Got my heated pad just in time for the storm tonight!

Yippee!! My heated water bowl and heated pad (outdoor use) arrived today just in time for the storm that is going to hit us in the next hour. I got the pad all set up in one of my shelters along with the bowl and some carpeted blocks for them to remain off the ground. Got the sides reinforced with extra tarps to protect from any snow getting into the shelter. Now all I need to do is get Indie to get inside the shelter. She stopped using this one when the heated water bowl broke last week but I know she'll love it when she finds it!

So....now to entice a feral cat into a different shelter in the next few hours. This is not feeding time so that will be the trick. And no, she doesn't respond to treats. Hmmmm.........

Edited: DH got home from work and went to take the dogs for a walk. I told him if he saw Indie to call me and I would get her to the shelter. He no sooner leaves the house and the phone rings. She came out to nibble some food. So I did what every feral cat caretaker will tell you not to do: I simply picked her up, held her very secure and carried her to the shelter. Once inside, I put her on the heating pad and held her there until she understood what it was for. She actually started to purr! Thank HEAVENS that I've worked with her for 13 years now and she actually let me do that. My DH would never have gotten away with it.

So food is now moved into the shelter with her. I think she'll hole up in there for the rest of the winter!

Doing the happy cat dance!

It's so great to think of Indie being warm for the horrible storm coming up on you. I saw it on the weather on TV tonight. Good luck to you!

Wow - angels really do exist and Indie will testify to that Amy, it took great love and courage to pick up Indie, and equally great love and trust, for Indie to accept what you were doing for her!!! Every night, and often during the chilly winter dusk, I pray for outside kitties everywhere. this post is seeing one prayer answered!! Bless you for giving shelter.
Joining you in the "happy cat" dance!

Originally Posted by catsknowme

Wow - angels really do exist and Indie will testify to that

Amy, it took great love and courage to pick up Indie, and equally great love and trust, for Indie to accept what you were doing for her!!! Every night, and often during the chilly winter dusk, I pray for outside kitties everywhere. this post is seeing one prayer answered!! Bless you for giving shelter.
Joining you in the "happy cat" dance!

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If I had my way, I'd bring her inside the house. We've tried that more than once and she refuses to adapt to living inside. I'm hoping that one of these days she realizes shes too old and wants to stay warm. I can pick her up for short periods, I can even pill her, but you should see the claws and teeth come out when I open up the door to take her inside!

thats wonderful !! and wow 13 years ! do you have any pics of her ?

is that an electric heating pad ? do you put anything like straw on top of it ?
what keeps it dry from the snow and rain when she goes in it from outside ?

i'm asking cause i am always looking for better way to do up my feral cat
houses. i was always told use straw (i used to use fleece and it would get
wet and eventually moldy) and i was always told do not leave food near
the cat house because it attracts racoons and then the cat could get
trapped in the cat house.

what does your bowl look like ? is that electric ? frozen water is such
a problem.

good for you for solving those ! bet she is one happy not so quite a feral
anymore now that you picked her up ! you should be doing a happy dance !

for some reason i missed your last post about trying to bring her inside.
guess i was so interested in your heated pad and bowl i missed it LOL !!

so let me try to give you the short short version of bringing in my mamakitty
who was an outside feral for 6 years from what the neighbors told me and
never touched until i came along. after i got her tested, fixed and vaccinated
and she was done with her quarantine since she bit someone at the vet,
i re-released her outside and slowly spent the next year trying to socialize
her and got her to the same exact point you just mentioned. i could pet
her and pick her up and brush her and clean her ears... not pill her but
oh well....at the time i was happy with that much. at that point i decided
to have her re-testd and to bring her inside with me and her birthson who
was already inside. well it took two weeks but i stood my ground. the first
two nights she freaked and tore down all my shades on all my windows
trying to get out. i gave in and by daybreak i let her back out. then on the
third day i waited longer to let her out and the fourth even longer and after
one week i was done letting her back outside. the second week she got
much better and i did not let her back outside once and she has been
inside ever since. she now runs away from the door when its opened.
so keep up the good work and give it a try. if i had had a separate room
to put her in i never would have let her back out that first week inside
but i live in 1 1/2 rooms. so if you have a spare room or a bedroom try
that and see what happens. just remove anything you think you will
be upset about if she breaks.

you are very sweet for taking such good care of her !