Stray cat shelter advice

Hello,Im in n.e ohio and its starting to get cold.A stray kitten came last feb and looks like he is staying around.I built a 18 in off the ground house-5 ft x2 ft x 2ft high fully insulated 3ft is enclosed sleeping area with window and 2tf is a covered porch.It has a entrance and exit and has straw bedding.I bought a hound heater(elec doghouse heater) for the sleeping area.....my question is what temp should I try to keep it at.Thanks

Oh, this sounds wonderful!   I can't imagine you have to keep the temperature too much more than 65 or 70 - same as a house in the winter.  Too much more and it might get uncomfortably warm.  In that small area inside the cat's house, the cat's body heat is going to help keep it warm too.

We'd love to see pictures.  I am always looking for housing ideas for ferals.

Here are a few photos of my free-style feral cat home....

Beautiful! Did you build it yourself? I love that they are up off the ground.

I make the Rubbermaid ones, although I really insulate them and seal them. Most of mine have lasted six years or more but I would love to be able to replace them all with wooden ones. Image them for feral caregivers, so I have to limit their costs.

Yes I built it but as you can see Im not a builder,had some scrap wood and only had to buy the heater.Wish I could help them all but I do what I can for the outside cats that find their way to my door step.Well this years cat house is better than lasts years cardboard box !!!

I would say you are a pretty handy builder.  I just love that it's up off the ground and how cozy it looks.

Need to make one more wind break at front door,been playing with temp looks like it will heat perfect.Cat has been using it.

The cat using it is a biggie.  Sometimes it takes them weeks to accept new things, so this is great.

He watched me built it over the corse of a week,and was using it every night....even when it was just 3 walls no roof.He even naps in it in the day when its warm out.I think 2 doors and window made the diff.

That is one awesome shelter.  I had looked into the hound heater a few years ago.  Your kitty will be so snuggly warm this winter.  I also live in Ohio and hate when winter sets in.  DH and I put the winter shelter up on Sunday and the electric heat pads went out too.  Tomorrow night it is to be in the upper 20's.  Fortunately the shelter went up and within a few hours, both boys were inside.  This will be Shadow's 3rd winter in the shelter, but Stellar's first.  Stellar had no problem following Shadow right inside. 

I lucked out and found a hound heater on craigs lists , heated water bucket and heater for 50$ Sounds like its going to get cold tonight in ohio.I need to come up with another house (basic shelter) to drop off behind a local kmart,theres a col of ferals there my aunts friend cares for.I think ive got enough scraps to make some form of shelter.

feralfriend said:

 
I lucked out and found a hound heater on craigs lists , heated water bucket and heater for 50$ Sounds like its going to get cold tonight in ohio.I need to come up with another house (basic shelter) to drop off behind a local kmart,theres a col of ferals there my aunts friend cares for.I think ive got enough scraps to make some form of shelter.

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You could do the rubbermaid containers as a cheap and quick heat source.  If you check on the internet you will see how to make one.  It takes just a short time.  The hardest part is finding straw (not hay) to fill it with. 

How wonderful you will help the kitties by Kmart! 

I can get straw,would a plastic 55 gal drum with straw and 2 small openings be better than nothing.

feralfriend said:

 
I can get straw,would a plastic 55 gal drum with straw and 2 small openings be better than nothing.

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I would think that would work as long as you don't think it would tip over. 

Here are some images with some other ideas.  I used a cheap rubbermaid container with some insulation and stray.  Some cats freak if they don't have an entrance and exit as they feel trapped. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=rub...hJpS84AOXioDIAg&ved=0CHQQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=679

Before I forget, have you had the cat spayed or neutered?  If its a male, it may spray the new house to mark it as it's own.  The spray is very potent, so you don't want to have that all over that gorgeous house!

If it's a girl cat, I would bet this will be where she has her kittens come spring.  No sense in having to build another house this time next year!

Can you seal the drum closed and lay it on it's side, securing it so it doesn't roll?  Two entrances are better than one, as ShadowsRescue said.  Especially in a colony, some cats may not be comfortable using a shelter that only has one entrance.

I just finished a cat house, and she is in it eating. It has a baby blanket with a heating pad and an extra thermostat that is adjustable from 0 to 40 degrees C.  I cut to holes in it with a hole saw and duct taped some rags over the holes (just at the top edge), to make some curtain doors. She climbed right in when the top of the cooler was open and seemed to like it. We played with the doors and did not freak out when I closed the top. she came out the doors twice. I put the cat food inside and she let her eat some with the top open then took her out and shut the lid. It took her a little bit to finally go in the curtained door but she found it and was eating when I left. 

A friend of mine made one with one door and one day they checked inside and found a kitty paw. From that bit of info he made an opposite door as an escape.

THe day after the last post, the box had been pulled away from the house to the full extent of the line cord. Ol' Rocky Raccoon was trying to get to the leftover cat food. the next evening part of the blanket was pulled out of the door. I'm not feeding in there anymore and he seems to be leaving it alone... and the cat has been using it some! 

Yes, raccoons are pretty notorious for stealing cat's food.  Good idea to take the food away.  You can make another shelter for the food - it doesn't have to be insulated.  Try not to leave food out past nightfall - that will definitely attract other wildlife.