Heating

Advice on safest and best- heated pads-self heat or electrical or heated lamps! To help 8 outdoor feral cats and nothing that can cause a fire and no harm to the cats -we don't want to plug alot of things in an electrical socket! Please advice where you got them too! Appreciate your help!

I always used those disks you microwave.  I did not have electric near the shelters, so they worked well.  I used straw for bedding and never had a problem.

You microwave them for less than 5 minutes and they stay warm for up to 12 hours.  Always use the fleece covers they provide - without them, the plastic of the disk gets too hot to touch.

I used to buy extra covers so I could wash them and keep them fresh.

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I have no recommendations for heating pads. But I would suggest a heated water bowl to keep their water from freezing over night.

https://www.chewy.com/kh-pet-produc...aBi9Pb7UihACmbC9fCMmGxoCp0bw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I'm not wild about the Snuggle Safe Disks (although I know lots of people who are!!!).....partially because they needed to be reheated much more often than the manufacturer suggested when we got really cold weather....and also because getting them in and out to reheat scared the ferals so much they started avoiding the houses! We use several kinds and have been happy with all. Only thing I haven't tried is heating lamps --I'd like to since they actually hear the ambient air (the pads only heat on contact when they cat lies on them). But my grandpa lost an entire small barn (along with many pigs and baby piglets, and all of our sheep & lambs ) when me heating lamp malfunction. So they scare me a bit. But more power to people who do!!!!! Definitely have to make shelters more comfy than any other option!!!!

k & H pads that work well- any if their styles I've been happy with. Amazon also.

http://m.kohls.com/product/prd-1051...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CK7LjNC22tACFau9swod2YIOtg

Keeping water from freezing is critical - and Walmart has GREAT prices on these:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Farm-Innovators-Heated-Pet-Bowl-1-Quart-Blue-Dogs-Birds/14660238

As noted above ---Chewy.Com has both of these items (& every size of outood pet bed possible--including hard & soft - both work great. A wonderful company that's got great customer serving!!!!!

https://www.chewy.com/kh-pet-produc...gclid=CIKb2OK32tACFcSPswoddDAM5Q&gclsrc=aw.ds

I use the K&H electric pads too, they are a little pricey at the beginning, but all of mine are still working and I have 8 now, some are over  5 years old. I plug four of them to an outlet, they vary in wattage up to 20 watts, so four in an outlet would still be only 80 watts, less than a lot of light fixtures!. They have heavy duty waterproof covers and wire wrapped cords, so are very safe.If you use extension cords, make sure they are for outdoor and heavy enough, I use number 12 on all my outdoor cords.   I put them in insulated little 'kennels', wrapped in blankets, and a homemade duplex 'cat house', and they all absolutely love them!