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How do I keep their water from freezing?

post #1 of 10
2/7/10 at 8:02am
Thread Starter 
A heated water bowl isn't an option. The only outlet outside is on the side of the trailer totally exposed to the elements, it's literally right under his hose hookup, totally exposed, not under a carport or anything. Neither Paul nor I trust the outlet(or the wiring) and don't feel like risking the place burning to the ground. So far I have been trying to fill the bowls everyday but they are usually frozen solid when I wake up and feed them and they usually attack the water when I bring it out like they haven't drank for days. Mitzi, our neighbor, says she has seen a few drinking out of her pond but ht pond is prolly gross not to mention she has dogs and if she lets them out when they are in there they have to run for it. They only like doing that on their terms, I think some of them like the rush(and her male WOULD eat one of them if he could catch them.)

Is there anyway to keep their water from freezing without a heated water bowl because that is seriously not an option.

Taryn
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post #2 of 10
2/7/10 at 8:29am
Before I owned a heated water bowl, we simply used to change the water 2-3 times a day. We always used stainless steel water bowls because you often had to bang on them to get the frozen water out of them.

Our outdoor outlet would short out for the heated water bowl, so we built a shelter against the wall near that outlet so that rain/snow can't drip down the side of the house and get into the outlet. But if you are afraid of bad wiring, that won't even work for you, unless you get an electrician out to fix the wiring.

The only other option you have is to put something that is heated into the water to keep it from freezing a little bit longer. I'm thinking of something like the marble slabs that you heat in your oven to use in a basket for a bread warmer. Rocks might work, as long as they aren't something that disintegrates in water easily. But I suspect this would only buy you about 30 minutes extra non-freeze time.
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post #3 of 10
2/7/10 at 9:53am
There are some ideas in this thread:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...ing+water+bowl
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post #4 of 10
2/7/10 at 10:26am
I did try a heated dish, but they are only good to maybe 0°F and they cannot be exposed to the elements or they freeze solid at around 20°F. Mine learned to come to the call "Cats, cats, water" and now they don't even need called, they just come running when they see me messing with the horses' water tubs, and they chase the horses out until they had their drink. They get watered twice a day and love hot water...tank up really good twice a day, and all are healthy and playful (horses too).
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post #5 of 10
2/7/10 at 10:29am
I've used heated bowls before, the problem I had was that one place I need a heated bowl is not near an outlet. My K&H heated water bowl begins to freeze over a layer on the top once it gets below 0F. I did buy a bird bath heater element to use where I did not have an outlet nearby - 3 months later it's still working great! I did have to run an extension cord to use it, however some bird bath heaters are OK to use with an extension cord.

Not using an outlet, I changed water often & ensure the kitties know I am changing water/show up to drink. I also offered more wet food to help them get the moisture they need.
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post #6 of 10
2/7/10 at 12:10pm
Try mixing in a little antifreeze.........................JUST KIDDING.

I like the heated bowl idea.
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post #7 of 10
2/7/10 at 8:02pm
Thread Starter 
Yeah I only change it when all 6 are there. I have a small waterer thing and I have one of those 2 dish plastic bowls so I fill the waterer and the 2 plastic bowls. They all drink their fill I just worry about it freezing and them being thirsty. It's just so cold at times here I could change the water 10 times a day and still find it frozen solid. They do drink when the water isn't frozen so I know they are getting water.

Right now it's 29 with a wind chill of 23 so it's not freezing solid, I was able to break up the top layer of ice but that is a very short term solution. I did it before I left to put Bobby to bed then came back and had to do it again(about an hour later.) Really it's the best that I can do. The bowl would have to directly exposed to the elements out in the open so it doesn't sound like it would even be a feasible idea since it drop below 20 enough that it would be a waste. In this weather it's ok because I can just break up the thin layer of ice. I go out at least twice a day to feed them and then to take up their food at night so the raccoon doesn't eat it, and I forgot to do that tonight, stupid thing(and i don't mean that in a bad way, he knows where he might find food, and he eating it and I don't blame him, I'd do the same if I was him) ate all the food left.

Also, when my son has school I also have to leave to go pick him up so I could also try and remember to check the water to see if it's frozen. I always check water levels at that time but I sometimes forget to make sure it isn't frozen.

I will say that at night they are usually curled up in their cat house or sleeping wherever it is they sleep at night(we got a small doghouse and I see 3 to 4 of them coming and going so I know 3-4 sleep there and that is all the black ones. I have no clue where Mama sleeps, I have never seen her sleep here and I know Blue(Gray Kitty has been around long enough that he needs a name and since he's a beautiful Russian Blue I decided his name is Blue) either sleeps under our shed or possibly somewhere else. So overnight isn't much of an issue since they are all curled up either in the cat house or wherever it is they sleep. I also know most, if not all of them go off and do whatever it is that they do during the day. Like I said they have the neighbor's pond which is always unfrozen if they were desperate for water but they receive and drink enough water that they don't have to do that unless they want to.

I just worry that they'll be thirsty and not be able to drink their water.

I was just hoping there was another solution that didn't involve electricity. I already do change out frozen water when ever I notice it if I can't just break a thin layer of ice. They do know they get water when they get fed and I know they all drink so I'm assuming they'll be fine with what I'm doing. In summer I went nuts trying to keep all the bowls filled and I know I will again this summer. Why can't I live in a nice warm place like Hawaii where I don't have to worry about freezing water bowls.

I just want to thank ya'll for your help, it makes me feel better that I'm not the only one with this issue and for the suggestions on how to deal with it. I think I just worry too much, I know I'm doing the best I can and if a heated bowl was feasible I'd do it but like I said it would be totally exposed to the elements and be mostly useless due to the temps here.

Taryn
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post #8 of 10
2/8/10 at 7:38pm
I actually have a camera in my shed, with it hooked up to a webpage.

I keep an eye on it, so that when i see one of my two cats go in the shed I bring canned cat food and water out for them. I have one that usually comes by around 5pm and the female comes by around 9-10pm. I have hard cat food for them at all times. I found that if i put a cut up apple or pear, the raccoons and possums will eat the fruit and leave the cat food alone.

I have to say that i find it more entertaining watching my the inside of my shed then most tv programs. Can't wait to see who stops by next.
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post #9 of 10
2/15/10 at 5:46pm
Only thing I can think of doing is putting the bowl on a piece of wood, then get one of those warming pads that you microwave and put it under the bowl, not sure if it would work, havent tried that yet, I just run an extension cord out to a heated doggie bowl , try it let me know if it works





Quote:
Originally Posted by Taryn View Post
A heated water bowl isn't an option. The only outlet outside is on the side of the trailer totally exposed to the elements, it's literally right under his hose hookup, totally exposed, not under a carport or anything. Neither Paul nor I trust the outlet(or the wiring) and don't feel like risking the place burning to the ground. So far I have been trying to fill the bowls everyday but they are usually frozen solid when I wake up and feed them and they usually attack the water when I bring it out like they haven't drank for days. Mitzi, our neighbor, says she has seen a few drinking out of her pond but ht pond is prolly gross not to mention she has dogs and if she lets them out when they are in there they have to run for it. They only like doing that on their terms, I think some of them like the rush(and her male WOULD eat one of them if he could catch them.)

Is there anyway to keep their water from freezing without a heated water bowl because that is seriously not an option.

Taryn
Reply
post #10 of 10
2/15/10 at 5:49pm
you could also cover the outlet with a freezer ziplock and tape around it, should be ok, I run cords that stay in the snow and rain all year with just a zip lock bag around them taped up
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