fliers/talked with neighbors, and just walked the neighborhood. Any thoughts on what else to do and survival rates?

Thank you Joan and John for the ideas. I set the cat's food up on the shelf and created a "landing" area for them to get up/down and it worked nicely. It never occurred to me to install their cat door up high, that's a good idea too. Oddly, this has only recently been happening. I've had these girls for about seven years and never had a problem until this past summer. Thanks again for the great advice.

A stray(?) kitty has adopted us, but I can't bring her inside due to our current kitty. It's been getting down to 18 degrees at night, so I converted a covered litter box using insulation and a tarp on the outside, and then towels, blankets and a pet heating pad on the inside. But I'm still worried it's too cold, so I have a small space heater blowing near the door to the box. All of this is on my deck, and I'm worried about the heater being outside...do you have any thoughts? I can't find anything about a heater outside overheating / throwing a spark. I have the box, heater and outlet covered by a plastic "roof" (from the kid's water and sand table), but I don't know what I'll do if it starts to rain or snow.

Do you have any thoughts?

Thank you!

Diana

I also made a cat igloo using two plastic totes, one larger than the other. I wrapped the inner container with R-13 wall/ceiling insulation (sold in rolls and made of fiberglass), then sealed the gap at the door with the foam insulation (in a spray can) to keep our cat from coming in contact with the fiberglass. You'll need a good 2-3 inch gap between the totes to fit the insulation between them. I just used a utility knife to cut the door out of both totes. The igloo is kept on top of a pile of boards in a covered tractor shed. I haven't put anything over the door yet, but was thinking of adding the clear plastic that was suggested earlier, to keep the wind out. My Maine Coon mix uses it without a heated pad. Food and fresh water are provided daily up at the house on the covered porch. We keep him in our mudroom at night (he comes when called, knowing that a small portion of moist food is waiting - just 1/3 of a can), and goes outside each morning.

Jean, I wanted to thank you for this great post and all the people who have contributed. I live in N Texas and my oldest cat, Ramses, is neutered and has had to become an outdoor cat after 8yrs as an indoor cat. He began spraying and being destructive in general in protest of another male cat family member. This was a last resort after attempts at modifying his indoor behavior were unsuccessful and I didn't want to give him up, so he moved to the backyard. He is quite enclosed and protected. He can't get out and, so far critters can't get in.

Since moving him out, though, I have spent many nights up checking weather reports and stressing if he would be ok outside, especially when the winter got so cold this year.

He has a plastic dog house that the dog wouldn't use that, modified with a heating pad, towels & blankets, and covered with big movers' blankets as wind shields. All of that tucked under a low roof constructed into the corner of the house and fence. So, although that sounds pretty thorough, even to me as I'm reading it, I've worried that he would be suffering since he was not feral, but an indoor cat that got himself uninvited to be indoors.

He's still my sweet, affectionate boy and is allowed supervised indoor time, so I could have assumed he was fine. All the same everyone's comments have reassured me that he is likely quite alright and that I'm doing right by him under the circumstances. I appreciate the peace of mind this has provided.

Thank you.

Hi Jean

I've enjoyed reading other people's posts about how to keep their cats warm. We have an 8 yr old cat who won't come inside. She likes to sleep under the bbq. We placed a wooden ledge there, that she can sleep on easily - it's slatted and we have a lovely cat blanket over it. I'm in Ireland and the weather is at its coldest in the last 40 years, well below zero, and quite a bit of snow. What we have been doing is to give her what we call a hot water bottle, covered with a towel. We change it regularly and she seems to like it. The bbq has a cover over it, and I also put more insulation around her little space, in the form of some insulating stuff that you put under wooden floors. (We just had wooden floors put in, and had a roll of this left over). I also have a piece of this stuff under her blanket that she lies on. It seems to get a bit damp in patches during the night, so I take it in when I get home from work and put it on the radiator. The blanket also gets a bit damp every night and we were wondering if it's the cat sweating, as it's only where she lies. No, the hot bottle is not leaking !

I'd love to get a heat pad for her, but we don't have much in that line over here in Ireland.

This cat is painfully shy, although quite friendly at a distance - we've had her since she was a kitten. She also has what the vet has described as "an imposing physique" .. she's pretty big. she doesn't get any food other than the two feeds we give her per day. We were thinking that she might have got big to ward off other cats - so that they might be a bit afraid of her. I have also been giving her warm water to drink and she loves that.

Our bad weather is due to continue for a few more weeks so I guess we'll be giving her lots more hot bottles. I'm glad to read that just because she has a fur coat it doesn't mean she is warm. My husband was saying that she's a hardy cat and will be fine, but he's coming round to my way of thinking !

Jean, I didn't even know if I should post it because of the price ($80.00) but I think it's always a good thing to have options. I have not purchased or used this (yet), but I am in Pennsylvania and wind chills are below zero here right now and it is only these bitter cold days and nights that make me wish I could provide a little extra heat for the outside strays. It would be great for manufacturers of pet products to start thinking about products that can be heated with something like rechargeable batteries. I am still using all my other products, which I love, but I am always looking for things to make the kitties as comfortable as I can make them. Once again Jean, thank you for caring enough to have this site.

Hi Jean,

Thanks for those comments. On your website I saw the dogloo thing and I went to the local pet store and they had a cute one there - it looks like a pumpkin! It was kind of pricey ... about 80USD, but we got it, and the kitty loves it. I've also removed the padding that was getting damp (today), as the igloo is also sitting on a vet rug (which was her original bed), so I'll keep an eye on that to make sure all stays dry.

I'll be kinder to her too with regard to food !

Hello Jean and All,

A few nights ago I was concerned about our outside unsociable cat Cali staying warm in these really cold nights. I remembered we had some hothands handwarmers we had purchsed for a parade that had gotten rained out, so the next night I opened them up, 2 to a pkg for $1 and laid them in her outdoor cathouse, like a 2 story dog house a friend had made a long time ago, this seems to keep her comfortable I have placed 2 in her home every night these last bitter cold nights. The cathouse also has a serape, pillows and a wondrous micofiber throw, normally that is enough to keep her warm as she usually curls up under the deck unless it is bitter out. She drinks quite a bit of fresh water every morning. Last year I made a cardboard box nest for our sweet Edgar (the neighborhood embassador) I used foam rubber that was in some packing for all the inside walls, old blankets over the whole thing, and pillows, blankets inside and alot of dry eaves piled near the entrance, it sat on padding on the ground in a protected corner near the porch away from snow and rain, he seemed happy with it, to get him to lie in it I petted him and kept getting my hand closer to the middle of the box, he finally got the idea. Sadly he passed away last summer, lived 15 years. Edgar Allen Poe is buried near his prissy sister Annabelle Lee that passed away several years ago.

About a month ago, a stray started coming by. We now feed him and give him fresh water everyday. I even bought him an igloo and put hay in it. He's not using it even though it's been cold at night (Southern California cold). He generally sleeps in a rectangular flower pot that has dirt in it. Last time it rained I'm not sure where he went. It's raining again tonight and I'm worried he'll be out in the rain.

I tried putting catnip in the igloo, he went in, but isn't using it regularly. Is there a way to get him in there? Actually, he DOES use it, recently putting a mouse head and dead baby mouse in there for us - just not sleeping in there. Any thoughts? I read using blankets is bad because of mold and moisture.

This feral kitten became my first new friend since my last cat died many years ago God must have sent her. I didn't know whether I'd have another one as much as I love cats especially kittens. I got the name from this engine search and her name is Oreo being gray and white. Not all is evil in this universe. As long as there are cats in this world there is hope and they will be around for a long time to come.....Robert H.

hello..two of my house cats were abandoned by one of my family members in an open field, we found one but cant find the other one. is a way we can make a home for her outside so she can keep warm and know that were looking for her...were so heartbroken cause shes about ten years old and very slow..some neighbors saw her running into the sidewalk sewer drain...im so scared shes cold and living in the stinky sewer..can i leave some kind of shelterfor her as a trap so we can catch her and bring her home...i cry every night thinking of her being cold, we live in missouri and its like 10 degrees outside with wbelow zero wind...please help

Thanks for the suggestions. We had a litter of cats under our deck, last spring of 2009. I have never cared for cats before, only dogs as pets. I could not abandon them, so I fed them. One cat out of a litter of 5 remained. We tried to get him to come in for the winter, but he refuses. We actually have been doing what you suggested. I am glad to see that we are doing the right things. Thanks for your expertise. And..."Ivory" thanks you, as well.

another way cats love to keep warm especially indoor cats is if they lay down next to you at night, i know definitely my cat when he gets chilly during the day or at night comes and cuddles up around me or gets inside my covers or jumps under my nightrobe that i leave lying on my bed loosely so that he can claw his way under it, he loves it in the morning if i put my nightrobe over him because it has my scent on it and plus its warm,

Thanks for all the wonderful comments and ideas.

I am trying to build an outdoor enclosure for my two boys, KissKiss and CoCo (both about 4 years old) and I am trying to design something that they can use year round, keeping in mind that I live in Northern Canada and it gets mighty cold (-30 celcius) during the winter. The ideas you have provided here have given me lots to think about and are making me feel more comfortable in designing something that is going to suite my needs and the needs of my boys.

Thanks!

Jean, I'm thrilled to have found you and hope you can help me. I live in south Fl, so it's not too cold except for this past winter. I have one outdoor feral cat that I feed regularly. I trapped her and her kittens and had them all neutered and they got shots. I then found home for the kittens except for 2, which I kept. I bought an outdoor cathouse for the mama last winter, but she was too scared to ever go in it. I now am feeding her 3 times a day in hopes of keeping her close. Do you have any ideas what I can do to improve her life outdoors? I am putting liquid flea control in her food once a month.

She is always very skittish and often stays hidden. I want to do more for her. Any ideas? I know I sound overboard, but can't help it. lol

HI Jean, I have six indoor cats that I have rescued. But since I moved to my house last September, the one cat that I thought belonged to a neighbor, has had a little kitty friend. I thought it was one of her own from a litter, but I have now learned that this cat is male, and he and the little friend had kitties together. I feed them daily, sometime twice, both wet and dry food. I make sure in the heat that the wet does not spoil. They now bring the litter to get food , so I have a total of 5 strays outside. They run when I come out to give them food, but as soon as I go in, they all eat and hunt and the kitties use my yard as a playground. I am worried about the winter, so I am happy I found your sight. I do have a bulkhead door that leads to a basement door. I do not use it in the winter, so if I left it partially opened and put sleeping bags and hay inside the bulkhead, I wondered if the cats would use it. I just wonder how to get them to go to the bulkhead door, so they know there is warmth there? I have a very large deck and I can make a home with an igloo and insulate it for the cas, but knowing there is 5 of them, all related, I would need a large igloo. I can put sleeping bags, and insulation and put it up on a pallet, but I was hoping the bulkhead might be warmer. Any suggestions???

The very best bedding for any cat's house, be it igloo, cardboard box that has been covered with tarp, or a box within a building, is STRAW. There is a huge difference between STRAY and hay. Hay will break down, become flat and does not act as an insulator. STRAW, however, does not break down and is one of the BEST insulators for any kind of animal bedding on God's Green Earth. I live on a hay farm, where we sell 1000's of bales of hay each year, but but for my outdoor cats' bedding, I buy one bale of straw and will it will insulate even the largest igloo box and still have a ton left over. It might cost you a bit in your area for straw (last time I bought a bale it was around $6.00 a bale and may be more now). However, it will last a very, very, very long time ... and, more imorportantly, it will remain dry, even though your kitties will come in at times with wet feet. Very different than sleeping on blankets, towels, or other cloth material beddings that once wet are impossible to dry unless taken out of the box.

A few tips when using straw:

1.Fill the cat box completely up with STRAW. Then make a tiny tunnel opening at the entrance. Cats will usually do this on their own, however.

2. If you have no way of hauling a bale of straw but can find someone who sales it. Take along some big sturdy garbage bags and break the straw down so that you might haul the bags in your vehicle. A bale of straw is a LOT of straw. Therefore, you might ask if you can simply get a bag of straw from the seller, for you cat's bed. Who knows, they might even let you have a bag or two for free ... or at less cost.

3. Get ready for your cat to LOVE you to pieces for having given them the warmest bedding in the world!

All farmers and people with animals that need bedding will tell you it is STRAW not Hay ... Not cloth. STRAW, STRAW, STRAW!

Hope this helps ... BUT .... God bless everyone of you is doing whatever you can to make these precious kitties comfortable. I salute you!

Bea

Thank You so much for your site! I have had some strays wander into my yard and I usually will get them socialized then find a home or if necessary (due to sickness or etc) either take to a vet or contact an animal group. But this year with the economy and all, everyone is tightening their belts and/or the animal groups are full up..Your site and other who have commented have made me feel much better about my strays and the ideas for keeping them warm are great! Thanks again!

Wonderful site! Thanks for all the great ideas! We live in the country and also the Northeast and the winters can be brutal!Especially for our precious outdoor creatures. Last winter we let our 2 outdoor cats stay in the garage with a litter box but the smell can sometimes not be pleasant. Our garage is heated for winter work so the cats would stand outside freezing until my husband and I would ,sometimes forget, to let them back in. I couldn`t figure out why they wouldn`t get in our back shed in the mean time.Also the cats seemed to like being "up" on our cars so I would always be driving with lots of paw prints! It was funny to watch everyones reaction when they walked by my car.Not so funny with my husband`s reaction to this though.This year I am going to try the igloo with straw idea and sit it up on a table by my back stairs where I keep the food and I like the tarp idea! Thanks again for all the valuable info!

I have had my cat for 1 1/2 yrs. Since the weather has been nice, he darts outside every chance he gets so we decided to have him be an indoor/outdoor cat. recently, he threw up a mouse in my house and that disgusted me. I have always had only indoor cats and this was difficult for me. So for the last month, we have been keeping his food, water and litter box in our garage. I have been keeping him in the garage at night with the door shut and leave it open during the day. He seems to be happy. He has a blanket he sleeps on every night. Being in the garage, do you think he will be warm enough in the winter? I don't think he'll be in the house anymore. Our other alternative is taking him to a shelter and I would prefer to keep him where he is famaliar and happy. He stays around the house and never wanders far at all. thanks!

I just saw your web site on aol its an incredible web page you have done an excellent article.

Had to leave a comment for Joy. Joy, I echo the advice given to you by Jean. Please do not take your beloved Kitty to the shelter. With over crowding being a major issue these days, he could be put down within 24 hours. Certainly something undeserved.

Also, Jean is right on about him throwing-up the mouse. His body had him do the right thing .... for whatever the reason - Like, the mouse could have been sick, but no matter the reason, there is no reason for you to think that anytime your beloved Kitty comes into the house, he will throw-up.

Another thing for you to copnsider:

Taking a cat away from thier enviroment- (shelter) is just as tramatic to them as it would be to a child, should someone suddenly take a child from their home and then dump them off in a strange place with strange people ... Not to mention the fact that they are stuck into a cage.

If your Kitty likes being in the garage during the spring, summer and fall months, did I think it is just fine ... BUT, please either bring your kitty indoors for the winter (the perfect and most humane solution) or get him a cat igloo and fill iot with straw and place it in the garage. The garage will be cold in the dead of winter, however, and his water will freeze, as well. You will need a heated bowl for the winter months.

I hope you will consider the easier route and simply allow him to be an indoor kitty in the winter months.

He loves you to pieces and depends on you for his every comfort and I hope that your love for him will always shine through .... even when a little upset tummy one time brings the unexpected.

Best to you and to your Kitty.

Bea

Has anyone mentioned the styrofoam containers used to ship frozen meats as a perfect shelter. They are free if you ask restaurants and places like Murray Meats, etc. They come in different sizes, some good for 1 cat, some for 2 or 3 snuggled cats. They have thick walls and tight fitting lids, very insulated.

I cut a small cat size hole in one end or side about mid point up or higher. Then I put in a thick layer of straw, put on the lid and you have a great shelter. If the box will be out in the elements, or you need a color other than white, encase it in a contractors trash bag or wrap in a mylar blanket. To keep them from moving put a couple of heavy concrete paving blocks on top. You could also hammer in stakes on four sides to keep it from shifting. I put mine on a thick layer of stone to keep the area dry.

My feral colony use these year round. I change the straw just before winter sets in and again in early spring. The cats seem to prefer the straw over towels and such which get wet. The straw wicks away the moisture when they come in out of the rain or snow.

Hope this helps.

Well I am not really a cat person but care about animals in general. Last year a stray cat showed up in my yard and I started feeding him. Then a female cat started showing up and of course now I have two kittens. I plan on trapping all of them and getting them fixed. I am worried about the kittens the most staying warm this winter. The male (most likely father) found a way to stay warm last winter and it was an unusually cold winter here in Tennessee. I plan on trying to get them to use a large plastic container with straw in it but I also plan on just installing maybe a 40 watt light bulb in there. My father did this for our outside dog when I was a kid and I can remember that the doghouse stayed very warm in very cold temperatures. I would suggest to anyone that if they can get over the hump and get a cat to enter your shelter, that a light bulb in a plain old light socket will keep the shelter very warm. I just hope I can get these cats to use the shelter when I set it up.

Hi Tim,

Wow, you are doing a wonderful thing for these kitties and especially when, as you say, you are not a cat-person. I salute you for your love of animals, regardless of whether or not they are your first choice as a pet.

I don't know what resoures you have there, but where I live I can go to our local pound and by putting down a "holding" deposit, I can check-out a "have-a-heart-trap". I have caught over 23 cats in the last 10 years by using this type of trap. Thankfully, after catching them, I have also been able to get these kitties fixed and than adopted out (those that were not too feral to be pets). Of course, I have kept a few - 4 in my barn (which has a cat door) and two of my own in the house.

Anyway, whenever I was ready to catch one, I took all the food away the day before. Then, I would place a bit of wet food on a very tiny piece of paper plate into the back of the trap. It does not take long to catch them this way when they are hungry.

Another thing that has helped is a local Vet office that agreed that I could bring in kitties to be fixed anytime they are open, as long I bring them in to the office first thing in the morning (around 7:30AM). No appointment necessary. Most Vet offices will help with this problem, I have found, but it does pay to find the one that is least expensive.

Although, it has at times felt quite a bit overwhelming, not to mention an ecomomical drain, I can tell you that what you are doing for these 4 kitties (I call them "brats") will, I believe, be "paid forward" to you in some way. Surely, you will know that you did your part ... and you will have kept, just from 4 kitties fixed, thousands of other homeless kitties from being born.

Again, I salute you!

PS. Tim, the light bulb idea that you shared is brilliant!

Thanks Bea! Those are some great ideas. I may just buy a live trap. They have a large one at Home Depot that should do fine. It sure sounds like it is easy to catch them since you have caught so many of them. I will definitely do the thing about keeping the food away from them the day before. These are wild cats and I would really like to pet the kittens but they won't let me get close to them yet.

I did get the adult male to come to me with lots of patience and now he is pretty lovable but he claws and bites at me for no reason sometimes. I'm not too worried about him since he found a place to stay the past cold winter but I just don't know if the kittens have found a place yet.

Yes the light bulb really does a good job and uses minimal electricity. My father had mounted it on the inside ceiling of the doghouse and was no danger to the dog. He also mounted it to a tin pan that I assume helped reflect the heat. It sure did work good. Of course a piece of carpet or something for a door is the best way to keep the heat in and keep the door closed.

is it wrong to move my indoor cat outside and make him sleep in the garage? He's been peeing and poopin all around the house and i can't stand it. i've had him for 15 years. He and i have a great relationship. I feel bad i moved him to the garage but is that a bad thing?

I have two cats I put on my screen in porch and worried about the cold weather. What do you think about the heated cat house? How about Hay in a box? Just looking for more ideas. Thanks

Here's what I do for my outside semi-feral kitties. I have a solid patio set on my patio outside my kitchen window. In the fall, I push all the chairs under the table, push the table as close to my house as i can to protect againt the wind. On a chair or two, I place thick newspaper, then a chair pad, or kitty bed, or soft warm blanket, they love fleese. I also use a kitty warmer pad when it's really cold pluged into my outside outlet. This keeps them up off the pavers. Try to make the bed secure so it doesn't slid off the chair, Play around with it. I then drape foil covered type insulation {bought at home depot, etc; over the top of the table. then, for extra warmth, I place extra foam panels on top of this, cut to size. Also bought at home depot. They are very cheap. Over this, I put on top of the table, my waterproof patio table cover, I actually use two.

Raise one end, for them to go in and out. In the winter, or rainy days, just put there food under the table.

I have never had a cat not love this shelter, It's their own little insulated tent right near your back door. On bitter cold mornings, as soon as my backdoor opens, they pop their little heads out and they feel warm to the touch. Good Luck and bless all of you who help protect these helpless creatures.

please i need help with my kitten's issue, and i have noone that really cares to address to.i found him in the street, abandoned, and having nowhere to keep him, i gave him to my cousins.the thing is, they have another big male cat that absolutely dislikes the little one.so they keep my kitty in the basement, which is a locked room with no light at all, even during the day.im so sad for him, i mean, he only gets to see the world when i visit him, which is about twice a week :( he stays locked in the dark all the time, and i don't know what to do.if i let him out, im afraid the big cat or any intruder will harm him badly.there are also other problems.many people come and go in my cousins yard, and they may steal him, or kick him...now that winter is coming, i really don't know what to do.its not fair and humane to keep pets locked all their lives in a small, unlightened place.in the other hand, thats for his own good...please help me, what should i do???

Just wanted to let people know that they should use straw as bedding for outdoor cat shelters. Fabric retains moisture and is actually worse than nothing.Please read Alleycat Allies,or other feral cat orgs. websites for this and more useful tips. Good luck to everyone!

Jean Nash,

Thank you for your time and response.I'll try asking my friends if they are interested in this kitty, though i doubt it.Where i come from animals are often viewed as dirty worthless things that you can harm whenever you want, and this is a mentality i struggle a lot with.However, if i dont find anyone who wants Mau(thats his name, and no, im not asian lol :D), fine, I'll take him.It'll be hard to keep him hidden from my family, but my room and balcony will be better than the basement... :)At least ill keep him for a couple months till he grows up a little, and then turn him back in my cousins'.

Thank you again, sincerely

A.R.I

My girl friend and I adopted a stray cat from a local fast food place. The employees said to take it as it was dangerious there for it.

I build a little house out of 2x4's and wall board. It has 4 walls, roof & is off the ground 10". I added a door to it after we realized that Grally (thats the cats name) won't use the shelter at night and gets our neighbors dogs barking at night, or her and the back neighbors cat get into yelling fights in the middle of the night instead of staying safe in shelter. There's also been other feral animals in the area so the door keeps her safe.

It gets cold in the winter here in the state of Indiana and I'm not sure how cold is too cold for cats.. I read they can stay in hotter tempratures then humans but didn't say anything about how cold is too cold. - Still working on adding insulation as it gets colder so..

How to get a cat to use shelter? - keep feeding it and closing the door at night? Does this seem reasonable?

Best insulation to use? I have some foam to attach to the walls & a bed. I see we may get some straw based on advice on this site. My girl friend uses these little heat packets that get warm when you rub them. Is there anything else I can do without using power?

Thanks Fletcher

A.R.I,

Any two cats will not get along at first. Cats won't like each other unless they have a reason to. I have a cat who showed up at my door one day. He sat on the porch looking in while my two cats hissed and growled and beat each other up becasue they couldn't get to the stranger. Well, we ended up bring the stray in. He lived in the basement for several weeks while we went through the steps of introducing him. Basically, you want to give the big cat a reason to like the kitten. Have them exchange scents. Put a sock on your hand and pet the living daylights out of the big cat then give the sock to the little cat then use a different sock to pet the little one and give it to the big one. This way, they get used to each other's smells in a non-threatening way. Then let them see each other at a distance while they get some super tasty treat that they ordinarily don't get. This gives them a reason to like each other. Keep that up and see if the big cat deosn't get more used to the small one. I wouldn't call all of my cats friends, but after introducing the stray this way, they manage to live peacefully. Here's a website that talks about this in more detail: http://maxshouse.com/introducing_cats.htm

If you can get the cats to accept each other, maybe your cousins will let the kitten roam the house. In the meanwhile, can you get a lamp down in the basement and some toys for the kitten? Do your cousins play with the kitten at all when you're not around?

I have 2 stray cats. My mom doesnt like cats though so I have to keep them outside. and now that i know how to keep baby and furs ( friendly)warm thought out the winter they

are cute and they always run to me because they know im warm

also if u switch back and forth on days from outside and inside but im only aloud to bring one in at a time and keep them in for at least one hour each but they love to be warmed up then it is cold

I found your site while doing a search on keeping outdoor cats warm during the winter months. Although I haven't read all of the posts yet, I'm working my way through them. Since my husband is adamant about not using an electric heating pad, I've been looking for other alternatives for three feral cats that I trapped, neutered, and released. I am now feeding them and trying to provide a shelter, especially for the winter months. My anxiety has increased as the weather turns colder. I have worried and cried at times over what to do. I’ve really needed someone to talk with. My husband tries, but is not as emotionally involved as I am.

However, we are currently trying to give the cats many housing options, but like they say, "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink." After trying to help these cats, I totally understand what that phrase means. We've modified several structures to provide shelter. They are all lined with polystyrene sheets that are covered in a reflective metallic surface that reflects some of the cat’s warmth. Some of them have larger spaces and some are smaller spaces. (By the way, the polystyrene is not toxic, however, it is flammable.)

In addition, we purchased an igloo with a pad. All of these structures have straw in them. I just haven't known how much straw to use. When I read the post about straw vs hay, I was surprised at how much I should be using inside the shelters.

In an effort to keep the cats warm in the shelters, I've been doing lots of research. I found a product called Snugglesafe, and it requires no electricty. So far I've found no posts that refer to using the Snugglesafe heat pad to add warmth to a pet's bedding. Since I haven't read everything yet, maybe I just haven't found a post on it.

The Snugglesafe is made in the UK and imported to the US. It is easy to find it on the internet. The good thing about this heat source is that it can last up to 10-12 hour depending on how cold it is. It also needs no electricity, but is heated in the microwave. The pad comes with a cover and can be used under blankets or with just the heat pad cover. The major thing that many people object to is that it is a hard plastic surface. I have outdoor ferals that nap in concrete drainage ditches, the deck, dirt, or whatever is handy. For the most part, they are probably used to hard surfaces because most often they don't have a choice. (FYI: It does break my heart to see them lying on these hard surfaces.) However, I've found that if I put out any type of blanket or fabrics for them to sleep with, it gets peed on.

I think that for the benefit of some additional heat on cold nights, the Snugglesafe heat pad is worth a try. It is about $28 on Amazon, and it comes with a cover. My husband thought that was a lot of money, but I’ve had so much anxiety about keeping them warm, it was worth it to me. In fact, I bought several.

I've only had the head pads for a few days. When the temp was in the high 40's to low 50's, I found there was still a bit of warmth left in the pad the following morning. However, last night was in the low 40's to upper 30's and the pads were cold this morning. I put them out at 9 pm at night. If I did it later, they might last a bit longer. When the pad cools down, it feels cool, even through the cover.

I am glad that I found this source for sharing info on helping outdoor cats with shelter.

Hi. I was searching "how to keep you cat warm" and found your site. I am SOOOOOO excited about trying some of the things Ive been reading. Thanks for all the great info!

Just out of curiosity, has anyone tried using Feliway as a way to make the shelters more attractive to cats? (It's a synthetic pheremone that simulates the scent a cat would leave behind after rubbing up on a surface with their face.) It's kind of pricey so I was wondering if anyone else had had success.

Bridget,

Thank you very much for your advice, maybe I will try it if i need to in the next months.Right now I'm keeping the kitty in my house, in my room to be exact, because my parents don't like animals.Anyways, he's growing into a very cute fluffy cat, I love him so much and feed him regularly.Now I'm planning on vaccinating him...The only problem I have for the moment is the necessity to teach him "manners", so that he doesn't pee or anything like that in my room.It's a challenge, to be honest, but I think I'll make it :DD...Maybe in the future I'll get Mau the kitty back to my cousins, because I will no longer live in my home, and he's not very welcomed if I'm not here lol.So, I find your words very useful :))

Thank you again,

A.R.I

You say to have cat enclosure up off the ground like on a palleyt but I always figured it would be warmer on ground with bedding inside because if it was up the cold air and wind would get under it like when bridges ice over when wet because of cold air under it!!

I have a small doghouse which I put up on a table on our semi-enclosed patio. It's facing away from the wind. I was concerned that it wasn't going to be warm enough for the kitty who meows at our door for food. I do feed and give him water. It is pitiful crying and he's heartbreakingly beautiful. I think his folks are away at times and leave him to fend for himself. Today I found a "KittyCube" at Walmart. I put it into the doghouse and sure enough, it fit. Kitty can climb right into the hole in front. It has padding all around it and the base is also thickly padded with a fleecy place to lay. This should be warm without heat, I hope!

I'll look for straw locally. Hope I can buy a small amount. Thanks Jean.

Marilyn

Hi again,

Just a note about providing a "door", so to speak, to any outdoor kitty enclosure:

Regardless of what type of shelter you provide, it is very important to keep the warmth in and the cold out, as much as possible. Well, I think I found the most purrfect door for my own kitties' igloos, even though the igloos are also inside a barn ...

Vinyl cloth, like you would buy to cover a table ....or a chair if you couldn't afford leather. LOL.

Anyway, you can buy it at any fabric store. It takes very little to cover the opening of the biggest igloo opening, so, hopefully, it should fit into the leanest of budgets. I simply duct-tape a band of the vinly over the top ledge of the igloo and then with scissors cut 2-inch wide strips of the vinly from the bottom of the door opening to the top of the band. This now makes a cool doorway (kinda like so hippie days when some folks used beads in doorways). I will sometimes double up on the vinly just to make the igloos even more insulated.

Now, there is a bonus to this; besides keeping the warmth in by keeping the cold air out, your kitty, if like most kitties, will LOVE the fact that it will feel like it is hidden. Like, it can see out, but figures no one else can see in.

Now, because my igloos are inside, I could have cut up some old towels as doors, and, in fact, have done so in the past. Using vinyl now, however, as it tends to stay dry and seems more insulating.

Hope this helps.

AND a very belated THANK YOU(!) to Jean for providing all of us with this very useful site. Her comments, filled with good advice and much compassion, are always right on target.

3 zillion cheers to Jean Nash!

Jean, you're and angel!

We recently moved to the country where we absolutely love it. It's our first winter here - we're in Manitoba and get the coldest of cold. I'm astounded by the number of unkept cats around here - all little lost boys and girls. One in particular has chosen our back door for refuge but for now my choice is not to keep a cat in the house. I've browsed through the above thoughts on helping outdoor cats survive through winter and have made what I think is a suitable bed. I used an old Coleman cooler (I had 3!) - what insulates better than that! I cut a hole for entry, and lined it with a fleece blanket using a glue gun. It stands upside down, and it will be easy to intermittently open it up to check the heating pad on low inside an old pillow. I put it under our deck - the spot the cat chose initially because as well as being very protected it is also right by the return air outlet from the basement. I'll follow your feeding tips and hopefully pussy will keep warm in the cooler!

Thanks for the thread :)

Thanks for all of the great info on this hub. I found it trying to figure out the best outdoor home for a cat in Michigan winters. I'm torn at the moment on what to do with my cat, and putting her outside is the best option I have. Story:

My cat is 11 years old. She was a wild cat when we got her. Over the last 11 years there have been short periods when she was able to go outside. We were living with my parents and they have indoor/outdoor cats. She greatly enjoyed being outside, but was able to come in at night. The problem is this: She has hit her max stress level and is peeing on everything. Now peeing on things is not new. She has done it most of her life. She gets mad about the litter (which is cleaned almost every day), and gets mad about her food bowl being empty, and mad about our dogs. We've had her tested many times for UTI, and it's always come back negative. I've just finally had it when we discovered that she's been peeing in my children's toy room, and on their clothing. I don't want to give her away, so I see her going outside as the only option. Any advice would be great.

Thanks for the info. We have two dogs, who stay on the main floor, and two kids who stress her out. Our son was just born 4 months ago and I think that was her breaking point. She always stays upstairs and is scared of everyone but me.

We built a shelter and stuffed it full of straw. It's set up in our garage and we are keeping the door to the back yard cracked open for her. So far she's been fine. Not taking to the shelter yet, but found a couple comfortable places. I tried to see if she wanted to come in tonight and she didn't want to. In all I think she's happy and going to do well.

Thanks again

I built a box on my porch for a feral cat. It is elevated and I have a heating pad in it. I also included some hay/straw. It loves the little house. It's brother had FIV and we had to put him down although we did not plan on doing that. We took him in to get neutered and the test came back positive. It was very very sad.

Do any of you know if we take his sister in can we just have the cat spayed with out testing? We don't want to put another cat down but we don't want her to have kittens again. She is 2 and already had one litter.

How can you let you cat sleep outside? I cannot imagine ever allowing my cat to sleep in the cold. My heart breaks when I see cats wandering alone outside. I try to pick them up until I can find a home or a safe, indoor, healthy setting for them. Why even have a pet if you simply leave it outside?

Rachel:

Can you read and comprehend? It is a feral cat. It doesn't like humans(me, you, people). The cat will not come in the house. It has not been tested and could have FIV. I have an insulate box on my porch with a heating pad and straw and the cat gets food three times per day.

Thanks for reading and comprehending.

Jean Nash:

Thank you for the information. She survived the night in the box I built for her. It is outfitted with an expensive heating pad and straw. She lets me pet her and I have introduced cat toys which she likes to play with.

I would like to find someone to adopt her and take care of her. Any suggestions on places I can post pictures and make inquiries to see if anyone wants a sweet 2 year old semi-feral kitty? I even picked her up this morning and held her while I drank my coffee outside in 15 degree weather.

She needs to be spayed but my vet wants to do the test first and I don't want to do the test.

Oh well. Decisions decisions.

Thanks again.

Thanks to you, Jean I now have 2 cozy beds for the stray kitties, all insulated with straw (found it at a farmer's). Now I sleep much better knowing they have a warm hideaway.

best to you,

Marilyn

Really enjoy your blog as I care for 6 indoor kitties and 3 ferals. I would like to comment on the blanket issue. If you use a blanket, try to use a fleece as it will dry quickly. Towels and heavy cotton or wools will hold moisture and actually take heat from the kitties. They don't know better as they are only trying to escape the cold.

This year I added an insulated shelter and added straw with light fleece blankets on top. I'm still waiting to see if there are any takers as the weather is beginning to take a turn for the worse. I'll keep you updated.

Please use straw instead of blankets or towels, as straw is much safer and warmer.

Blankets, towels, old clothes, etc., should not be used to lay on because cloth draws heat from the body (it is only good for covering up with, but never outdoors because it will freeze when wet).

Cats and dogs have been found dead, frozen to cloth that became damp/wet and froze.

Using straw, air pockets are created; cat's can dig down into it and make a comfy, warm place.

Please never line a outdoor enclosure with blankets, towels, or any other cloth.

Hi, We have a field that we keep our horse on and we have a metal shed that we keep all the food etc in, so to keep the mice population down we have recently been given two kittens approx 6-7 months old... we have locked them in the shed to get them used to where they live. they have an igloo bed with a sheepskin pillow in there with them. they get plenty of food and water, but recently its been snowing and i cant help but worry about them. aparently its going to drop to about -20 next week!!! How else can i help them!!!

Thanks

To keep my outside cats and ferals warm I purchased several Rubbermaid 48-quart ice chests (which are already insulated. some also have a little drain hole at the bottom if water does get in). I bought a 6" round drill attachment to cut a hole (halfway up)on one end. For the inside I put some polyester pads (filter pads for hvac units). Polyester holds in the body heat and keeps the cats warm. Purr pads would work also. I do like the idea of straw as well and will be trying that out as I am having 2 bales delivered today. Make sure you tape the top of the chest to keep it from opening. I then place the units in a shed or under a covering to keep the elements from getting in. If this can't be under a covered area you may want to purchase 6" round tubing (plastic or pvc) at your hardware store and cut off a 4-6" piece that can be secured into the hole at the end. If you are able to cut it in half length-wise and secure it at the top of the hole that is best. (acts like a roof over the hole) This will keep the elements out yet still allow the animal access. Try to place it off the ground if you can. Cats prefer higher places. My cats have the option of coming into the heated garage or staying outside in one of these units. Half of them come in and the other half prefer these "cat chests." (I am a cat rescue person in Arizona.)

I just put out a shelter (sturdy box with hole cut in front) for my stray cat that has been coming around for a year and a half now. Last year I just had a cat bed on the back porch for it to lay on, but with the wind I wanted a shelter for it. I put the bed in the box, but the cat didn't go in and I'm afraid it won't use it and will try to find someplace else to sleep that won't protect it. Is there anything I can do to get him to use the shelter? It's gotten down to 30 at night here and it gets windy. Thanks!

Eric

Las Vegas

Never mind....he's in it now :)

Eric

Las Vegas

Hello. I have a stray that I cannot bring in. I've read many of your ideas but am I very low on cash. I puta blanket on top of a glass top patio table and put the umbrella up. Do u think this will keep her warm until I can find her a home? Any other suggestions for someone on a budget would be appreciated.

Yes for short term you can use cardboard boxes with some straw or paper or rags...you can also cover the box with a garbage bag and tape it like a christmas present and then cut a 6" hole for the cat to go in and out. This is of course a short term fix and slot depends on weather.

You can also use a cheep styrofoam igloo cooler turned upside down wit a hole cut in it for a place to sleep and stay warm.

Hi, I have been reading all your amazing ideas. I have a cat who at one time was someones pet. he is declawed & fixed to. I started feeding him in the summer & now that the weather is cold i am worried about keeping him warm. i let the garage door up @ night enough for him to come in & have a van seat indide that I have put a quilt & a wollen sfgan for him to sleep on. I wondered it i took my home heating pad & put it under the quilt if it would be safe if I just turned it on at night when the cat is in the garage. I would love to have him live inside but am straped for funds to get him to a vet to get checked & get flea protection for him. i have a 5 yr old shih tzu & am scared if the cat has fleas , my dog would get them to & the house would be infested.

I love in SC where the summers are very hot. Right now we are @ 33 degrees which is cool for us.

I dont understand why the humane society would not help you with medical, shote, de worming & blood testing if you were going to take a stray in your home. he is so lovable & just talks to me all the time. My dog & him have come face to face several times so I think thay might tolerate each other.

Any helpful hints you can supply would be wonderful & much appreciaated. thanks Diana

Awww, thanks for the fast reply, your great.

i have never had a cat before but this one is so lovable i can not resist.

i will go to walmart tomorrow & look for the brewers yeast w/ garlic & do that until i can get the flea meds.

another thing i would like to know is how many times a day do you think i should feed him? he seems to have a good appetite but i find him throwing up his food once in awhile. A friend of mine said it might be he is eating it to quickly. I have to keep the garage door open a little all night also because when i close it all the way he seems to panic & crys.

my groomer came over & gave him a shot & also dewormed him a few weeks ago free of charge for me which i thought was so nice of her.

i feed him, a bowl of dry & another bowl of wet but can't leave it down in the garage all night because of other animals coming in eating it. Thanks again for all your thoughts, they are much appreciated. God Bless.

This hub is a great idea. I always need encouragment during the winter that I'm doing enough for the cat that lives outside. I don't want to wake up to frozen cat. I have a small dog house outside and have put a wool blanket, a sweat shirt, and another blanket in it. I hope it will be warm enough. Its suppose to be 20 tonight. He survived last year when it was this cold but he sure wanted to come inside. I'm considering either getting some kind of cover for the doghouse or maybe some straw to put in a better protected place. Or maybe some styrofoam. Should I do anything else, or will he be ok?

I do have an inside cat that I'm looking for a home for, if anyone is interested. He's a black and white 2 year old neutered male. I'm gone a lot, and he just needs more interaction. sounds strange for a cat, but its true.

Hi Found your article. Thanks. I have 4 outdoor cats who were/are young when I brought them in to heal from illness. They were getting "fixed" thur Cat Welfare and had to be well of course. Now it is cold and I feel like a very mean person having to return them out into the weather. I have the dog house for them which I will fill with straw. There are other shelters on the property where they live that I have filled with straw. I feed them at the same time twice a day that I feed their family already outside. I have been caring for this colony for a year and half since their care person passed. But she didn't neuter/spay them and with my care they multiplied. I am trying to take care of that and have done most of them. I don't want them sick again, nor do I want to lose them. Will they be warm enough, and will they find their own shelter such as I have found them in my basement since the landlord doesn't keep up this property? I don't want to invest this much emotional time to these kitties but darn it, they get to ya.

Thanks

I need some "Fast" help please.

A police officer told us the feeding feral cats in the state of south carolina was illegal & we can be arrested & put in jail for it.

a friend of mine who lives in a condo here has been feeding the cats & they have just had kittens. She feeds them & gives them a box to sleep in outside by her door.

the association is trying to trap them & take them to a shelter. She said they have even installed a camera on the post to see who is tossing the traps away so the cats dont go in them. i think it is awful, i cant belive anyone could be so cruel. can anyone find out if this law is true & if an association has any rights to trap & destroy these animals. i am trying any way i can to see what i can do to protect them.

thanks

diana

The feral cats I've been involved with live behind a fast food restaurant

s parking lot. This is about 15-20 minutes from where I live. The local humane society already trapped two little cats about 6-8 months old, and one big tom cat. They were neutered and given shots. One of the to little ones was kept by humane society because she was friendly and liked to be petted. The other little one, they shy one, was put back out, along with the tom cat, the day after surgery.

I am very upset about this. I have been feeding and watering the cats for several weeks, and so have other people. A few of us have made shelters for them. I am torn between--- buying an igloo/making another shelter---and finding another organization to trap this little one so I can work with her to help her become adoptable.

I live in Michigan and it is getting freezing outside. The shelters we have made are filled with straw. I was thinking of making another one and filling is with old woolen sweaters and fleece material.

What do you recommend? I don't want to further traumatize the little cat.

I am so sick of the way this world treats animals, somthing has to change.

these animals bother no one, they are trying to survive just like we are in this world. we are here to help each other, animals included.

i hate hunters who shoot animals just for sport, it is in humane.

we need to change laws for animals not just for us,

does anyone know of any thing i can spray my garage with just to prevent fleas from living in there, while my feral cat lives there @ night.

I like to take that precaution, i am parinoid i will get them in my house with my shish tzu, he is on flea meds and always has been. i want to get the cat to the vet to be checked & flea meds to but i dont have the funds at the moment. wonder what Terminix uses & if i can buy it somewhere?

recently my mum decided to keep our cats outside permanently and not letting them in the house as they are becoming incontinent and making the house smell. we placed there beds, food and water bowls outside in our side shed. it is sheltered from the wind however at the moment in the UK we are experiencing a very cold winter. My cats are getting old and im afraid that they are entering their last years. Furthermore this means that keeping them warm is essential. so i have put blankets and pillows and all sorts down and around the shed to make them as comfortable as possible. do you have any other tips that i can use to keep my cats as warm as possible. there is no plug sockets in the side shed so i cant put in a heater. i feel so sorry for them when i see them outside and want them to be warm!!

also, my cats have been living in our house for the last ten years therefore not used to the cold weather at night. do you think this will be a problem? i tried my best to pursuade my mum not to put them outside but she isnt listening to me. if you believe that they will not be able to put up with the permanent cold weather, i will pursuade my mum to let them back into the house. (i am the same person who wrote the previous comment but i hadnt set up an account then)

Hey thanks for the help. I did get a surprise. The lady who once cared for them who passed, BIL came over SAT with a "cathouse" he actually made for them. The poor man must be in his late 80s and very arthritic. It has a real slate roof and very well made. I can lift the roof and have put straw and a pet bed in it. So now they actually have this condo thing going on her front porch. They ought to stay warm, I hope. And I am getting great ideas here. Thanks much.

Thanks for the advice. I was considering bringing the cat in tonight. Its suppose to be 14. However, he would have to stay in the cat carrier and wouldn't cooperate. But I noticed that even though he supposedly has been outside all day, he wasn't the least bit chilled. He felt like he had just come out of a warm place and was just slightly cold on the fur. So, I'm not too worried about him. But I will see about getting him some straw. Maybe someone else took pity on him and gave him a warm place to sleep.

Just wanted to leave this comment - someone mentioned buying a heating pad - I would NOT recommend this. Heating pads get EXTREMELY hot and their instructions specifically say "do not sleep on the pad." I would NOT advise to let any pet sit on the mat, much less sleep on it for hours at a time. DO NOT use heating pads for keeping your pets warm as it may cause injury/burns!

THANK you for all you do on this page - I just wanted to give you my perspective on something:

I think that when someone mentions something that is commonly thought of as safe, but isn't (as in the recommendation to NOT use towels/blankets to line any enclosures because they draw heat away from the body and can freeze when wet), that it doesn't matter how many times it's duplicated. People do not, and will not read every single comment - especially when they're just looking for information - when it comes to safety, the more comments the more chance it will get noticed - and hopefully save a cat's life.

It would be great also to have a "5 things not to do" compilation to really bring attention to them.

Gina

I have whats called snugglesafe dor my outsie cat heat in microwave last 10 hours or so it keeps him real warm get on internet..

I have a extremely large black cat I have been feeding for a while now. He is neutered and not afraid of people. It seems like someone just left him. I have two indoor cats and one of them got out when I was in the hospital and got into a fight with the black cat and really hurt him. So I can not let the black one in and now there are times he comes to the back door and I think he wants in. i do not know how to ever have these two get alone or let alone live together. I have not taken him to the vet because he will not let you put him in the carrier. That comes to my second question I live in South Florida and it has become extremely cold lately with freeze warnings. Blackey the black cat lays on this big generator box with alot of matress pads and sheets on top of it. This is also inside my screened in patio. The bottom half of the enclosure is metal and top half is screen and I leave the door cracked for him to come in and out of. I put a large box out there with a lot of blankets and he would not go in it at all. He will only lay on the top of the generator box. So i go out and cover him with the blankets and towels and even a sweater of mine and he will stay under them until he wants to come out. Is that okay? I read about the sleeping bag and will save money to buy one as soon as I can. In the mean time is this okay. I am worried about him. Also, my son says not to even try to like keep him in the bathroom because one we do not know if he is sick and two we really do not think he would stay in there can you let me know if what I am doing is okay and about the cats getting along and possibly living together. My son does not think that is possible after how bad he hurt the inside cat.

hi there! finally a site where i feel i will ghet some informative info and maybe some help. ok...where do i start? so,theres 4 cats in my yard. well 2 main ones that i care for tremendously..ones big n fluffy and gorgeous,and the others orange and baout 7 mo's old. i dont know theyre sex because they never let me too close to them. =( i been feeding them 4 times a day for the past 3 mo's! i do this to make sure theyre getting nice n chubby to keep em warm. i even buy them cat milk for added vitamins!i cry evernight for these cats! i live in an apartment in rockland ny,and my ladlord isnt very nice when it comes to animals. theres NO way for me to make a mini house or shelter,its not my property,and i practically sneak to feed them. they hide under a neighbors shed that has a space under it about less than a foot. someone found out i was putting theyre food there and stuck thorned branches and BIG sticks just so they cant go under! i was hysterical! my hubby moved the sticks and all..however its 4degrees below tonight,and i cant sleep worried sick for them! i just heated up some food and water with a lil milk,(i know milks bad for kittys but i cant help it) and its 3am,i look out my window and see theyre little heads under the shed. ive put my hubbys thermal shirt,a sheet,a towel,and a toilet seat cover (the ones made of carpet) under there and i feel it isnt enough! im willing to bring them in at night to sleep warm (i can get evicted for this btw) but they will not follow no matter what. well they come but refuse to come in the hallway and up the stairs! lol..theyre so scared! i cant do what i want! im willing to buy a lil house for them and whatever else,but i cant! have no where to place it! people are so mean and evil i tell ya! sheesh! well....i wish someone can help! i wanna keep them warm. ill feed them,whatever they need,anything!!! i even told my sister that iwished i could put a coat n boots on them! lol...well... im open to ANY suggestions! help! thank you for all u do. just cause they dont have a voice doesnt mean they dont have a heart n soul! =) thats how i feel! take care....

thanks so much jean thats a good idea! ok..now what exactly is snugglesafe,and where can i buy it and how much is it? actually ill google it now. thanks u again! im open to anything right now. =)merry christmas to u and urs (if u celebrate it that is) =)

FOR MISTERMOTO:

Try the Havahart live trap (regular size--like for raccoons). I had a litter of kittens living in an abandoned house near me a few years ago. I trapped the whole family and took them to a shelter except for one kitten who wouldn't walk into the cage I had built. I bought a squirrel sized live trap but he escaped every time. Finally I used the big one even though I thought he was too small to set it off and he was caught the same day.

Once I had him, I let him out in my bathroom and have never seen a more terrified and angry kitty. I did some research on the internet searching "how to tame feral kittens." I started by stick petting him (using a long stick to pet him from a distance, then worked up to petting with gloves on. Within three days he was falling asleep in my husband's arms. If you catch him young, it's pretty easy to tame a baby.

Personally, I think the money is better spent on a trap and getting one more cat off the cold streets.

If you're worried about the cold, you could set the trap on some straw and cover it with a heavy blanket in case he gets trapped at a time when you can't get to him right away (like while you're asleep). Then it turns into a sort of shelter/trap.

I had 1 outside mother cat that had 7 kittens in the fall of '09. What I did for them was to get some plastic storage bins, put basement insulation all around the inside and on the cover then filled it halfway with straw. The cats loved it and there are two cats in each of the 4 bins I made. They got fresh food and drank water from our humidfier drain pipe in the yard which doesn't freeze. The weather last winter was ferocious. It stay below 20 deg and snowed every day but the cats survived in good health.

Thanks for all the information given to all of us.

There is a cat in my neighborhood, he seems to be very old because you can see the skin kind of hanging in his stomach. The ownwers keep him in a igloo type of house in their porch. There is a heated pad inside. Anyway every time I go see him he feels very cold, the igloo has some little holes and I am afraid the cold and wind are coming through there. When he sees me he inmediatetly comes to me for some petting. Right now it is very cold 29 degrees with strong winds of 32mph, it feels like 10 degrees outside. I am having such a hard time with this, I have been even thinking about just go there and get the cat and bringing into my house. I have a small dog and one of my boys is allergic to cats, but I couldn't sleep last night thinking the wind is going to blow away his house and he is going to freeze. He really likes me because it seems I am the only person that touches every once in a while. You can tell he was an indoor cat and they just decided to put him out there. I don't know what to do. Please give me some advice, thank you.

Thank you so much Jean, your words really help me. I will talk to them like you suggest, hopefully we'll be able to work together.

Thanks again

Thanks for the tips , we recently discovered three cats , one large & two kittens. My parents wouldn't allow me to take them inside , so I put them in the garage . Except I feel bad because it's FREEZING out there . I took a box and put old towels in it , then I pored rice into old socks and heated it in the microwave . Then placed one In each corner of the box . We are planning on taking them to a shelter . If they have to stay any longer , is there another way I could keep them warm ... That won't make my parents mad?

Hi Jean,

I received a package in the mail from a pharmacy that had a heat pad packed along with the prescription medication. The pad was for good for 72 hours and still quite warm. Hm, another source of heat for kitties? About a dollar a pack.

Marilyn

One use only, unfortunately. But it does last up to 72 hours. You'd probably need a couple for even a small box in freezing weather.

Thanks so much for this site. I have a detached garage, and it going to be about 24* tonight. Will it be ok for the 4 homeless cats that I have been feeding to be in there? I can give them some old blankets and plenty of food and water, No heat source as I am afraid of fire but i will leave the light on. Also limited funds so I can't go buy heat pads and such. Will this be okay?

I am feeding two outside cats for which I made a shelter out of a Rubbermaid container I purchased and my son cut an opening for the cats to go inside. This year instead of using cat beds inside the shelter I used straw but I noticed it has a moldy smell . . . Will this hurt the cats?

It's beginning to get very cold in Austin, Texas. When I got back from work at 9:30 PM, I fed the stray cats some hearty canned food, dry food and provided them with fresh water. I then simply placed a cardboard box on its side and put a blanket and some towels in it. The two stray cats took to it right away, comfortably snuggling/sleeping. I can see them from my livingroom window!

Thank you for your reply . . . I was not aware of the difference between straw and hay. I have been rescuing independently for 15 years but did not know about the problem it could create for these kitties. Would a few days have harmed the cats?

I will talk to my vet. . . Thank you!

You can make a shelter from something like an old wooden cabinet that you can easily find in a dump or curbside. I converted one into a shelter for an outdoor cat and fitted it with an electrical socket so I could install an ordinary incandescent lightbulb. Depending on where you live the wattage will have to compete with the outdoor temperatures. For example here in Montreal in winter it gets really cold like today is -26 celsius and when you factor in the wind chill it's -38. Inside the shelter I have a 100 watt lightbulb to heat it. On average the light will keep the inside heated between +15/+23 celsius depending on the outdoor temperatures. It's important that you cover the bulb with a 3lb coffee can with holes poked in to allow heat to escape or use metal flashing around it like a lampshade (with punctured holes in flashing) to protect the cat from the heat source or from splattering their wet snow/rain coated coats onto the bulb glass which could easily shatter. Inside the shelter I divided it off into 3 sections for sleeping, entering and an area dedicated to just the light bulb to heat the shelter. I should mention that the shelter is located on my balcony that has an outdoor electrical socket that works the light that heats the shelter. I made a rubber coated dormer roof to allow the snow to slide off to cover the cabinet. It also can be lifted off to open the cabinet to change the lightbulb (usually lasts 4 weeks before needing to be changed again). I also added a small entrance hallway structure to the house to divert the wind from the cabinet's main entrance. The cat is healthy, happy and warm. I feed her daily high fat salmon/tuna/cat food mixed with a drop of milk and water. I purchased a heated outdoor water dish to keep water from freezing to ice. It's amazing what you can do to beat the elements and give a kitty a fighting chance. Many cities now provide low cost sterilization if you do an internet search. Many colleges and universities do such procedures as a teaching forum for veterinary students. Check it out.

If you google feral cat shelters there are many affordable ideas for shelters for cats. I have made a few with the 2 inch styrofoam. I also paint and glue a big piece of plywood onto the shelter to give them a "roof". I also have built a couple from the Rubbermaid storage containers, the only difference is I don't use the second storage bin. I find a sturdy cardboard box and glue(using low odor glue) the thinner sheets of stryofoam( I found them at Home Depot) all around the box then stick it into the bigger Rubbermaid container. I always use straw too. Blankets can actually draw a cats body heat away from them especially if it gets wet. You can also make windbreaks with the stryofoam sheets by making them longer on one side. Styrofoam is a good insulator. You can also glue the mylar (found this at Walmart in the camping department for 2 dollars) to the walls and ceiling of the shelters, this will not make noise and will reflect the cats body heat back to the cat.

Jean,

Yes, I did visit your link. Here is another good one that gives you instructions on how to build them along with some great info: http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/HOW_TO_FERAL_CAT_W...

Another thing I have found that works great on those extremely cold night for those that don't have a lot of money to spend are hand warmers that you can buy at many different stores. I even have baked a potato and placed in the corner of a house with the straw hiding it. My dad used to tell us how he had to walk a long distance to school and how his mom would put baked potatoes in his coat pockets to keep his hands warm.

I have included this link because it also gives some good ideas for food shelters:

http://indyferal.org/index.php?page=shelters

I have provided care to many outside stray cats that have found me here in the Chicagoland suburban area during the past several years and I wish to share what I have found to be a good insulating material for lining the insides of outdoor cat shelters, whether they are cardboard boxes or storage containers (my favorite because they're waterproof) or other fabricated shelters. The sporting goods stores sell 2' x 2' exercise puzzle mats that are made of a high density foam, which can be purchased in a 6-piece package (24 total sq. feet). I buy the ones that are 3/4" thick at a local Sports Authority store. They are very easy to cut and shape with a pair of scissors and do not leave any styrofoam-like clinging particles. I lay several down on my backyard deck near my patio door, interlocked end-to-end, year-round and found that the cold of the winter and the sun's heat in the summer does not radiate through them. Snow will brush right off and they do not absorb rain water. I also assembled some of the mats on my (unheated) attached garage floor and I can walk on them in my stocking feet without feeling the winter cold coming through the concrete, and it is -4 F. outside right now. It makes for a more comfortable place for my current feral cat, who found me 10 months ago, to come in from the elements for his daily meal, although after he is done eating he still prefers to return outside and curl up on one of the mats out back.

I was told there is no such thing as a No Kill shelter;what they do is;their doors are always open to all or any animals but they are automatically put to sleep because of the over abundance of animals being brought into the shelters daily.If we could all share information nation wide & web wise,we can share the fact that doctors are telling millions of patients they are allergic to their pets,from there they are surrendered to the shelters and further on labs buy all these pets for the severity of lab tests then if they survive they are sent back into shelters to be adopted.I adopted a lab tested cat and she was some suffering sickly sweet little cat.She only lived for six weeks because her kidneys collapsed,all of her teeth were removed.

I also have a stray cat coming here,it won't come in the house at all so I made an awsome make shift house for him/her I nailed a board on my patio railing for the roof then put hay all around the surrounding park bench I have out there on the patio then in the seat it self I put loads of old towels,blankets then a cats half closed bed, lined with fleese then I put an old sewing machine out next to my park bench then put three tarps coving 80% of the park bench and made sure they were secured down in case of very strong winds,I used a lot of pavers,bolders etc. for securing the tarps,the cat stays in there very comfortably,the only thing he/she needs now is a night light.I always say;where there's a will there's a way. God bless........... :o)

ive had kittens in my backyard in the summer then the weather had changed to winter now its getting warmer and i havent saw the kittens at all ive seen the momma cat but not the kittens im afraid they didnt survive what do u think???

Thank you for sharing this information and I'm sure my cat's will too. I just stocked up on canary supplies in case my heat shuts off again. I have a horrible house for the winter months!

Its like my state has own natural heater. Here in Arizona, its always hot for the current season, OH summer is miserable!!!!!!!! But 57 degrees in the winter! Still, my cats are freeezing on our cold tile floor! Thank you so much for the advice! I'll set up a kitty closet. I suppose there is one good thing about Arizona. My cats automaticly stay warm in the winter!:)

theirs been cats in my backyard and in my basment my mom is allergic to them so my mom cant do laundry and cant wath tv , so i have to do laundry. also my room is in the basement my papillon goes wild and when im asleep they always pick on her and they sleep with me so my puppy cant sleep wit me anymore.i call the vet every month to spay and neuter them and also with my own allowents i buy them food and boels it costs me 100$ in 2 weeks i feed them every day and give them water every day. theirs 1 kitten i have to buy milk witch is 7 bucks could you help me find a soloution, i dont whant to send them to the spca.

I too love cats! There are several stray kittens that run around my apartment unit and winter is finally here. I am worried about the poor things getting cold. I am a college student living off of loans so I cant afford to buy heated beds. What is the cheapest way to keep these kitties warm? Also, they run when they feel like I have came to close to them. How can I gain their trust?

Hello, Jean. I live down in South Florida and we have many stray and feral kitties in the complex where I live. I adopted one last year, she's since had her first (and only since we got her spayed)litter of kittens who have been successfully adopted as housekitties. She's still very much an outdoor cat and it gets cold down here too during the winter season, albeit not as cold as up north! How can I make as inconspicuous as possible shelter for my girl? The community I live in tolerates the feeding of stray/feral within reason. Thanks for your compassion!

I too have adopted a feral cat. I recently set up an warm outdoor kennel for him but he will not go inside. I"ve put bedding and food in there to lure him. He will eat but quickly leaves. Will he instintively go in and stay in when it gets cold?

Thank you for this thread!

Jean, thanks so much for your reply! My close friend just adopted her own cat (he was indoors for a short while with his first mom, but sadly, she passed away and he got loose in the complex)and we came up with using her outdoor chair cushions in the form of a "teepee" Buddy seems to take to it more every day. He's loving the outdoors at the moment, so this seems to be working out. As for my girl...The best place would probably be in the bushes in front of our units. She is VERY much an outdoor cat and the elements don't seem to faze her. I would love to make her an indoor kitty, but the look in her eyes says "wild girl at heart.."

I just wanted to share a really good, CHEAP shelter I learned about from an organization in Michigan that specializes in helping ferals.

If you go to PetSmart or one of those types of stores, they will give you a Styrofoam container that their fish shipments come in. Go to Lowe's, Home Depot, or some other home improvement store and buy a roll of mylar insulation (around $14). It looks like bubble wrap but it's silver. Cover the inside of the container with the mylar, put some straw on the bottom ($5-$7 at a feed store or nursery) and cut a hole in the container. Both the mylar and straw will cover multiple shelters. The mylar reflects that cat's heat to help keep the shelter warm and the straw allows the cat to "nest". If you have absolutely NO money, at least setting out one of the styrofoam containers will provide protection from moisture and wind. Just remember to weight it down since an empty styrofoam box will easily blow around.

There are 3 cats that I love at the barn where I board my horse. I have taken over their car, spay/neuter, immunizations. I thought I would purchase them an igloo this winter and I wondered what size I would need for 3 fairly good sized cats. They are fed dry and canned food and they are still the best mousers around, no mice in my barn. I would love to take them home but husband is allergic. I was going to put old towels or blankets in there, but not now, thanks for the info. Igloo is inside the barn up in ay loft

I have been taking care of feral cats at my home for 5 years now and have successfully adopted 3 of them inside. I have gotten most of the ferals outside neutered and recently adopted another one who was very sick and was not able to save and had to have her put to sleep. I only had her for a month and it broke my heart. I have a large male tom cat who always seems to bring home another girlfriend to keep him company and I am always worried about him in the winter. He has be around for 6 years. This year he seems to want to come in but then gets skittish and goes back outside. In the past he has stayed in the garage but doesn't want to this year. My solution to keeping him warm this year has been a trial but I came up with this solution:

I bought the cheapest covered litter box I could find with the front flapping door. I then put some old down fabric on the floor (there is not much room, you have to make sure the cat can still get in and out of the door) and covered the the outside of the litter box first with some warm insulating fabric (whatever you choose and your budget allows) and then covered the whole thing with a waterproof tarp. I have it push up against the front of the garage door where there is a bit of a wind break and so far Boo just loves it. He is always in there sleeping, only coming out to lay in the sun or to eat his wet fishy food and Fancy Feast Kibble (better than the inside cats because I feed bad he has to be outside). I hope this helps someone else. You can use any kind of container as long as the cat can get in and out and it is warm.

My only problem is that with the snow coming, I don't know what to do. I don't have anywere to put this that it will be above the ground. Any suggestions? Thanks for this great blog.

So many great suggestions on here. I have 4 cats as well as 2 dogs, all rescues, all spayed & neutered and all very well loved, I would have more but can't afford them. But feed any animal that shows up since I believe all animals need food and love.

We recently built an outdoor cattery, we keep our 4 cats inside and they all seem to enjoy their new home. I found a 5 foot x 10 foot dog kennel on clearance, had some concrete pavers so put them on the ground inside cage for floor also to protect them from digging out or anything digging in, wrapped the entire cage, sides and top in chicken wire so they would not get their heads stuck in the fencing, covered top and one long side plus half of back with plastic tarp to keep them dry and safe, bought a large 4 shelf plastic shelf, put beds on top 3 and food on the bottom, also put an old cabinet with doors which we cut an opening in the top right side an bottom left side for doors, I put cut up bathroom rugs on each of the 3 shelves which also have holes cut so they can go top to bottom when they want, this gives them a complete private place when there is a storm or loud noise or strangers about. We built a litterbox cover out of old pallets that serve as a litter box cover as well as a perch to lie on it is about 2ft wide by 3 feet long and 3 feet high. Also hung up a cardboard tube on one side that they love to play in as well as sleep in.they also have cedar posts for scratching posts. Had a fan mounted in one corner during the summer which seemed to keep them cool. When the cold weather got here we placed plastic tarps inside from top to bottom on the other 2 open sides as well as the door, we left a 2 x 4 open space for fresh air and light as well as them being able to see outside. I do raise the door flap when it is warm to let them see more. I also bought the pet safe heated pads which they all love and it seems to keep them warm, I feed them wet food every morning, dry food is available at all times, fresh water daily, cleaned litter box daily and lots of affection. We weren't sure the cats would like being in a cage but they seem to love being inside an enclosure safe from the dogs, kids and elements. I know of the dangers of outside kitties and wanted mine to be safe, they ave been in their new home since July 2012 and they are happy, feed, warm & safe. I can now make sure they are taken care of and not hurt or injered. I know this is not an option for everyone but it works great for us.

Thank you so much to all of the others who try their best to take care of our animal friends, without each of us doing what we can no matter on what scale there would be many unhappy animals. I wish one day everyone would be more kind to them.

PS my dogs are also treated well and know they are loved.

I check rugs every time I go in, usually 3 to 5 times a day, I have it where no rain can get to the rugs, and I wash them on a regular basis, I also live in east texas so it never gets too too cold, I read thru all the comments and there ate lots f great suggestions. The heated cat beds are on top of the bath rugs just for extra insulation from the bottom, I keep dry ones on hand when they need to be changed out.

I have a stray outdoor cat and we live in the North East. The poor thing has been so cold, but I cannot bring her in as I have another skitterish cat and I don't feel it is fair to do that to mine.

I feed her all day long so she is around a lot and it is hard to watch her begging to come in.

So we came up with two ideas....and both would work well.

I had an extra covered kittie litter box. Putting it outside, we covered it with a piece of plastic so the vent wouldn't get wet and two heavy blankets. Then I went to Home Depot and bought a cable that warms water pipes in the freezing temps so the pipes don't freeze. (6 Ft. for the small enclosed area.)

Lining the kittie litter box with heavy silver foil, I ran the cable around the bottom of the box and then put a soft towel on top of it. Please note that it is important to keep the thermostat near the opening because it only works when it detects the cold air. We taped it in place, while keeping it out of a direct line in case it rained. The cable for pipes is an indoor product.

We therefore cut a small hole to attach an outdoor extension cord through the box to the cable.

This morning instead of the cat being there for her food at 6 AM, she slept in! LOL!!! When she finally did come out at 8 A.M. for her breakfast, I felt the box inside and it was actually toasty warm. YEA!!!!

Another thought is to go to a grain and feed store. They have red lamps for brooding. It is a heat lamp and can be directed at a box without burning it...just adding warmth.

Not sure of what kind of box, so please check that out.

Hope this helped.....I am so grateful to have a happy cat now. She spent the whole 'freezing' day in her box..

I have 2 stray female cats that I had fixed as soon as possible. I purchased a very large, hard plastic dog carrier, took the door off. Wrapped it in foam rubber outside, taped down. Over that I put a 60 gal. garbage bag to keep out the cold and wind. Purchased a cat warmer pad that when they lay on it , it heats up. I put their food and water in it, water 3 times a day so it wont freeze. I put this house on a large pallet so it`s off the ground and put it on my deck in winter. I think they are very warm and happy during the cold winter up here.

I also put this at the corner of the house, where it`s protected on 2 side and also put a blanket over the pads so they can cuddle. Cost about 200 dollars but will last for years. In late spring I take it in the grage for the next year.

I am leaving out of my car with my four cats ther have a double house/scraching post to stay warm in but on realy cold nights I am worry they will get sick can u help me make my car warmer for them

Jean,

Thank you so much for having this hub! Such great and helpful tips in keeping an outdoor kitty warm for the winter. Thanks again!

A cat has found our family about a week and a half ago. I'd like to bring her into our home until I find her owners, but haven't yet so I think she may be a common "drop-off". It's obvious that she was once someone's pet. After reading all of the comments left here, I've come up with a shelter for her. Before bed, I warm up her water and she has warmed up wet food, and gets a cup of dry food every morning. For the shelter, we took a dog crate made for a medium sized dog, took carpet remnants and covered up the air vents, then covered it with a towel and my son's sleeping bag. For the inside, there's a thick layer of straw, and a twin size mattress cover. At night, I heat up several 20 ounce pop bottles with hot water and line the bottom of the crate, underneath the straw and it seems to hold the heat a little better. There is a "lean-to" made of heavy plastic over the shelter to block more wind and the snow. It seems to help alot. Because I've read that having a blanket isn't a good idea, there's a smaller shelter with only straw in it. She doesn't use it and can tell because the straw hasn't been disturbed. I hope she doesn't develop any sickness from a damp blanket. But the option of straw is available to her.

It gets pretty cold here in New York, and I'm waiting to get her to trust us enough to be able to take her to the vet. We are going to try to bring her inside, and in the meantime, getting my 3 indoor jealous cats used to her at a distance. We bring her in for about half hour a couple times a day and hold her while she warms up and the other cats to at least get a glimpse of her and get familiar. Alot of growling and hissing going on the entire time. I am hoping that they all get used to each to other very soon! Breaks my heart that she's out in the cold all night. I've talked to the local animal shelter, but there is a 3 page waiting list for cats due to the overcrowding. Very sad situation, and I'm afraid to admit that it's like that at the majority Humane Societies.

A note to everyone who has posted the comments: Thank you so much for all of the great advice, and your amazing love for these homeless beautiful cats. Very much appreciated. And thank you Jean, for starting this hub so everyone can share ideas and not get off topic like most I've seen.

Thank you for the quick response.

Do you think the kitty will be OK with the mattress cover blanket if she chooses not to use the straw filled shelter? I was hoping the warm water bottles will dry up the blanket. Do you think so? Thanks again!

I have my cat in the garage and i have a booder over him which is on a timmer..now i noticed that when i lifted his pillow there was moisture between the pillow and the blanket he was lying on it hasn;'t done throught to touch him but i am concerned it looks like condensation. Should i put a sheet of styrofoam under his cat bed?

let me know soon ok?

I bought my outdoor cat a cedar insulated house that she has used for 2 years... I have a bed inside and keep it fresh and clean as much as I can... howevr this winter she has decided not to use it... it has been extremly cold in Pennsylvania and I am worried sick that she wll freeze... when the snow comes she leaves and I do not know where she goes... I two cat beds sitting on bathroom rugs that she sleeps on... but she will not go into the house... I ought a new bed and put it in today but she chooses to sleep in the open area... do you have any idea why she would all of sudden not go into her house? Bewildered...

I have a feral cat and providing him with a nice, warm shelter is my #1 concern. I bought this - http://superblog.co/the-kitty-tube-outdoor-cat-hou... - recently and I'm quite happy with it. The design is top-notch, the top fits securely so there are no leaks when it's raining, and there is Styrofoam insulation all around the shell including a top baffle to keep the cat super warm inside. The top lid rotates to open or close a set of holes which act as vents. This outdoor cat house comes with a really plush bed that looks and feels soft and comfortable. It's made from lightweight plastic and is very easy to carry and move around. It's also non-obtrusive and doesn't stand out like a sore thumb so that's another plus as well.

My only issue with it is that the cat I'm trying to shelter is feral and doesn't really like to be confined - at least not yet anyway. I purchased two outdoor heating pads and placed one inside The Kitty Tube and the other one on top of a patio chair. So far the cat seems to like the chair better even as the temperatures have dropped in the low 20s the last few nights. I'm assuming it's because the cat is more familiar with the chair and has seen The Kitty Tube only for a few days. I tried enticing it with cat nip but so far he's only gone inside The Kitty Tube for about a minute or so at a time. If you have any tips on how I can make him use The Kitty Tube that would be super! Thanks in advance...

I made a friendly stray cat a rubbermaid house and bought hem a bed to keep him warm for the winter, he went inside it for about 3 days and loved it, now he won't go near it. There is a bed in it and a bale of straw all around it. Anyone have any thoughts on this

Hi Jonelle,

There can be many reasons why your friendly stray cat now won't go near his new shelter. It could be another cat, or another animal (possum, raccoon, skunk, etc.) has gone and investigated his shelter & left their scent all over it. If this is the case, once their scent dissapates, he'll go in & re-scent the shelter & he'll reclaim the shelter as his.

There could be some "off-gassing" of whatever materials make up the rubbermaid house. Some plastics & other synthetic materials let go molecules as the material(s) which make up the shelter grow older/age. For example: when you purchase a new carpet for your home, some carpets let go of the formaldehyde within the carpet or the carpet padding. This should only last a short period of time.

I'm not able to say with any certainty which, if any, of the above is your correct answer. Could be one, several, or something else entirely - which is why your stray cat isn't going near the shelter.

Be patient. Give him some time. Hopefully, he'll decide to return to the shelter...as long as he deems it safe, he should return. Perhaps, in the meantime, you could provide him with an alternative shelter...that way, he'll have somewhere to go & keep warm right now. And then, in a little while - he'll have the choice as to which shelter he prefers to stay in.

Most cats do prefer to change where they sleep every now & again. This is a part of their nature. Once he lets you know his preference(s), the other shelter can provide an opportunity to keep another cat warm in winter.

Hope this helps.

i have four outdoor cats one is 2 and is momma to the otehr s one is 9mo.s he's her big boy and protects her and the twins and the other two are 3-4 mo.s The babies verry protected by momma and bubba, today i made a warm kitty box useing a tote and Straw also scatter straw in nooks and crannies they like to get in in my grage My garage isnt heated and i'm on a limited budget Very limited but anyway i bought a bale of straw and have two sides and the top of the sheleter incased in it Straw on top straw in small Bundles against two sides the box is on four layers of cardboard to keep off the cement floor and i even maede it with a back door for escape problem they arent useing it and it is really cold to night we had a sleet storm today i cannot heat the garage not practical as it is old and the doro dosent close right leaving a three inch gap at the bottom kittys use to get in and out but it is a wind break for them tehy like curling up in my husbands work chair a old metal office chair with upholstered back seat and arm rests instead of the box how can i make the warm kitty box more appealing? I dont want my babies freezeing though they are feral and i can only touch the nine month old and one four month old and only a storke or two they are loved and well fed with room temp watter at least once a day I try for twice but their are times its not possible any advice on getting them to use the shelter ?

Jean

Thank you so much for the great advice, I have a coffee shop where I have a few cats that show up, there is a couple that have each other!

But I have one that had kittens and my sis and I trapped mama and reused the kittens, I got mama kitty fitted and kept the babies until they were ready for homes!! But mama was not going to have it and would not stay with me! So I took her back to my shop and released her and she had been coming to see me twice a day for two years now, she was nine months when I trapped her!! I'm so in love wing her and of course for her so much in the cold winter!! She now talks to us, but will not let me get too close, closer then before, but the other two that come, have kept her from coming and hanging around like she use to..

I am going try your idea to keep her warm!!

Thank you so much for being such a loving and helpful person!!

Please help. I urgently need some suggestions.

For many years, I've taken care of the ferals on my street, getting them spayed/neutered, giving them outside shelters, and feeding them. I've taken many in and currently have seven indoor cats. But this fall, a mother cat and her two kittens moved into the neighborhood, and I believe the mother recently had yet another litter. Her other two kittens are probably about six or seven months old now.

The problem: I'm moving next week, and I'm so worried about this mother cat and her kittens. I will only be able to get back every two to three days to bring them water and food. If I leave a lot of food out, they will eat it all quickly. If I leave water, it will freeze.

Do you have any suggestions?

I can't take them with me as they are way too vicious. The mother growls at me. I could take them to a local shelter, but, as I said, the mother cat likely has a recent litter somewhere out there. So I would have to wait until those kittens start making an appearance in order to nab them.

What kind of food could I put out that would have a lot of moisture and that they would possibly eat slower? I was thinking about poultry.

I have never been an animal owner nor have I ever really been attached to animals in my adult life, as a child I would be heartbroken for any animal but as an adult I wasn't much into animals.. until I found this little cat outside my friends door, cold wet and hungry. he ran away from everyone who tried to pet him, something made me go outside and as soon as I did he ran straight for me and hugged my leg! he was all over me and I really broke down over him. I posted him everywhere hoping to find his home for him to be warm. but nobody came forward and my cat loving friend said he looks to be abandoned on purpose in this cold. he is so skinny. the most friendly sweet playful kitten. I live with my brother for now and he has a wife with three cats and a dog inside and they just refuse to let my kitten inside. grayz (what I named him) is in the garage, not heated but out of the wind and a bit warmer than outside. I put out blankets for him up on the fridge where he seems to be everytime I go to feed and see him. he doesn't touch the water much but scarfs down the food. I was wondering if there is something I need to be doing more, I feel like I'm letting him down.