Tip Thread for building outdoor cat shelters.

ruire

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My dad and stepmom made one of these, they rescued tons of ferals over the years and kept adding to it till it became like a cat palace. they had some amazing awesome ideas. I wanted to share them and looked for a thread like this and couldn't find it so thought i would start one.

I will keep at it too and update this first main post with what others post/suggest. I will have areas for different things.

INSULATION

-Straw

-Insulation Styrofoam

-Koolers (not just a kooler though but you can add other things to make it servicable or alter it how it is if you have the skills like my dad did. but these things are built for insulation. Just because it was created for cooler things doesn't mean it doesn't work the opposite way to make things warm. this goes for more than just koolers)

-Old coats (some are in disrepair and cant even be donated to thrift stores, instead of throwing them out add to a shelter)

-Crumpled newspapers

SHELTER

-Build one with wood if you have the skills

-Just make a lean-to will do if you have proper insulation

-Buy a dog house

-Buy a small outdoor storage

-You can used two plastic storage bins, one big one small. Get the big one add insulation then the smaller, cut entrance into both, add bedding that acts like insulation (see list above)

-Old furniture (some feral cats moved into a shed and they were using a dresser for shelter, we added some insulation to it (with permission from the owner) and they were happy, so then they went and got a old dresser for THEIR shed and altered it. they took out the bottom drawer, cut out a third of the bottom of the second drawer, and the opposite side of the third, and all the way up it. added insulation to each one and the top with the most and a plastic tarp over it (minus the entrance), the result was a mini cat palace)

-Pet cage (add insulation and a tarp or something to block winds and water over it)

HEATING

-plant beds, they warm up and are waterproof, put them in the bottom of a cat shelter and it will be very nice. add some insulation on top or a blanket or a cat bed and you have some heating for your cat shelter

-muscle relaxation products, some of them heat up but not too much to burn.

-kitten bed warmers (i saw this once, it was for kittens specifically, used for when they are taken from their mother supposed to simulate body heat)

LOCATION TO KEEP IN MIND

-Keep in mind windbreakers, like dont have the entrance facing into the wind, have it face a wall either to the house, or a shed, ideally have in in an ally between a shed or house and a fence. facing the more solid surface. or add something. like even just putting a lid to something or a plank leaning onto the front of the shelter will be enough to block wind from the front but allow the cats inside.

PICTURES

Shelter by dana17 and her boyfriend:

View media item 388058
Details: dana17 "we bought a pet kennel from home depot online and tarp is part of kennel, and we put the insulation around one side and the back. The house with the beds, my boyfriend, made himself. We have heated bowl in the kennel"

GUIDES

Okay post away with more brainstorming and suggestions please!!! ^__^
 
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da hoomin

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I don't take care of ferals [yet!] but there's a little stray who was dumped near my house about 6 months ago. He should be just over a year old now. I want to help him make it thru the winter when food and warmth are scarce. He and I have met and talked a few times - from across the backyard. I started putting food out for him during the day [under the bushes in front of the house] a little over a week ago, when I realized he'd prob'ly be hungry when winter actually hits. Each night when it got dark I'd go bring the food and bowl back in. [Or the raccoons will eat it and they're too fat as it is.]

Tonight, I went out to get the bowl - AND IT WAS EMPTY! I'm so happy! He got the message that this is a safe place.

Now, I have to figure out warmth/shelter. I rent, am on a fixed income and have neighbors who would NOT appreciate me encouraging a stray, so I'll have to be creative and subtle [a nice way of saying cheap + sneaky!]

I think all the leaves in my yard would work for insulation. ??

I think the best, most protected-from-the-elements place for a little one-cat shelter would be in the bushes in my front yard. There's not quite 2 feet between them and the house. I live in a quiet neighborhood but I'm wondering if he would feel safe there? I think it'd be a good place because the sidewalk/driveway is just a few feet away and the house has a good over-hang so there's very rarely any snow up against the house and the landlord is very prompt at plowing the drive - so there wouldn't be any paw prints leading the way to the shelter. 

The back yard doesn't have anything to serve as a wind-breaker OR camouflage. It's very open. There's a shed, but one of his hunting places is in the giant pile of branches/bush that is stacked up against it. I can't take that away from him!

I'm prob'ly going to have to use one of the heavy cardboard boxes from cat food shipments for the shelter. I can put a box inside another box - just like you said with the bins - and I have miles of brown paper used to pack the cat food cases in to put between the boxes. There are tarps in the shed I can use to cover the outside of the shelter [and underneath it] for insulation and water-proofing.

What I REALLY need to know is: how big should it be? or rather, how small can it be? I guesstimate that he's maybe 10 pounds. 

Thanks! I think Friends of Ferals are awesome!  
 
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ruire

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actually the smaller that he would still want to go into the better, warmth wise, less space for his body heat to have to warm up. but if its too small they may feel nervous about getting into it. tunnel toys are like the smallest i can think of that a cat would be fine in, either look up measurements of those online or buy for $10 for a more physical space comparison, but most of those have metal wiring inside to keep it up so dont use in the shelter. metal is bad in winter

hmm behind bushes would be tricky. i suggest try camaflouging the outside of it by smearing it with the dirt from the ground and tearing off branches to put on top of it. (branches from other bushes or trees not those one, the most those ones have naturally the better)

the only problem with using cardboard boxes is its not waterproof... it needs it from the top for rain, the bottom for any dampness on the ground if it rains or snows, and the sides for the snow. maybe try reinforcing the inner of the boxes by putting the insulation on and then saran wrapping it onto the box and reinforce it with packing tape or duct tape? and do that to each side?

really the best thing is solid plastic though... storagebox is too big for your needs but there are smaller things... even just getting a simple litter box to put the inner box with the coating of saran wrap and insulation into, and then another litter box on top, and use more insulation and saran wrap over the whole thing, before adding to the big box would help...  but do what you can without getting caught, your no help to anyone if the landlord kicks you out.

your best bet may be to try and capture it, or lure it into your house before winter comes. get temptation treats (the most loved treat ever), put some into the food you feed the cat, get them addicted to it.

then use it to help lure them to you, gain trust, and eventually lure into the house.

also ask around about people who work with strays and ferals in your area, enlist their help to try and capture it. dont do it yourself cuz you might scare the cat away and will hurt chances to lure it peacefully.

if its abandoned, not feral, it will already have a base for relationships with humans and be easier to deal with. hope this helps...
 
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catsknowme

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Originally Posted by da hoomin  
I think all the leaves in my yard would work for insulation. ??

I'm prob'ly going to have to use one of the heavy cardboard boxes from cat food shipments for the shelter. I can put a box inside another box - just like you said with the bins - and I have miles of brown paper used to pack the cat food cases in to put between the boxes. There are tarps in the shed I can use to cover the outside of the shelter [and underneath it] for insulation and water-proofing.

What I REALLY need to know is: how big should it be? or rather, how small can it be? I guesstimate that he's maybe 10 pounds. 

Thanks! I think Friends of Ferals are awesome!  
 all the cats that you all are helping!!! Yes, dry leaves do provide good bedding and the brown packing paper should work well for the insulation.  I think that at least a 14x14" box would be good - since he is sleeping alone, it needs to be snug. the lower the height, the better. You can also put cornmeal or rice inside a couple of old socks and microwave them, to make heat pads, to help warm up his nest. If you can put the box up a couple of inches, say on a couple of 2"x4"s, it will help warm up as well. Sometimes you can get spare Styrofoam pieces from medicine shipping boxes at the veterinarian's or the local drugstores, and use that for flooring and interior walls.

    And thank you, Ruire, for starting this thread - it is definitely needed!!!
 

da hoomin

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My bad, I wasn't very clear. I mean under the bushes, not just behind them.

It's just that the space between them and the house makes them more accessible to me and since I can work from behind, the shelter will be much more secretive than if I had to work from the front of the bushes.

About water-proofing and camouflage - that's where the tarp and leaves come in. The tarps are waterproof. I could actually wrap the entire box [that part just came to me] as well as spreading one out underneath the box for extra warmth/dryness. I'll have to go check in the morning, but I think there's even a brown tarp out there . . . that would help with the camouflage alot. I'm going to put leaves all around and on top. I like the idea of using branches!

Thank you for the suggestion of raising up so it's not actually on the ground. I don't have 2x4's but will go dig in the shed and see what treasures it holds.

I am kicking myself! That big slab of styrofoam I threw out 2 weeks ago would've been good to set the box on. Sometimes it's good to be a pack-rat. Sigh. 

How tall should the box be and how big should the door be?    
 
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ruire

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 all the cats that you all are helping!!! Yes, dry leaves do provide good bedding and the brown packing paper should work well for the insulation.  I think that at least a 14x14" box would be good - since he is sleeping alone, it needs to be snug. the lower the height, the better. You can also put cornmeal or rice inside a couple of old socks and microwave them, to make heat pads, to help warm up his nest. If you can put the box up a couple of inches, say on a couple of 2"x4"s, it will help warm up as well. Sometimes you can get spare Styrofoam pieces from medicine shipping boxes at the veterinarian's or the local drugstores, and use that for flooring and interior walls.

    And thank you, Ruire, for starting this thread - it is definitely needed!!!
oh i missed the tarp part for waterproofing, yes that would work. ^___^

having it elevating may help for warmth, but because it needs to be hidden i would actually suggest burying it instead, and packing dirt on the sides. esp to try and ground it and keep it from blowing away.

i love the grains of rice in socks and heating it up suggestion!!! it is brilliant!! =D
 
My bad, I wasn't very clear. I mean under the bushes, not just behind them.

It's just that the space between them and the house makes them more accessible to me and since I can work from behind, the shelter will be much more secretive than if I had to work from the front of the bushes.

About water-proofing and camouflage - that's where the tarp and leaves come in. The tarps are waterproof. I could actually wrap the entire box [that part just came to me] as well as spreading one out underneath the box for extra warmth/dryness. I'll have to go check in the morning, but I think there's even a brown tarp out there . . . that would help with the camouflage alot. I'm going to put leaves all around and on top. I like the idea of using branches!

Thank you for the suggestion of raising up so it's not actually on the ground. I don't have 2x4's but will go dig in the shed and see what treasures it holds.

I am kicking myself! That big slab of styrofoam I threw out 2 weeks ago would've been good to set the box on. Sometimes it's good to be a pack-rat. Sigh. 

How tall should the box be and how big should the door be?    
leaves on top will just blow away... try smearing mud on the tarp, make it super dirty. =] it will clean up with rain though... use a tunnel toy dimensions for minimum size.

also have something to lean against the opening, so the front is blocked from wind but they can still get in.
 
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da hoomin

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Thanks for the help in brain-storming!

@Ruire  - I have two very large trees in my yard - You're not picturing as many leaves as I am! LOL

Plus, underneath the bushes is fairly protected from the wind. 

I'm thinking that I could put a tarp over the box and stake it to the ground like you would a tent. That would keep it secure.

Depending on how much head room there is under the bushes - I'll go measure later today - I may put a stack of cardboard under the box to get it off the cold, damp ground. 

 
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ruire

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Ohh I just thought of something you can put under, those cardboard paper towel rolls, or toilet paper rolls or egg cartons, they will allow some air between the ground and the shelter for insulation
 

da hoomin

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Good News! My new friend emptied the food bowl again today! Two days in a row. *happy dance* So now he knows where there's food.

Malý, Hezký and I have given him a Czech name too. He's now known as "Stinit" [STEE-nyet] which means shadow.

I went out to the shed and found a treasure trove! I knew I would, my husband's as big a pack-rat as I am. [Don't tell him what I'm about to do with his stuff! LOL]

There's a very large, brown, heavyweight plastic tarp - just waiting to be cut up.

And SCORE! There's also one of those "padded blankets" that movers use to protect furniture when it's in transit. It's also large and is quilted, it's about 3/8" thick. I'm thinking that would work even better than the packing paper!? I can even put 2 layers of it on the outside of the inside box and then be able to make the total size of the outer box a bit smaller. I think I will line the inside of the box as well?

I found a tube of adhesive caulk - but can't find the caulking gun . . . I might just spread some of that tarp on the living room floor and cut the tube open . . . heh heh

Also found some nice big nails to use as tent stakes.

As for cardboard underneath the shelter, I have about 4 months worth of Chewy's boxes I can use!

The only other thing I can think of off-hand is: should I wash the "padded blanket" before I use it? Especially for inside the shelter - it smells like dusty old shed right now and I can't decide if making it smell like people would be reassuring or not since he used to be a house cat?

And yes, there will be pictures!

 

kittychick

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Our detached garage is partially insulated (emphasis on partially :( ) but it's warmer & dryer than most options the TNR feral kitties had been using! We added the pictured K&H houses that have heated ppads in their floors, under a layer of fleece. We also added insulation around the outside of each house, and lined the insides with insulation and straw, and added small heated pads -surrounded by more straw, around the inside 2 walls of each house. . The houses sit off the garage floor on thick boards (so that cold from concrete doesn't seep up into and suck heat out of the house floors). These houses CANNOT hold up to outside weather, but do best in a sheltered area, like a garage or porch (best if enclosed porch). Each house can easily hold 2 kitties. B 4 of our 5 ferals are starting to try out/in singles and pairs. Hopefully all grow to love them so that they can stay warm & snugly!!! We've got 3"double Rubbermaid" type shelters.....with heated floor pads. We also put up acrylic wind blocks. (I'll post a pic of that to help visualize)

Will say despite all of that, as the weather drops to 30-40%°, the "nice" houses are finally getting checked out (the other two "double rubbermaids" were built last year, already get used). But - true to cat's wacky nature---the two big favorites to lie on overnight???? An old pink cat bed tossed casually onto the top of 4 plastic deck chairs, still stacked on the deck and open to wind and other elements. But 2 at a time squish in there! Other fav? Another old chair -at least inside the garage - with a kitty heating pad on the seat....but just a pile of random rags tossed on top. THAT ONE's the favorite?!?!?! All the other, gorgeously constructed houses are being approached with caution, & have been used, but it's a slow process. I've given up thinking I know what will get used!!!! But they seem happy - and are plenty fat for the winter-------so hopefully they're ready ---ready as I can get them!!!!! But I still worry.....below is link for cool, designed-well, simple to use and clean -cat houses. Our detached garage is partially insulated (emphasis on partially :( ) but it's warmer & dryer than most options the TNR feral kitties had been using! We added the pictured K&H houses that have heated ppads in their floors, under a layer of fleece. We also added insulation around the outside of each house, and lined the insides with insulation and straw, and added small heated pads -surrounded by more straw, around the inside 2 walls of each house. . The houses sit off the garage floor on thick boards (so that cold from concrete doesn't seep up into and suck heat out of the house floors). These houses CANNOT hold up to outside weather, but do best in a sheltered area, like a garage or porch (best if enclosed porch). Each house can easily hold 2 kitties. B 4 of our 5 ferals are starting to try out/in singles and pairs. Hopefully all grow to love them so that they can stay warm & snugly!!! We've got 3"double Rubbermaid" type shelters.....with heated floor pads. We also put up acrylic wind blocks. (I'll post a pic of that to help visualize)

Will say despite all of that, as the weather drops to 30-40%°, the "nice" houses are finally getting checked out (the other two "double rubbermaids" were built last year, already get used). But - true to cat's wacky nature---the two big favorites to lie on overnight???? An old pink cat bed tossed casually onto the top of 4 plastic deck chairs, still stacked on the deck and open to wind and other elements. But 2 at a time squish in there! Other fav? Another old chair -at least inside the garage - with a kitty heating pad on the seat....but just a pile of random rags tossed on top. THAT ONE's the favorite?!?!?! All the other, gorgeously constructed houses are being approached with caution, & have been used, but it's a slow process. I've given up thinking I know what will get used!!!! But they seem happy - and are plenty fat for the winter-------so hopefully they're ready ---ready as I can get them!!!!! But I still worr.......below is link for cool, designed-well, simple to use and clean -cat houses.

And hopefully I can get pics of one of our "double Rubbermaids with awning" tomorrow to post in this link. Do you think our feral outside club appreciates our obsession? :)

 

kittychick

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@da hoomin --- place SOUNDS GREAT!!!!! I swear by those k & h outdoor heated cat beds/pads. They add an extra bit of warmth on a cold night! And to other things you might want try -- on Amazon you can buy "Snuggle Safe Discs" (they kind of look like 2 frisbee a back to back --which you can microwave to warm them up. The company says they stay warm up to 10 hours, but that must be tested in a warm house. The pet can't sleep right on it, but you can put it under a towel, or put it in a towel & place along the shelter side for cat to snuggle against. It DOESNT warm u the ambient air, but does warm the animal leaning (or lying on it ) directly on it. In cold weather it'll need to be removed Avery 5-6 hours to keep temp up - so you have to decide if it's worth the work, &, and if your guys won't get to spooked it you get into his "space" every few hours! Heated outdoor pet pads can be found at K & H, chewy.com, Amazon, etc.

Also - please don't use any of this human warming creams --- they have several ingredients toxic to animals! It was sounding too good a deal to be true :(

Also make sure your outside ones have 24/7 access to unfrozen water --we use an electric heated low-voltage dog bowl that only cost about $20, and it holds enough water that all 5 kitties drink out of it for at least 3 days w/o even having to think about refills. Walmart carries a fairly inexpensive one for only $19.

Since canned food freezes so quickly ---of course you CAN use dry!!!----but this year I found a nice, not-too-expensive heated side x side food bowl (to use w/both dishes as feeding dishes or to use one with water. Here's that link!

http://m.hammacher.com/Product/Defa...cm_pla=AdWordsPLA&source=PRODSEM&gclid=CNS4x-

Really ---anything you can provide is a help!!!!! These are just some "refinements" I keep adding. :)
 

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Here is one of my setups for my colony of 4.  I use a Shelter Logic Shed in a Box to keep everything dry.  Inside, there are 3 heated houses.  I used Hound Heaters.  I also have a few K&H shelters and a few other rubbermaid type that I made myself.  All have K&H heat pads too.  My DH built the heated houses.  

 

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I love this thread!

All of my rescued strays and former feral cats are tame enough to come in the house now. The last outdoor cat I had slept in a dog kennel. I lined it with several layers of cardboard and polystyrene and then put straw in for bedding. Some of the cats still use it for naps, but they're more comfortable on the sofa these days.

 

surya

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​Someone gave me a cat shelter. I want .my stray kitties to have a safe place to sleep out of the rain. I live in Texas, so cold weather is not usually a problem. I am thinking about taking the insulation out of the donated shelter, so it won't be too warm. What do you think? Is that a good idea?
 

Norachan

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Insulation actually helps to keep the inside of the shelter cool on a hot day as well as warm on a cold day. If you're worried about the shelter overheating make sure you place it in the shade. Lift it up on a couple of bricks so that air can circulate underneath. This helps keep the temperature stable and ensures that the inside stays dry too.

 

surya

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Insulation actually helps to keep the inside of the shelter cool on a hot day as well as warm on a cold day. If you're worried about the shelter overheating make sure you place it in the shade. Lift it up on a couple of bricks so that air can circulate underneath. This helps keep the temperature stable and ensures that the inside stays dry too.

​Really? It will be cool on hot days?  It is made of black plastic. So far they are not going inside of it, so I assumed it was too hot in there.

This is the kind of cat shelter it is:

http://www.thekittytube.com/the-kitty-tube-feral-option-with-straw-only-and-new-door-awning/
 

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surya surya
I believe you are correct to remove the insulation, especially in Texas. Do you have any place you can put the shelter in some shade?
Black plastic will get quite warm. I believe there are some air vents, but I'm not sure how well they work for the heat.
I agree with Norachan Norachan that putting the house up on bricks or some other firm support will help air circulate under the house.
If you can't move the house into the shade, could you fasten an emergency blanket (very thin, silver colored, polyester film) or a light colored tarp over the top of the house?
You would probably need to cut holes in the tarp or blanket for ventilation, and fasten it very well to protect against high winds
 
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surya

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@surya
I believe you are correct to remove the insulation, especially in Texas. Do you have any place you can put the shelter in some shade?
Black plastic will get quite warm. I believe there are some air vents, but I'm not sure how well they work for the heat.
I agree with @Norachan that putting the house up on bricks or some other firm support will help air circulate under the house.
If you can't move the house into the shade, could you fasten an emergency blanket (very thin, silver colored, polyester film) or a light colored tarp over the top of the house?
You would probably need to cut holes in the tarp or blanket for ventilation, and fasten it very well to protect against high winds
​Yes, I have the shelter in some bushes. I have to find some bricks to put it on. I put a piece of carpet and some catnip in there today. The tarp is a good idea too. I don't really know the science behind insulation, but I know black plastic does get really hot.
 
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