Bedding for Stray cat

elizabeth k

Trying my best to help neighborhood strays by TNR.
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I purchased a Petmate Igloo Cat Condo for a stray cat I have been caring for for 6 mos. or so.  Note, if it were my decision, and not his, he would be an indoor cat.   I am reading a lot of different opinions about  what kind of bedding I should provide for warmth and comfort.  I have been looking at self-warming heating pads and plug-in heated pads.  But, I have also read that straw or small pet bedding wicks water better to keep  the cat dry and keeps the cat warmer than either pad..  I'm not sure what to do.  I could buy a pad and cover it with straw, but I am not sure the cat would feel the warmth though the straw.  Any thoughts?  Thank you.
 

shadowsrescue

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My ferals did not like straw at all.  Yet many do and find that they can keep warm by burying down into it.  I use insulated rubbermaid containers with an electric heat pad that my ferals just love.  I also have an insulated heated house that has heat pads and a hound heater for extra warmth. 

You might need to just try a few things and see what he likes.  Just be sure it's straw not hay.  Also will the igloo be protected from the elements?  You don;t want to use something electric if it will be subjected to rain/snow.  Yet if it's under cover you don't have to worry. 
 
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msaimee

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I think you meant to write to be sure it's straw and not hay, right Shadow? Hay retains moisture and becomes moldy and straw stays dry. At least that's what I've read everywhere.

I've been using straw over a thermal self-warming cushion inside my feral's cedar pet house the past few years, and I cover the entire house in frigid weather with a sleeping bag, and it's kept him warm though the worse winters ever. This year I purchased a kitty tube heating pad that you can use with straw without it being a fire hazard so I'll have something electric if the weather gets bitterly cold again. It's made for outdoor use.

 

 
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shadowsrescue

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Good catch MsAimee.  I was thinking too fast.  Sorry about that.  Yes, it is straw you want NOT hay.  I edited my post above!
 
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kittychick

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We too have an igloo style shelter as one of our feral shelter....most of ours are the double Rubbermaid style, and both the dogloo and "double rubbermaids" have heated outdoor electric warming pet pads in them. The dogloo isn't preferred because it's so tall and so much of the heat the cats generate escapes up and through the door. But ours was fee, so we double insulated it, added a swinging plexus door, a dogloo shaped outdoor-rated heated pet bed and straw. The cat igloos are a bit better as the have less height. I'll try to get a pic of how we do our "door". Certainly not airtight, but they can see out, which gives them a sense of safety, and it blocks wind and rain.

Whatever you do, definitely add lots of straw (NOT hay) and place it up off the ground (on a palette, or some bricks, etc. Directly on the ground sucks warmth right out. And great idea to cover the whole thing with a heavy blanket (don't put blankets inside -they don't dry out, and the kitties then stay wet, causing them to freeze). Anything you can do to keep the structure as insulated and water/wind proof the best for kitties!
 

msaimee

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The K & H pad isn't designed for use with straw, so if you're going to use straw, check out the link in my other post about the kitty tube heating pad which is designed to be used with straw.
 

jlchriswi

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I just got a self-heating pad (I think it was from K&H) on Amazon.  The neighborhood cat that hangs around our back yard seems to really like it - but we haven't had any bitterly cold weather yet.
 
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elizabeth k

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My ferals did not like straw at all.  Yet many do and find that they can keep warm by burying down into it.  I use insulated rubbermaid containers with an electric heat pad that my ferals just love.  I also have an insulated heated house that has heat pads and a hound heater for extra warmth. 

You might need to just try a few things and see what he likes.  Just be sure it's straw not hay.  Also will the igloo be protected from the elements?  You don;t want to use something electric if it will be subjected to rain/snow.  Yet if it's under cover you don't have to worry. 
The igloo is on my covered front porch.   I think I am just going to buy a K&H heated pad on Amazon and put some blankets over it so he can snuggle.  He has not gone into the igloo yet and seems uninterested.  I think he is afraid he will get trapped in there.  I put a little catnip in there the other day, but he didn't buy it.  I had it facing forward (towards the street) and I just turned it almost 180 degrees around so it faces the house wall, but on a slight angle so he can get in.  Any suggestions about how I can get him to check it out?  

Kittychick - when you say "double Rubbermaid style", are you talking about Rubbermaid bins?  That sounds like a good idea - there are other ferals and strays around who need shelter.  My house backs up to a wooded area with a creek and all of the un-homed and unwanted go back there.  So, if they are bins, do you cut out a piece on the side for entry?  

Thanks, everyone, for the help.   
 

shadowsrescue

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My ferals did not like straw at all.  Yet many do and find that they can keep warm by burying down into it.  I use insulated rubbermaid containers with an electric heat pad that my ferals just love.  I also have an insulated heated house that has heat pads and a hound heater for extra warmth. 

You might need to just try a few things and see what he likes.  Just be sure it's straw not hay.  Also will the igloo be protected from the elements?  You don;t want to use something electric if it will be subjected to rain/snow.  Yet if it's under cover you don't have to worry. 
The igloo is on my covered front porch.   I think I am just going to buy a K&H heated pad on Amazon and put some blankets over it so he can snuggle.  He has not gone into the igloo yet and seems uninterested.  I think he is afraid he will get trapped in there.  I put a little catnip in there the other day, but he didn't buy it.  I had it facing forward (towards the street) and I just turned it almost 180 degrees around so it faces the house wall, but on a slight angle so he can get in.  Any suggestions about how I can get him to check it out?  

Kittychick - when you say "double Rubbermaid style", are you talking about Rubbermaid bins?  That sounds like a good idea - there are other ferals and strays around who need shelter.  My house backs up to a wooded area with a creek and all of the un-homed and unwanted go back there.  So, if they are bins, do you cut out a piece on the side for entry?  

Thanks, everyone, for the help.   
If you use the K&H heat pads, you don't want to use blankets on top.  You want the cat to get all of the warmth and the blankets will prohibit that.  THe K&H heat pads are great.  They even sell on that is curved to fit in the igloo.

You can easily make rubbermaid containers that can still use heat pad or be stuffed with straw.  If you click the link below, I have some picture on my blog of shelters I have made or used throughout the years. 
 
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elizabeth k

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Okay, no blankets over the heated pad.  I am hoping that when he is cold enough he will go in it. I will definitely be checking out your link.  Thanks!
 

msaimee

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I just wanted to give an update on the low voltage Kitty Tube heating pad I purchased for Muffin a month ago. It's the only heating pad I know you can safely use with straw, and because Muffin is used to having straw in his house, I couldn't use any of the other brands. I put it in his house about 3 weeks ago, and he loves it! He's in his house a lot of the time now, even in 50 degree weather. I had straw on top of it, but as you can tell from the pic, he pushed it all aside and even outside the house so he can lounge on the heating pad. I had previously used anon-electric  self-warming cushion, but this is so much better. Now I'll have peace of mind this winter. I just hope it doesn't give out because I'm keeping it plugged in 24/7. I bought it on Amazon, for some reason it wasn't on the Kitty Tube site when I was trying to purchase it.  

 
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