Outside cat house

I am looking into trying to buy two outside cat houses. Simple, made of wood. I am currently using rubbermaid containers and straw with only one entrance but lately I am re-thinking that. My concern is the raccoons that come around. There are two of them and while they have never bothered the cats before, they seem extra hungry this year and I have actually seen one of the raccoons sort of run toward one of the cats. I do not feed the raccoons and pick up all of the food by 6:00 PM. but every few days I see them in my yard. The houses I have seen only have the one entrance. If I do find one with an exit, how does it stay warm in there for the cats?
Thanks for any help!

I use two Rubbermaid totes, one inside the other, insulated all around, with a 6" hole in each so that the holes are lined up. I put a 10" length of 6" PVC pipe inside the holes to bridge the gap between the two totes. It is too small for raccoons to get in.

How big are the cats?. I know raccoons can be vicious but am not sure if they would attack a cat or not. They may try to corner it in the house but I am sure they wouldn't be able to actually get to the cat. If the raccoons are threatening your cats, though, I'd see about a house with two entries.

The Feral VIlla is a wooden houses that has two exits, one in front and one on the side. They are actually two stories high, so the side entry is near the top of the house and the front entry is nearer to the floor. There is a shelf even with the side entrance, so the cats can come in and jump down to the floor. You could position the house against a building, far enough away so the cats could still get in and out the side entrance.

I think they cost about $50.

Try stabobspethouses.net. Last year I bought a heated cat house and the feral I was caring for loved it.

I would make it simple & try to trap the coons & relocate... worth a try...

trap and relocate doesn't work for cats, it doesn't work for raccoons.

there's no reason to think the raccoons would bother the cats in their houses, unless they have reason to believe there is food in them. keep the feeding area as separate from the housing area as possible, and keep up with clearing leftover food out before dusk. the raccoons will eventually give up. the feral cats will encounter raccoons and every other type of wild animal out there anyway, so the best you can do is give them no reason to come around at night. good luck!

Originally Posted by jimmylegs

trap and relocate doesn't work for cats, it doesn't work for raccoons.

there's no reason to think the raccoons would bother the cats in their houses, unless they have reason to believe there is food in them. keep the feeding area as separate from the housing area as possible, and keep up with clearing leftover food out before dusk. the raccoons will eventually give up. the feral cats will encounter raccoons and every other type of wild animal out there anyway, so the best you can do is give them no reason to come around at night. good luck!

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...and also second the advice on how to make the shelters out of two containers. Many use a large rubbermaid container with a large styrofoam container inside (visit local restaurants to ask for them - frozen stuff gets shipped in them). Cut holes in both sides, use straw as insulator between rubbermaid container and styrofoam contaner, and some straw inside the styrofoam.

...and if the raccoons are actually coming out during the time you put the food out, just put another bowl out a good distance from where you feed the cats.

Originally Posted by LDG

...and also second the advice on how to make the shelters out of two containers. Many use a large rubbermaid container with a large styrofoam container inside (visit local restaurants to ask for them - frozen stuff gets shipped in them). Cut holes in both sides, use straw as insulator between rubbermaid container and styrofoam contaner, and some straw inside the styrofoam.

...and if the raccoons are actually coming out during the time you put the food out, just put another bowl out a good distance from where you feed the cats.

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And do you then cut holes & use PVC pipe for the cat to get in, as suggested in an earlier reply. 10" PVC pipe?

This may help with the use of pvc pipe. http://www.spayandstay.org/wintershelter.htm

Here is a site with measurements and supplies needed to build an insulated wood shelter. http://www.feralcat.com/shelter.html

Originally Posted by Skimble

This may help with the use of pvc pipe. http://www.spayandstay.org/wintershelter.htm

Here is a site with measurements and supplies needed to build an insulated wood shelter. http://www.feralcat.com/shelter.html

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Thank you for the links, I'll show hubby!