Bloody Awful Snow Storm in NYC

The snow is deep but light...ten inches.  I have a pod shelter on my deck that our feral, Meatball, who adopted us this past July, uses.  Haven't seen her since early yesterday.

The pod shelter is lodged under a square picnic table that is covered with a mat and a tarp.

I shoveled a path from the entrance, which is not snowbound, to our back door.

Still no sign of Meatball.  Have been wanting to bring this cat in since this past July but she would have no part of that.

Please assure me that she will perhaps survive this storm and come back onto our deck for her daily meals.

How did I allow myself to become so attached to this creature?  Guess I had no choice.

She had in all probability found herself some other shelter, and will come forth after the storm has quieted down.

It may be perhaps a little easier to try and get her inside now, when she recognized it may be verry unpleasant outside?   Having help and food from you, the outside isnt no longer as horrible as it was before, so the reasone to let herself be adopted into home cat is lesser, than for a freshly  trapped homeless.

But in a harsh winter you g et a new chance.

Tx a lot for caring!

Good luck!

I believe one of the hardest parts of caring for ferals is this awful winter weather.  I have been worrying for days about the snow and bitter bitter cold here in Ohio that will come starting on Sunday.  It was 0 two night ago and 10 last night, but wind chills are another story.  I heard this morning that wind chills could get to -40 on Monday night.  I know one of my ferals might come into the house and stay.  Yet the other 2, there is little to no chance.  DH is frantically building a shelter with a light bulb for me today.  Yet I do not believe that it will be enough for this frigid cold. 

I try very hard to realize that I am doing the best I can for these kitties.  I know that when they go elsewhere it is because of a warmer or more sheltered from the wind location.  Hopefully Meatball will come out of hiding for some food.  Can you follow any kitty tracks to see where he might be hiding out?  I did that a few years ago and discovered one of my ferals going under my neighbors screened porch. 

Thank you for caring for Meatball.  I know there will be lots of worried feral cat caretakers this next week.

She's back!!!!  Meatball is back....She is eating now.  I think she may have been holed up in her pod the entire time.  After she eats, I am going to shovel some more snow away.  Poor thing....

Thank you all for your words of encouragement and comfort!

Hurray!  Thanks for the update.

It's just impossible not to worry. But she's back! One of ours that we see at nearly every feeding disappeared over the cold snap, but came back today.

for the next round!