Stray Cat + Freezing Weather

Hey folks - got some questions for you.  A couple of months ago I pulled into my parking lot in 30 something degree weather to find two cats, an orange tabby boy and a tuxedo.  Tux, unfortunately, scarpered before I could get too close, but I was able to get the tabby (known from hereon out as Meatloaf) to come home with me.  I kept him for the next few weeks until I could find him a home.

It's been in the low 30s again for the last few nights after a long run of weirdly warm winter weather, and lo and behold, I hear cat crying outside my door, come out and it's Tuxie.  I tried to lure her inside with food - I'm pretty sure from the way she ran up to me a couple of times and then away that she must have been familiar with people at some point - but she was just too skittish to stay close for longer than a few seconds.  Sadly, she finally got too stressed out by the racket some loading trucks were making ( I live behind a grocery store) and ran away.  I'd have followed her, but I was afraid I'd just drive her further away, and I'd also already been out there in thin slacks, no socks, and no coat for about 10 minutes, and I could barely feel my feet or hands. 

It's supposed to get down to 25 tonight, so I'm pretty low about this.  I guess what I'd like to know is A) if she might have a chance of making it through the night, and B) if I make one of those styrofoam cooler/straw/plastic tote cat shelters, does anyone know if cats actually use those things, and if so, is there anything I should do to mine to make it more inviting to passing kittiehs? 

Thanks lots,
Amy!

Hello, and welcome! Thank you so much for all you've done so far and for sticking with this obviously traumatized kitty!

She will probably make it tonight but a new house would certainly lessen her worries. Any food or shelter you can provide her will make such a difference in her life.

If it was me, though, I'd get a humane trap and catch her ASAP. You will have to watch it closely, of course, to make sure you bring her in as soon as she's trapped. Then you can work with her and hopefully, find her a home, too.

 I don't know how, but cats can survive our brutal winters. Our highs are often in the teens with the lows below zero and my 'herd' is always waiting by my back door every morning to be fed. Food is very important to help them warm themselves, so above all else try to keep them well fed. A large tote wrapped in a blanket and filled with those inexpensive little fleece blankets would be much appreciated, I keep the lid on, turn it upside down and cut a hole in one end.  I also buy those heated pet pads when they go on sale, at farm supply centers and most big stores, they work really well and only use 25-40 watts to operate. Just make sure to get the outdoor one. I have been buying heated cat houses on Amazon for under 50 dollars, they seem a little small, but surprisingly are very accepted by the cats, I have 4 'huts' now and all are used! You fold them up flat for storage in the summer. Good luck and bless you for helping these little ones in need, they know a friend when they see one!

Thank you very much for the advice Ondine and Di and Bob!  I actually managed to catch the kitty when he came back last night.  One of my many (usually) useless talents is being a decent hand at making fairly convincing cat and dog noises, and although it sounds ridiculous, it's actually been the thing that's helped me catch most of the strays I've rescued.  The thing that finally drew this guy (a VERY unneutered male) in was purring at him. 

I've got a bit of a dilemma on my hands, though - last night I put him in my laundry room with food, water, blanket, and litter.  He actually seemed to be in decent shape as far as weight, super friendly, and he was thrilled as long as I was petting him.  He got pretty upset if left alone, though.  I had planned to leave for work in the morning with him still in there, and then decide what to do with him on my lunch hour.  When I came home, my neighbor was outside with a maintenance guy - apparently he somehow escaped the laundry room and got out into the apartment unit's foundation and/or walls, because they'd heard him scratching around about 5 in the morning.  They told me that when the maintenance dude went to look in the crawlspace under my apartment, a black and white cat ran out.  The only way I can figure he got out is through a wooden panel in the wall next to the water heater; it's got the emergency shutoff valves for my apartment's water in there.  It's held on by one screw in the upper right corner, and I have NO idea how he managed to pry the thing far enough away from the wall to get out, but it's the only way he could've done it that I can see.

So I figured I'd still get supplies to make a cat shelter tomorrow, all good, except about an hour ago, I hear scratching in my walls.  SOMEhow, this guy apparently got back inside the foundation and into the crawlspace again - I have no earthly idea how since all the crawlspaces are closed up right now, he's an actual Houdini cat.  Anyway, I called for him, both inside and outside for a while - he meowed back at me for a time, but then went quiet.  I don't know where he is, now.  I guess I'll have to call maintenance again tomorrow and see if I can get them to check under there, just in case he's trapped somewhere. 

@Solaris  Does this boy have a name yet? If not, Houdini is a great one!!