Feral Cats and Cold Temperatures

Does anyone know if ferals can live in these single digit temperatures. Even moreso, when the wind chill factor goes below zero. I wish I can rescue ALL OF THEM.

I can't stand knowing that there are so many out there in this weather just shivering. Literally, to death! I mean people are dying from the cold so I imagine they are too.

Does anyone know???

Cheryl,

You can't save them all. Stuffing straw into open enclosed spaces will help, and although it sounds harsh if they die from hypothermia, it is at least a peaceful passing. Cats shiver to stay warm, and then they just shut down and go to sleep in extremly cold temperatues. Giving them access to food and water that is not frozen will also help those who will go out in search of food, but most of them will just hunker down and hope to survive.

How sad. You just feel so helpless, ya know.

It's just not fair, we have prisoners that we pay to keep sheltered and fed, and then we have innocent beautiful creations that are struggling to survive. And then the innocent ones die. Go figure!

There are feral cats in Mammoth Lakes who survive year after year, just like the racoons & coyotes do. They seem to be able to find shelter, but I'm sure that the weaker ones die or get caught by predators. It is sooo sad! Hissy is so right about the food & water, esp. the unfrozen water. Are you in an area where you could put up some sort of shelter? Even a cardboard box, with plastic on the bottom, and shredded newspaper topped with an old towel, or better yet, an old Hollofill vest or jacket, or piece of sleeping bag will do. I say a prayer every time I see a stray cat. As a matter of fact, tonight I spotted 2 scruffy looking cats outside my husband's office & after reading this post, I've decided to drive back to town & set out some food & water. Thanks for motivating me!! Susan

This page will help you to build an inexpensive shelter:

http://www.all-creatures.org/ak/feral-shelter.html

Please use an insulated material..like straw:

Alley Cat Allies recommends the use of hardwood shavings (no cedar or pine), straw or fake sheepskin as bedding in the shelter. "Never use towels, blankets or sheets because they retain moisture," says Holton. Scroggs places bed sheets made from cut Mylar,â€[emoji]8482[/emoji] a space-age product that retains body heat, in her shelters. These sheets can be found in the home section of department stores and are easily cut to size.

Katie

Wool cloth works well too, as it wicks the moisture away. I went to Goodwill and they gave me a bagful of wool items that were not in good enough shape to put out to sell... I cut them up (removed buttons, zippers etc...) and lined the boxes I used, with the Mylar and then added a small amount of straw and then the wool cloth. The kitties LOVE their new shelter boxes and I have enough up at the grainmill, (where I also feed and bring warm water to them) that it looks like a little kitty dormitory there! The shelter boxes are in an overhang area that has a roof and two side walls, so it stays quite dry in there, and is a perfect place to put the kitty shelter boxes!

Hi Missy&SpikesMom. Just wanted to thank you for this topic post. It's been very helpful for me. Tracy

If you look at the stores having closeout sales on Christmas wrap, LIke Walmart, some of the wrap is mylar, and it makes a great way to line cardboard boxes to protect them from damp and moisture.

If I made a shelter, where would the best place to put it be?

We already have over a foot of snow out there from last week and it's snowing again tonight. There is really not a place where the shelter wouldn't be affected if it snowed again.

I saw a cat out tonight so I took a bunch of dry food outside, put it where I saw him and also sprinkled lots up and down the street. I don't know if it will get too cold to eat or not. Just figured I'd try.

Any suggestions as to help these guys in the cold and the snow?

When we lived in Alaska, it was difficult to keep the ferals out of the snow because it snows so much. We ended up emptying out a shed, and keeping a window propped open so they could get in and out easily. But it is a challenge when the drifts are so high

I wish I could make a shed for them but there's no way I could do it. I live in an apt. complex and while there is a slightly wooded area across from my parking lot there is no way I could hide a shed there.

Tomorrow I will go back there and try to find a place that seems to get the least amount of snow and try to make some sort of shelter there. I doubt there will be a good place but it won't hurt to try. Atleast they might get to use it for a few days.

GratefulBear--I am going to bump up my other post about the Homemade Feeding Station I made to set out(from a Rubbermaid-type tub container...) It has worked out just GREAT for the strays and ferals around here. (My kitty, Missy is checking it out and gave her FULL approval!! haha )
The Rubbermaid-type tub containers make GREAT shelters for them, too!!! Just cut a door in the side of it so the door is over to the one side of the container (To give protection to the rest of the container for the cats to stay warm) Then I put styrofoam sheets cut to size (found at Lowes or Home Depot as Insulation Styrofoam) Then covered that with mylar, and newspaper sections and a small amount of straw. Then added some woolen cloth and they are SO happy with it all!!!
I think it is wonderful you are so caring!

Thanks for the kind words, Harley587!!!

Hi Gratefulbear69. Could you put a large dog house with straw in the wooded area? I have both a shed and a dog house. My ferals mostly use the shed, but occasionally they are in the dog house (really - no pun was intended!). Right now they are not leaving the shed. However, yours may go into the dog house considering there is nothing else around. Tracy

GratefulBear, your best bet is to put out small shelters, hidden as well as possible in the wooded area (you don't want to draw attention to these for the cats' safety). I see Katie already gave you some info on making homemade shelters - here's another: www.neighborhoodcats.org/info/wintershelter.htm

It's almost impossible to put a shelter where it won't be affected by snow. Try to face the shelter away from the north, the direction most storms and wind come from. You need to elevate the shelters with rocks or bricks at least 8" or more off the ground. If you can, put two wooden boards leaning toward each other (like this: ^) to make a peaked shaped "entrance" to the shelter. This helps keep some snow away from the entrance. If you place a board directly in front of the entrance (which of course would be better), unfortunately, the cats won't use the shelter because they need to have an unobstructed view out the entrance. They don't feel safe if they can't see out.

When there's lots of snow, you'll have to go to the shelters and dig out paths for them, and make sure the snow hasn't covered the shelter entrances. Also make a kitty "latrine" area for them by clearing snow away from a patch of ground that's not too close to their shelters.

If you have access to electricity by the feeding station, a heated waterbowl is absolutely wonderful! I got one this year and it is so much easier than going out and emptying the frozen water 3 times a day and refilling. Mine got a little crusty around the edges the day it went below zero (F) but stayed unfrozen the rest of the times.

Unfortunately, I cannot get electricity out there. It's a small somewhat wooded area across the street from our parking lot in my apt. complex. It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't owned by the apts. I am going to try to make a shelter sometime this week and get it out there. Maybe I can just dig a big area out near the back so the shelter will fit but it will be hidden by all the snow.

I don't live in the best area so I don't want to draw attention to them like KTLynn said. I do worry about them knowing the sort of people that hang out around here.

Once it gets a little warmer and the snow melts away I would like to set up a trap and try to get them S/N and up to date on shots. As long as I don't get caught by my landlord!!!! I'm not supposed to have CJ so I don't want to take any risks of him being found out. lol

Thanks everyone for all of your advice!!

GratefulBear629..I wouldn't put it off too long...kitten season is right around the corner. Just a reminder....February is the month where there are lots of spay/neuter-a-thons because of the Doris Day's national spay campaign.

Katie

I'm sure ferals can find ways to keep warm and find food and stuff like that. It would be nice if they could be adopted out to a good home but some are beyond help.

Originally Posted by eburgess

I'm sure ferals can find ways to keep warm and find food and stuff like that. It would be nice if they could be adopted out to a good home but some are beyond help.

Click to expand...

I don't think that the feral cats that prefer the outdoors are "beyond help"....these are cats that through no fault of their own have reverted to a place of not trusting humans. Although they can often find food and shelter...they still need our assistance to get them spayed and neutered so that we can stabilize their populations.

Katie

Of course people should spay them, inever said they shouldn't. Many feral cats can not be pets. My sister is a vet tech and has seen ferals. Many are not able to be pets, even though some organizations try to adopt them out.