Weather anxieties

[msaimee]

Weather anxieties

I'm worried about my outdoor feral, Muffin. It's getting frigid and cold, with more ridiculous sub zero weather heading our way for at least the next week. He seems to me to be stressed and skittish and  cold. He doesn't have URI symptoms and I don't see any injuries, but he seems off.  He does have a pet house that he hunkers down into on my porch and he is well-fed. Do any of your ferals get skittish, seem to slow down, and appear stressed in this weather? He is at least 5 years old now, and not as energetic as he used to be. He will not come inside my house, and I've been unable to trap him since he's trap savvy, and I'm too scared to just grab him with a blanket because my previous attempts have been unsuccessful and I don't want to scare him away. I hope he's just in a semi-hibernation state.

I send out prayers for all of our feral friends to survive the next two weeks of winter.

 

[the3rdname]

Have you seen the outdoor heated houses manufactured by K&H?  We've covered them with blankets and tarps to keep the toastiness in and the ferals just love them to death.  They rarely move from them in bitter cold temps.  If rarely budging from the houses counts as slowing down, then, yes, they definitely behave differently when the mercury nosedives.

 

[msaimee]

I bought one of the K&H heated houses for Muffin a few years ago and he didn't care for it. I think it too small for him, and I never thought it heated properly. By the time I brought the pad to a Petsmart employee to check it out (and he confirmed my suspicions that the pad wasn't working), it was too late to get a refund from K&H.

I have a cedar pet house for Muffin with a thermal cushion, straw, and a sleeping bag over it (I've posted pictures of it on this site). He seems comfortable in there. I've thought of getting another heating pad, but at this stage of the game I don't want to make any major changes to his house to unsettle him. Maybe I'll try a heating pad next Fall. My other concern about a heating pad is that he likes the straw, so I worry about fire hazards of putting straw around a heating pad, and I also wonder if the discrepancy between the temperature inside the house with a heating pad and the outside would be too jarring for him when he needs to leave the house.   

I think I'm just worrying too much because he used to be more active in winter in his younger years, and now when it's frigid and he's on my porch and not in his house, he seems to be in a daze.  

 

[keyes]

I know that' when it's cold here, I see way less of my woodsbabies.  They do have a warm shelter for them to go to, so much straw, and then I make sure that they have plenty of food and water.

 

[shadowsrescue]

When it is cold, my two don't leave their shelter very much.  They get down to get a quick bite of food, but with the cold, I can only leave dry food out during the day.  I can tell they get antsy with being cooped up.  Stellar will always leave for awhile.  It's just the way he is.  Shadow rarely leaves when it's cold.  I think they tend to eat less too.  Which is a concern too. 

Do you notice a difference in Muffin's behavior when the weather is not so cold?  Is he more energetic then?  My two are crazy when it's warmer.  They sit out on the deck in the sunshine and run all around.  It's like they are saying "We are free"!!  Today it is to be sunny and near 30.  I expect them both to be out running around.  Then it will be bad for the next 2-3 days. 

I just try to remember that I am doing the best I can.  We all share the same worries when the weather is bad.

I too hope for the safety of all the ferals during this cold and snowy weather.

 

[keyes]

I do know that when I do see them gathering out on the porch that I'll get some wet cat food out there that I've warmed up a little bit in the microwave.  Then when they're done and leave, I bring it back inside.  I have a signal letting them know that I'm coming out.  I tap on the door with my fingers, kind of like rata tat tat and they know I'm coming out with something for them.

 

[msaimee]

I do the same thing with Muffin--tap on the glass window in my door.

He ate quite a bit yesterday and last night, but this AM he was just sitting in front of his pet house and didn't want to eat anything. He finally ate some tuna fish. I opened my front door and he looked momentarily interested. I closed it and shut my other cats up in rooms upstairs, but when I opened the front door again to see if Muffin would come in, he had taken off and is now sitting by a shed in my back yard in the sun, grooming himself. I'm hoping he'll eat when he comes back to the porch.

He hates being cooped up in his dark pet house, but knows when he needs to stay in there. He gets into this kind of dazed state sometimes, but now that I think of it, he gets that dazed, lethargic way sometimes in warm weather, too. I just hate hate hate this bitter winter weather.  I always worry, too, that maybe he has a urinary infection or tooth problem or his previously injured ear is bothering him and he's in some kind of pain. I'll feel better if he gobbles some food up later. Thanks for letting me vent these worries!

 

[feline03]

I am seeing the same thing with Blacky  She is definitely eating so much less, maybe a 1/4 of what she usually eats.  She does seem a little dazed and moves slowly.    There has never been so much snow in the northeast and I thank God she is surviving. 

I guess the best we can do is feed them when possible and hope they eat. 

My prayers are with all your ferals.  May God watch over them as we do.

 

[feline03]

Ms. Aimme

Thanks for sharing your anxieties.  I don't feel so alone after reading these postings now and find similarities with some of her actions. 

 

[msaimee]

I need your opinions, folks, preferably today. I will download pics of Muffin's house. It's a cedar wood, insulated pet house with an entrance and exit on opposite sides. I have layers of blankets and towels draped over the house with a sleeping bag completely covering the one entrance and allowing enough crawl space for him to crawl in and out on the other side. Last year I piled straw in the house for him to burrow into, and he seemed snug. This year I put in a thermal cushion, one that supposedly reflects body heat back to the cat, with straw in and around it. He has pushed the straw to the sides and lies directly on the cushion. But my concern is that we're getting sub zero temps, wind and snow the next few days, and I'm wondering if I should put more straw in the house for him to burrow into, or leave it as it is so his body has direct contact with the cushion. Does anyone know how effective these thermal cushions are? The middle pic is from last year, when I had a bunch of straw in it. Yeah, the cat has taken over my porch, and it now looks like a ghetto porch, lol, but I don't care.

He's eating fine this morning, so I'm relieved about that. But I'm working all weekend so I won't be able to keep changing his dry food during the day. Does anyone know if the dry food could freeze so much that he couldn't eat it over the course of 10 hours? I can have a neighbor change the food, if necessary.

Muffininhouse.png

• msaimee
• Nov 18, 2014

Insidehouse.jpg

• msaimee
• Nov 18, 2014

housecovering.jpg

• msaimee
• Nov 18, 2014

 

[feline03]

Hi Ms Aimee,

That house looks awesome.  I have a large Rubbermaid container I made for Blacky's house with an outdoor heated pad and she does the same thing, pushes the covering off the pad.  I did add more straw in there because I thought the same thing and it took her a awhile again to use it.  My personal opinion, since yours is using the house as it's, don't change it.  Temps have in the Northeast have been 8 degrees and under, last night was 4 and today she's fine.  You have a lucky cat there with that house.

 

[keyes]

For the outside of my shelter I actually used a heavy duty tarp.  Wind and moisture are kept at a minimum.  If any at all.  During the cold weather, I keep dry cat food out at all times and this way if they feel like coming out when ever the food is available.  I keep it out on the porch and unless the wind is coming totally from the wrong way, it stays snow free.  It won't freeze.

 

[shadowsrescue]

How did everyone's kitties do last night?  It didn't get quite as cold her as it was supposed to.  They were calling for -5 to -10 and wind chill of -30, but when I was up just after 6 am, it was 2 with a wind chill of -18.  I think the majority of our wind was done by early evening.  The wind was terrible between 4-5pm yesterday.  We had gusts over 40 mph.  The shelter was shaking like mad.  My cats did well and stayed in their shelter all night.  I don't think they will be happy at all today as it is to only be 8 outside.  Very cold again tonight, but also very little wind. 

 

[kittymomma1122]

I have a giant ball of three cuddled on top of heating pad under the heating lamp. It was -18 here @ 600 am. We heated their food up for them, but their heated water dish had frozen overnight. We got that thawed out and they ate, drank and ran right back in their house. We had a little hissing at feeding station between our sisters. I think they are sick of being stuck together in the house. Blackie is far more feral than Momma and Grey. I could grab Momma and Grey and shove them in our spare room, but then Blackie would be left alone.

 

[feline03]

NEED ANY SUGGESTIONS

I'm in Burlington, MA so I don't know where you are reporting from.  It has stopped snowing and we have another 17 inches of snow!  I haven't checked on Blacky yet this morning because I fear she will run from her house.  The last time it snowed I went to shovel the stairs off that are on the side of her house and she ran under the house next door.  I can see her house from my kitchen window and there is about 12 inches left open not covered with snow.  I left her dry food last night along with wet food and treats and will check if she ate any of it. 

My plan is to quietly as I can shovel the steps and go to the snow blower and start clearing the snow, just one pass in the backyard and doing the front first.  I don't want to clear her area until last for fear she will leave.  I will leave the breezeway door open so she can run in there if she wants.  Hopefully she will and not anywhere else but she is afraid of going in there for being trapped. 

The temps are going down to 4 degrees tonight with a wind chill of 35 below.  And not going up much for the next few days.  I don't know what else to do to try to keep her warmer . Any thoughts? 

Here is the description on her house.  Large Rubbermaid insulted with thick housing insulation, straw and a heated mat.  One enterance.  I put boards all around the house to keep the wind out except for one area that is about 24x12.  Maybe somehow I can put a tarp over the opening to further block the wind.  But, again, I am worried to disturb her for fear she will run away. 

If anyone has any suggestions I would be greatly appreciated.   

I'm trying keep myself from getting sick with worry.

 

[kittymomma1122]

My husband quickly shovels off the back patio and feeding station area. They get riled up for a little while after, but return to their house. They know where to keep warm, especially since it is so cold here they barely leave the house. I guess it would depend on how used to you Blackie is and how long you have been his/her caretaker.  I use a chicken heat lamp and an outdoor heated pet mat, but my house is a converted dog house. Maybe a tarp would keep some wind and blowing snow off, but my ferals are very leary when anything is moved or makes noise. As long as she is going in her house and your heating pad is working I would not make any changes. I would make sure he/she is getting fed well and drinking. We had to feed Momma cat in her house last night.

 

[shadowsrescue]

My two ferals freak with the snow blower and shovel too.  I had to shovel the deck off late yesterday.  We only got 2 inches, but the snow was so light and fluffy it was blowing straight into their shelter.  I just had to get the snow out of the way.  They left of course, but did come back a bit later.  They are better with the shovel and large broom I use, but the snow blower sends them hiding for awhile.

I would go out and get it done as soon as possible.  You know she will run or take off so do it earlier in the day so she has an opportunity to come back.  Make sure she has a clear path to make it back.

Stay warm Blacky.  I am thinking about you.

I know @MsAimee   has put tarps over her ferals shelter to help with the wind.  Maybe she has a picture she could share with you.

 

[msaimee]

Muffin was in his house last night when I came home from work and only came out briefly tbis AM to eat and went back in his house. It was -8 with wind chill -25. It will be high of 4 today and Im at work and can't baby him. I am assuming the house is warm enough.I have a towel, two blankets, a heavy sleeping bag and a long wool winter coat draped over the house allowing space for him on the one side to crawl into the house. I'm concerned aboit the cold getting in grom the space that's open but I can't help that. So far he's hanging in there. Let's continue to ptay for our ferals

 

[msaimee]

I should add how badly I wish I coild be at
home today to baby him! And sorry for the typos I'm texting from my phone. I don'tvuse a tarp- the sleepong bag is waterproof, thick and impenetrable and he's used to it. It provifes another layer of insulation

 

[feline03]

I don't have a sleeping bag.  Guess what, I finished clearing around and in her house and went in the house to get her some food.  I looked out the window and she was going over to the house next door again.  She could barely make it, sinking in the snow and had to rest half way.  She end up panting but make it back underneath the house next door.  After 4 hours of snow blowing and shoveling, I AGAIN shoveled a path for her to come back to my yard.  I am absolutely exhausted and can't do any more.  I hope she comes back to her house.  She did eat all the wet and dry food I left for her yesterday.  All I can do is keep calling her and hope she comes back to eat.  She must have been so scared, I saw pee in the snow when I was shoveling the patch, poor baby.  I know she has to get her energy back to go through the snow again but I hope it's before tonight when the temps are going to plummet to zero!  SO FRUSTRATING.

Say a prayer, I know I will.