I have this Feline Feral Furniture cathouse
And would like to know if it is ok to use the Snuggle Safe Pet Warmer


Does anybody use these together?  I am just worried that the cathous is too small and it might get too warm in there.  Also with the straw....Could that be dangerous?

Thank you!

It won't be dangerous with the straw - I use mine under straw all the time.  But you may be right about the house being so small.  The disc doesn't get hot but it does generate heat and I think that small an area might get hot and stuffy fast.

Ok thank you Ondine i was worried about that. I won't use it then.

I think with enough straw, the size will help keep her nice and warm.  Thank you for helping her!

I use the electric outdoor heating pads with mine (they are within 50 feet of my house) with the appropriate sized extension cord and they've worked fine for 4 years or so. They heat up to 102 degrees or so, so there is no danger of being hot enough to burn anything. I wait until this time of the year to buy them, they usually go on sale at building centers or farm supply centers. I roll up old blankets to make a 'roll' around the pad for him to snuggle against and cover it with a towel that I wash pretty often. My feral absolutely LOVES his, especially now that our high today is supposed to be 10 degrees! He's got two 'cause I feel sorry for him waiting by our door for food, and I put one there too! 

i have used these, if you have an outlet nearby. feral tested and approved

huskee "tough guy" about $20 "the hercules" about $10 at academy sports/walmart

http://www.lifoam.com/huskee.htm

i use 2 of the above -- 1 heated, 1 unheated

K&H Lectro Soft Outdoor Bed (can even be found cheaper on ebay)

Thank you Ondine!  Thank you Di and Bob!  Thank you Detmut! 

Just to put in my two cents - I've used both the heating ideas above --- the snuggle safe disc and the outdoor heating pad. We found that the heating pad is, in the end, a heck of alot easier (although alot more expensive to start with - so that's obviously a consideration - plus, as mentioned above, you obviously need to be within reach of an outlet for those pads). But we found most of our ferals hate having their "space" disturbed - and with the discs you really need to warm them pretty often (I've found in our area when it's cold that they retain heat only about 6 hours) and so I was freaking them out by getting the discs. 

But obviously those discs are a big plus over no heat at all - and you definitely don't need to worry about them getting too hot for that space (the heating pads don't get that hot either). Do you like that feral house? We looked online at them - they're so cute! - but ended up going a different direction. But curious to see what you thought since we may be adding another house in a bit! Was it hard to get them to use it?

And definitely agree with advice above - even with the disc (or pad) I'd add a nice, snuggleable amount of straw too. Helps them retain the heat!

Yeah to you for providing this for the outside furballs!

I love the outdoor approved electric heat pads too.  I started with the Snuggle Safe Microwave discs, but it was hard to go out to retrieve them morning and night to heat them up again.  They are better than nothing if you don't have an electric outlet, but they require reheating after 6-10 hours depending on the outside temp.  I have 3 of the outdoor approved heat pads and my ferals love them.  I still go out and check the heat pads every day to be sure they are functioning properly, but they work so well.  This time of year you can find some pretty good deals through pet supply companies for holiday sales.  Wag.com and Chewy.com have had some great sales.  Also check Ebay and Amazon.

Thank you Shadows Rescue.!  Unfortunately no electrical outlet available.  I would probably put in the microwaveable one only at night and take it out for daytime if I decide to use it.  I just don't want anybody getting too hot and stuffy in there.  I will definately check those web sites!

Thank you Kittychick!  It is super cute and even cuter with Daddy Pi inside!  Actua;lly he was so excited the first day I brought it and took a long nap.  He was very pleased with it.  Unfortunately I guess the newness wore off and he hasn't used it since.  I thought maybe it wasnt warm enough.  There are plenty of others who are more than welcome to use it but so far nobody seems interested.  I can't get any more or anything too obvious because I have alot of mean neighbors who are not happy with the cats.  Oh well, thats another story all together.

Here is a picture of Daddy Pi in his house.

Oh my god how freaking adorable! 

I've experienced the frustration of "no use" after spending way more than my spouse would like on a cat house/warming pad/etc. My two tricks I try with a new house:  put a dish of mackerel (cats can't resist it) out right in front of the opening. Just don't place ANY food in the house if you live in an area where raccoons or other wildlife might get at it. Then make sure to take the dish up in the evening (again - to discourage wildlife). Another thing to try - sprinkle a tiny bit of catnip in front of and then inside the entry to the house. Or....you can do what I did last time that cracked us up....I put an old tube sock with some catnip inside of it (that I tied into a ball) inside the house. The next morning I checked to see if the house had been used, and not only had it been used but the sock was no where to be found! (Obviously drug away as some sort of "prize')...so I did it again the next night for fun. Long story short - we're now down 5 socks and I'm sure somewhere a neighbor is looking at a pile of old white socks saying "what the...?"

Cracked us up.

I bought on line a cedar insulated elevated house and used the snuggle disc which worked very well. You do need to change out  twice a day. The house had a clear vinyl flap which the cat got used to quickly It kept the cold air out and nice and warm inside. Being off the ground and insulated on the bottom & sides keeps it warmer. As far as if too stuffy, most cats can't be too warm if it is really cold out and if so they just go outside. The house has a porch platform right outside the door. I didn't screw the one top roof section so I could check inside. Just used newspaper since any fabric gets wet and dirty. Have found  half mouse bodies ect so you need to have something easy to remove keep clean. The area under the platform makes a good covered feeding station that I put stapled heavy plastic around the sides. You can use the snuggle under a water dish too. Raccon s did investigate the feeding area when it got warmer out but never bothered the house.

Catmum - I'm curious as to what house you got/where you got it?

It sounds like a cool one - and since our suburban neighborhood has a large cat colony in it (that we've TNR'd as many as we can trap) we - and several neighbors - are always on the lookout for good shelters. We utilize a dogloo that we rigged an angled plexiglass door to, and a homemade two-rubbermaid tub also (both loaded with straw and outdoor cat heating pads). And it's funny - the dogloo was the "feral favorite" for the summer (we watched as the kitties almost fought over who got to use it during rainy days - they loved to lie in it and look out) but now that it's gotten so bitterly cold, they've practically abandoned that one for the double rubbermaid tub one. I'm sure since the opening is so much smaller that it's cozier. But the cedar one sounds wonderful (wonder what the look on my husband's face would be if I tell him I want to replace the $95 dogloo...hmmmmm)

And have to say - funny you found mouse carcasses....I keep waiting to find something like that in one of ours. We've been doing this for years, and have never found a single "food remnant" inside any of our shelters. My favorite "inside a shelter" story from this forum is from ShadowsRescue - who told me the tale of opening one and discovering a very much alive, sleeping raccoon!!!!

Kittychick,

I got mine some time ago for $120. from someplace in Nova scotia. I did a quick look just now and found same thing(?) at Cozy Cat Furniture for $ 199. Inflation I guess . You could look further maybe find original site. I had to put a heavy stone on the roof at the back end since I didn't screw the one side down. I had it against the house on the deck with the clear vinyl( heavy shower liner) stapled to the legs on 3 sides to have a sheltered feeding area. That cat became very friendly and is now inside. I still have the house stored in the basement. She sometimes sneaks down there when I'm not looking ,which I discourage. I accidentally closed her in down there one day and later discovered her sleeping in her "old house" maybe remembering the "good old days "! I see now you can get an additional door at the other end. I think some ferals would like that as they don't want to feel trapped and have an escape route. It might not be as warm. But that won't matter if they won't go in it so might be a good idea.  Mine is only big enough for one cat. Looks easy enough to make if you are handy.I have put my hand in it (while cat is in it) during bitter cold days and it was very warm inside. I made a shelter with one of those rubber storage units for yard stuff. It had 2 doors and a lid that raised up. about 4' x 30" x 36". I just propped the one front swing out door open with a brick on each side of it and placed a styrofoam box inside. Had 2 or 3 cats staying there. I wrapped the entire structure with a large tarp and held down with stones/bricks so it was wind proof. I did the same thing with a composter unit. Hope this helps. Bless you for your efforts in their care.   Catmum

For several of our winter shelters, we used the heated pipe wrap / heat tape. Oh - it's officially called "Water pipe heat cable." They all come with "thermometers" on them now, so you have to tape a penny to them to trigger them to go on. Most trigger at 42 ( 5.5 C) degrees. They work to keep water pipes above freezing down to -15 F ( - 26 C ). So they don't make it hot - but in the small space, they keep it really snug. We use electric tape to tape the stuff in place inside the shelter - we just make sure that the temp reader and electric plugs are well outside of the shelter. We then use straw inside the shelters.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-6-ft-Electric-Water-Pipe-Heat-Cable-HC6/202262328

Wow!  So many options!  Kittychick I will definately try the mackerel and the catnip!  That is so funny about the socks!  I love that cedar house!  I would love to get something like that, but I worry it would attract too much attention from my nasty neighbors.  The Water Pipe heat cable is a great idea too.  Thanks everybody!  I probably will get the snuggle safe and if I see that it makes it too hot in there I will take it out.