Piece of mind!

[Laura Corona]

Hello all!
I am brand new to this group and so far have found it to be very helpful. I recently started caring for 4 feral cats or maybe they are strays. I’m not really even sure I know the difference but I know they have no owners. I help feed and give them water. I also made 3 outdoor shelters using two Rubbermaid storage bins, styrofoam, Reflectix, straw and this self warming pad I bought online that has the Mylar material in it. Two of them share one shelter and the other two cats take one by themselves. Even with the shelters i still worry if the cats are warm enough in there. I know there’s electric heating pads I can buy and put in there but I have anxiety when it comes to having things plugged in for two long and will worry all night about starting fires(I know it seems odd). The last two days here in IL it’s been in the teens but feels like zero degrees with the windchill. They seem to have done fine with the low temps but I guess my question is, does anyone know or can estimate or has ever checked what the Temperature can get inside the diy shelters? I’m tempted to buy one of those outdoor thermometers and hiding it in there to keep an eye on the temp in there lol. It’s mostly for piece of mind so that I can be sure they’re warm enough in there. Thanks!

 

[game misconduct]

not sure if you have a harbor frieght near you they sell infrared temp guns that are fairly accurate for like ten bux. welcome to the forums i hope you can continue to care for these cats and are able to turn them into fulltime house cats thanks for caring enough to help these poor homeless cats

 

[CatladyJan]

Hello all!
I am brand new to this group and so far have found it to be very helpful. I recently started caring for 4 feral cats or maybe they are strays. I’m not really even sure I know the difference but I know they have no owners. I help feed and give them water. I also made 3 outdoor shelters using two Rubbermaid storage bins, styrofoam, Reflectix, straw and this self warming pad I bought online that has the Mylar material in it. Two of them share one shelter and the other two cats take one by themselves. Even with the shelters i still worry if the cats are warm enough in there. I know there’s electric heating pads I can buy and put in there but I have anxiety when it comes to having things plugged in for two long and will worry all night about starting fires(I know it seems odd). The last two days here in IL it’s been in the teens but feels like zero degrees with the windchill. They seem to have done fine with the low temps but I guess my question is, does anyone know or can estimate or has ever checked what the Temperature can get inside the diy shelters? I’m tempted to buy one of those outdoor thermometers and hiding it in there to keep an eye on the temp in there lol. It’s mostly for piece of mind so that I can be sure they’re warm enough in there. Thanks!

Welcome to TCS and just remember they are at least warmer than no shelter at all. Thank you for taking care of them.

 

[Laura Corona]

not sure if you have a harbor frieght near you they sell infrared temp guns that are fairly accurate for like ten bux. welcome to the forums i hope you can continue to care for these cats and are able to turn them into fulltime house cats thanks for caring enough to help these poor homeless cats

Yes I do! I will definitely check them out! Thank you so much!

 

[Laura Corona]

Welcome to TCS and just remember they are at least warmer than no shelter at all. Thank you for taking care of them.

Thank you! And ah yes that is a positive way to think about it!

 

[Laura Corona]

not sure if you have a harbor frieght near you they sell infrared temp guns that are fairly accurate for like ten bux. welcome to the forums i hope you can continue to care for these cats and are able to turn them into fulltime house cats thanks for caring enough to help these poor homeless cats

And speaking of them becoming house cats. I’m not able to bring them in because the owner of the house won’t allow it three of the cats do allow me to pet and pick them up however there’s one that won’t let me pet. She recently just started letting me stand near her while she’s eating. But is it possible to somehow get them into a shelter to get adopted? How do I even go about that if possible? Or this something I should ask in another thread?

 

[CatladyJan]

And speaking of them becoming house cats. I’m not able to bring them in because the owner of the house won’t allow it three of the cats do allow me to pet and pick them up however there’s one that won’t let me pet. She recently just started letting me stand near her while she’s eating. But is it possible to somehow get them into a shelter to get adopted? How do I even go about that if possible? Or this something I should ask in another thread?

Since I’m short on time I’ll give you a short answer you can start contacting rescues near you and ask if they can refer one. Most are full now and will be but be persistent. Also, see if there are any TNR groups near you. Check FB and just google.

 

[Laura Corona]

Since I’m short on time I’ll give you a short answer you can start contacting rescues near you and ask if they can refer one. Most are full now and will be but be persistent. Also, see if there are any TNR groups near you. Check FB and just google.

Ok thank you so much!

 

[CatladyJan]

And speaking of them becoming house cats. I’m not able to bring them in because the owner of the house won’t allow it three of the cats do allow me to pet and pick them up however there’s one that won’t let me pet. She recently just started letting me stand near her while she’s eating. But is it possible to somehow get them into a shelter to get adopted? How do I even go about that if possible? Or this something I should ask in another thread?

If you can at least TNR them then that will reduce the cat overpopulation.

 

[Laura Corona]

If you can at least TNR them then that will reduce the cat overpopulation.

Yes I’ve gotten in contact with some TNR folks here! Thank you so much!

 

[NY cat man]

First off, welcome to TCS, and I hope you decide to stick around. Next, thank you for making the effort to provide for those cats. From what you said, they sound like strays, as most- but not all- ferals won't tolerate close contact with humans. Your shelters sound like they should do the job, as cats can not only exist, but thrive in cold weather conditions. We have a shelter that I built that is insulated and has blankets, but is not heated, and the ferals that use it have no problems at all.

 

[Laura Corona]

First off, welcome to TCS, and I hope you decide to stick around. Next, thank you for making the effort to provide for those cats. From what you said, they sound like strays, as most- but not all- ferals won't tolerate close contact with humans. Your shelters sound like they should do the job, as cats can not only exist, but thrive in cold weather conditions. We have a shelter that I built that is insulated and has blankets, but is not heated, and the ferals that use it have no problems at all.

Thank you so much that is reassuring to hear!

 

[Avery]

I have been following your thread and just had a few thoughts! Several years ago, I provided shelter and food for a semi-feral cat and, a bit later on, a stray cat who started to hang around. For winter, I bought a water bowl that plugs in so the water wouldn't freeze. I also bought a heated pad for one of the shelters that I kept plugged in 24/7. I totally understand being nervous about doing that, but I monitored these items carefully for a few days, read reviews, and learned to trust them. They were from K&H pet products and I bought them from Amazon or Chewy, can't remember which!

If possible, put the shelters in areas that will block the wind and rain and snow. I ended up having a friend build a huge wooden open box-like thing and I put the shelters inside a little off the ground. At one point, I left my garage door open just a bit and left a shelter inside for one of the cats. I don't have electricity in my garage so I used one of the self-warming pads and it seemed to work fine.

Finally, after three years of taking care of these cats outside, I felt ready to take the next step and I brought them into my house and, long story short, they now live happily as indoor-only cats! As you work with them and make contact with rescue groups in your area, you might find that these little homeless cats can be adopted and become house cats! Thanks so much for all you are doing for them!

 

[tnrmakessense]

Hello all!
I am brand new to this group and so far have found it to be very helpful. I recently started caring for 4 feral cats or maybe they are strays. I’m not really even sure I know the difference but I know they have no owners. I help feed and give them water. I also made 3 outdoor shelters using two Rubbermaid storage bins, styrofoam, Reflectix, straw and this self warming pad I bought online that has the Mylar material in it. Two of them share one shelter and the other two cats take one by themselves. Even with the shelters i still worry if the cats are warm enough in there. I know there’s electric heating pads I can buy and put in there but I have anxiety when it comes to having things plugged in for two long and will worry all night about starting fires(I know it seems odd). The last two days here in IL it’s been in the teens but feels like zero degrees with the windchill. They seem to have done fine with the low temps but I guess my question is, does anyone know or can estimate or has ever checked what the Temperature can get inside the diy shelters? I’m tempted to buy one of those outdoor thermometers and hiding it in there to keep an eye on the temp in there lol. It’s mostly for piece of mind so that I can be sure they’re warm enough in there. Thanks!

Thank you for caring about these cats !

This doesn't answer your question about thermometers, but as far as keeping the kitties warm, there was a microwaveable disk called "Snuggle Safe" that stayed warm for about 12 hours. Last time I looked for more they were no longer being manufactured but maybe Googling would reveal a source.

 

[Jcatbird]

I was once in a position of needing to get a great many outside kitties into shelters. For now, you are doing great but if you decide to go the adoption route or TNR, be persistent with rescue groups. They may be full right now but start calling, texting, emailing now and don’t stop. It takes time for them to get to know you and understand that you are serious about saving lives. They get a lot of requests and sometimes people don’t follow up. If they turn you down, ask them who else you can talk to for help. Also ask to be put on any waiting lists for spays, neutered or even adoptions. Make sure they are no kill shelters if you go the adoption route. Networking can be very important to you as things go along. Having a helping hand makes everything easier. Some places may even help you with winter shelters. You’re doing great! Thank you for caring about these kitties! Every kitty guardian is a kitty hero! One last tip about temperatures in the shelters, if you really need to know and nothing else turns up, some baby monitors have cameras and will show the temperature. That’s what I use here but many cameras available show temperature.

 

[Talien]

The most important thing is giving them shelter that will keep them out of rain because it's not the cold that will kill them, it's being wet and cold, but it sounds like you've got that covered already. If you aren't comfortable using electric heating pads just make sure they have somewhere dry that they can rest with food and water nearby and that will be adequate.

 

[Laura Corona]

I have been following your thread and just had a few thoughts! Several years ago, I provided shelter and food for a semi-feral cat and, a bit later on, a stray cat who started to hang around. For winter, I bought a water bowl that plugs in so the water wouldn't freeze. I also bought a heated pad for one of the shelters that I kept plugged in 24/7. I totally understand being nervous about doing that, but I monitored these items carefully for a few days, read reviews, and learned to trust them. They were from K&H pet products and I bought them from Amazon or Chewy, can't remember which!

If possible, put the shelters in areas that will block the wind and rain and snow. I ended up having a friend build a huge wooden open box-like thing and I put the shelters inside a little off the ground. At one point, I left my garage door open just a bit and left a shelter inside for one of the cats. I don't have electricity in my garage so I used one of the self-warming pads and it seemed to work fine.

Finally, after three years of taking care of these cats outside, I felt ready to take the next step and I brought them into my house and, long story short, they now live happily as indoor-only cats! As you work with them and make contact with rescue groups in your area, you might find that these little homeless cats can be adopted and become house cats! Thanks so much for all you are doing for them!

Thank you so much for the info and reassurance!

 

[Laura Corona]

I was once in a position of needing to get a great many outside kitties into shelters. For now, you are doing great but if you decide to go the adoption route or TNR, be persistent with rescue groups. They may be full right now but start calling, texting, emailing now and don’t stop. It takes time for them to get to know you and understand that you are serious about saving lives. They get a lot of requests and sometimes people don’t follow up. If they turn you down, ask them who else you can talk to for help. Also ask to be put on any waiting lists for spays, neutered or even adoptions. Make sure they are no kill shelters if you go the adoption route. Networking can be very important to you as things go along. Having a helping hand makes everything easier. Some places may even help you with winter shelters. You’re doing great! Thank you for caring about these kitties! Every kitty guardian is a kitty hero! One last tip about temperatures in the shelters, if you really need to know and nothing else turns up, some baby monitors have cameras and will show the temperature. That’s what I use here but many cameras available show temperature.

Thank you! I definitely plan to reach out to some rescues and no kill shelters because I would love for these kitties to find a forever home!

 

[Jcatbird]

When looking for help I had to go out of my area at times and in the end, out of my state but it did work out. 84 got homes. Don’t give up. It takes a diligent effort and time. You can do a google search for stray and feral rescues or TNR or TNVR rescues in you town, county, city or by state to find resources if you haven’t already. Please do keep us updated. Sending hope that all goes easily.

 

[Whenallhellbreakslose]

In regards to keeping your kitties warm, look into Microwavable Discs (they sell for $25 dollars). I use them, but they don't last as long as the advertise. I use mylar blankets to reflect body heat and I have put a bunch of activated hot hands in an old pillow case (tied up). I usually use that on the coldest nights and when I pet the kitties the next morning at feeding time, their bellies were warm. Do not use electic heating pads because it is not safe.

Hope that helps.