Will They Survive.....Prays needed....

Yesterday and into the night, I tried to keep up with the snow by my outdoor feral shelter and paths for my five outside cats. This morning there is six to seven feet of drifting snow covering everywhere and still a blizzard beats down on us (Chicago suburbs). I know everyone is dealing with this too.

I am so sick with worry about the ferals. They are buried under the snow, and I want to cry. I don't know how to help them and it is breaking my heart. And, to top it all off, tonight the temps and wind chills are dropping well below zero. Please, everyone, pray for the feral cats everywhere.

Oh, dear. It's an awful worry.

However, under the snow, as long as they have air, it can be warm. As I look out (which I barely can because the windows are so covered with ice), I can see a squirrel head popping up out of a hole he made in the snow on my driveway. He dug in to get to the corn and seeds I put out for them yesterday.

So, the cats are probably fine under the snow. They are in a shelter, right, so they have an air pocket? They are probably warmer there than without the snow cover. The deep snow cover insulates.

However the wind gusts are still tremendous. I'm sure you are going to try to dig them out and get food to them.

I'm going out now to deal with some of the snow. It's pretty overwhelming. My main bird feeder fell down last night. It hit the house. Don't know if it did any damage. Can't see it either. It's buried. And where it is supposed to be, the drifts are very, very deep. I won't be able to get it back up today, if I can even find it. I worry about the birdies, too.

I'll be saying prayers for your ferals, and others.


Robin

Oh dear, I'm sorry you are having to deal with such a worry. I agree, snow is insulationg. Also, cats are tough, especially ferals.

However, if the worst does happen, be assured that death from hypothermia is not particularly painful. In fact, near the end, a great feeling of warmth apparently is felt (at least by human accounts.)

You're doing your best, and that's all you can do. Nature can be cruel with whole "circle of life" thing.

Please try to relax. Many for the ferals, cattle and homeless people everywhere.

Cally

Oh dear, I know I worry so about the ferals and all animals out in this weather.

Cats can get up in car motors. I always make sure, even on days that are not snowy, to bang on the hood of the truck and when I get in honk the horn just in case.

Are there other places the ferals go? Like sheds or over turned boats? They could be anywhere hunkered down. We have a culvert under our road. Are there places like that for your ferals?

I am certainly keeping you in my prayers. We did not get much snow, maybe 6 inches, but I was out there making paths for them this am. But it's still wicked cold.

Please be safe little ones.

I just dug out the shelter!! And made paths to and from my deck and to the neighbor's abandoned house deck. I bet the cats are hunkered down under those decks. The snow was up to my thighs, just unbelievable. Everyone is out trying to dig their way out of their homes!!

I had a conversation with the director of Feral Fixers earlier and she said the same thing about all the cats everywhere stuck under the snow, that it is insulating and they are probably quite warm and will just hibernate for a bit . She said they should be just fine, quite the optimist .

I feel better now that there is a path to the shelter! Thanks for all the good for all the cats outside. Everyone stay safe and warm

I too am worried about all the stray and feral kitties out there. I know the ferals are quite resourceful and find places to keep warm, but I still can't stop worrying. I hope they can get to their food and water

I wouldn't be too worried. I remember making snow tunnels in the drifts as a kid and the deeper tunnels would be so warm I'd have to take off a layer.

I hate the snow for that reason. The poor animals Many that they have some shelter from the cold and wind

for all the animals affected by this storm too!

Of course it's completely impossible not to worry, but they really should be fine if they need to hole up for a few days.

When Tuxie was buried out back, he disappeared for two days. When we realized he was probably buried in the groundhog hole in which he was born, Gary dug a path and dug out the entrance we knew about. A couple of hours later... little foot prints headed down through the forest to under the RV. Gary went out with food and Tuxie came running. He was dry and looked just fine! He ate - but not ravenously. Gary gave him boiled chicken broth with little shreds of boiled chicken first.

As they tend to go from cover-to-cover, I think the paths you made will do the trick!

the snow stops!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's next to impossible not to worry in harsh weather conditions, but I take some comfort in knowing how resourceful feral cats can be. I've found that with my colony across town and the one kitty I feed in my neighborhood, that keeping warm takes priority over eating in weather like we've been having hear. I'm always concerned if a day goes by that I don't see them but then, sure enough, they reappear and are just fine.

Sending lots of vibes for the kitties having to deal with the cold, ice and snow.

Ok, I took some pictures of the shelter I dug out and the paths leading to the abandoned house and around by my house!!!!! Wanted to share them. AND guess what!!!!! I saw Yogi and Lippy (the long-haired tabby - I think another brother to Magilla) crossing the snow drifts in the yard They found my paths and ran to the shelter and then ate!!!! Thanks all for you . You are all so special . Here are the pictures...



This is a view from the abandoned house toward my house looking at the shelter. I dug out all of the snow and am glad the cats are back.



This is the view from the shelter looking at the abandoned house where they run under those trees to the deck.



This is a close-up of the heavy patio table that I rest on the door of the shelter to block snow and rain from going into the entrance hole of the shelter.

on seeing the kitties! the rest make their way!

WOW that is a lot of snow - that is a LOT of digging you had to do to make those paths!

I expect you could use a warm bath about now....

They are so lucky to have you caring for them! You've done a great job with them so far.

Last night I did see two of my five waiting on the shoveled path waiting for their food. I went out to the shelter to feed and checked the heating pad and found out is was not working. Oh NO, not on the coldest night of the year. I thought the pad was broken so pulled it out and brought it in to clean and see if we could fix it. It was not the pad, the pad was working just fine. So, back outside to put it back in the shelter. I found out the outdoor outlet was not working. A fuse had blown so that was an easy fix. WHY didn't I just think of checking that FIRST!!!!! Oh well, the heating pad was up and running again. All the while, Yogi and Lippy were back on the path, waiting and watching me run in and out of the house trying to figure out the source of the problem. Very sweet faces, wondering what the heck was going on with their shelter.... I gave them extra warm food after all of that.

Today it is a high of zero!! And the sun is shining but brutally cold. SPRING hurry up

So glad you could figure out the problem. You have 5 ferels, but have only seen 2 of them? Since when?

Please keep us posted if the other 3 show up. I'm thinking of them.


Robin

Nice set up for your ferals!! Your shelter with the round hole opening reminded me a bit of the one I had for mine here.

Mine are all gone now, but when I had a shelter for them here, I put the opening to the shelter to be at a 90 degree angle from the house, then put a large patio table over where the opening was. I draped a tarp over the table so that when they exited the shelter, they had a dry place to go. They often peed out there when the snow was really deep. The tarp also blocked any wind that might want to find its way into the shelter. My shelter had a heated pad up on cinder blocks (didn't want it on the ground when the snow melted), and I put a heated water bowl under the table.

As much as I hated to see the last on my colony pass last summer (Indie was 18 years old), I'm glad that she didn't have to face this winter. She hated being brought inside the house, and I hated to see her face winters at her age.

I just came up with the idea on how to make my shelter last December early in the month when I knew those kittens needed shelter and help but didn't have traps and could not trap immediately. At the time I didn't even know there were places that sell outdoor feral shelters! I love hearing about other peoples set-ups and what you have come up for a shelter too.


I used the bottom of a VERY large vari dog kennel. I went out and bought 1 1/2 inch thick insulating foam. Measured and cut the insulation and siliconed it perfectly all around the kennel bottom. Top, sides, back and bottom. The shelter sits on top of cinder blocks but the bottom of the shelter is that thick insulation as well. I came up with idea of the front door by just using another piece of insulation and cut a six in hole in the middle. I am able to take the door off easily and use two large rocks to hold it in place and rest that table on top of it as well for a wind block, etc. I have bales of straw on either side too for extra warmth. It is right under my family room window next to my house so I can watch out the window to see who is coming and who is going. In the front of the shelter I feed and in the back of the shelter I have the outdoor heating pad with a bit of straw around the side for a comfy bed for them. They do use it .

For next year, I plan on purchasing one or two of those Feral Villa's. You can buy them online. My friend has one and I really like it. It has two level's inside too.

I will keep you all posted (thanks Robin ) on the return of Dixie, Lippy and Yakky. I have seen Yogi and Hokey. I named them all after Yogi bear and his friends. Dixie and Yogi are TNR. I have yet to trap Hokey, Yakky and Lippy. I believe that Hokey and Yakky are Magilla's brothers. They look identical just that they are bigger then Magi.

My own cats also look out that window by the shelter and watch for them. They don't seem to mind them coming and going. Magilla has not looked out that window yet. I wonder what she would think though, looking out that window and seeing her past life . She loves her indoor home with her new family and she is thriving!!! .

These are truly blessed cats to have you taking care of them. I hope they all will be safe and okay.

You are their Guardian Angel!

Thanks you wonderful cat lovers for your kind comments. I do love all of my inside and outside kitties .

My worry though is that we have talked about moving in the next year. If that ever comes to "reality" I will need lots of advice on what to do???? I could NEVER leave them out there since they rely on me now for their daily care and feed. But, I am not going to think about that yet because it is down the road some.