Feral Cat Shelters

FERAL CAT SHELTERS

WINTER SHELTERS FOR FERAL CAT COLONIES

Cats in "Managed Feral Colonies" need warm shelters close by in Winter to keep them healthy and dry. You don't want them roaming away to unsafe areas seeking shelter from the wet and cold. Below are models of feral cat shelters you can purchase or build yourself. There are also links to other websites featuring their own unique shelters. In bitterly cold areas, you'll need to use heavy duty insulation materials that can't even be found in the warmer states. In the warmer states, dryness is the main objective. You'll find Shelter info and ideas here for all situations plus other Winter-Caretaking tips at the bottom of the page.

At Urban Cat League we like to stress that TNR stand for "Trap, Neuter, Return" and NOT Trap, Neuter and RUN. Maintaining the life-long welfare of the colony after neutering is an equally important link in the chain of compassion. Many of the shelters shown below you build yourself with simple tools and easy to find materials.

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Ashot's All Weather Shelters

A heavy duty Rubbermaid plastic storage bin (54 gallon size)
Outside dimensions: 41 1/2" long X 20" wide X 16 1/2" high
Inside dimensions: 32"long X 11 1/2"wide X 12" high
Lined with 2" insulation all around (six sides)
Pressure sealed
Inside corners are sealed with GE Silicone II
Floor is covered with linoleum tile (makes it scratch proof). Hay is placed on top
Modular construction
Rebuildable
Washable
6" round entrance
All four bottom corners are drilled for drainage and ventilation
Very precise and high quality workmanship
Designed for many years of maintenance free usage

Price: $65

Please email Ashot if you would like to place an order or get more information.

Cash or check (payable to Urban Cat League).
Pick up in Forest Hills, Queens. No shipping or delivery at this point in time.

Feral Cat Shelter in Winter
Ashot's Shelter using Storage bin and housing insulation
See pictures of Ashot's Shelters.

See a slide show of Non-Bin shelters.

Mike's Shelter

Mike's Shelter using two storage bins with straw insulation in between

(See step-by-step instructions.)

Links to other sites featuring shelters and Winter caretaking ideas:

IndyFeral Outdoor Cat Shelter - $40 plus shipping - dual level labyrinth design virtually eliminates rain and wind inside the upper living area!
http://www.indyferal.org/index.php?page=shelters&

DESIGN IDEAS and INSTRUCTIONS: Alley cat allies PDF shelter instructions plus lots of Winter Care tips for Feral Colonies
http://www.alleycat.org/resources_care.html#4

Feral Cat Caretaker's Coalition shelter and feeding station info
http://www.feralcatcaretakers.org/Caretaking/FeedStations.html

Great minds think alike! Pact Humane's shelter is similar to the UCL models we make. lots of other valuable info for Winter caretaking.
http://www.pacthumanesociety.org/core/WinterShelter.htm

Providing shelters is the perfect contribution to solicit from well-wishers living near the colony who want to help in a way other than daily caretaking and/or trapping for Spay Neuter. Well-wishers can either donate money to buy shelters from us or maybe provide hands-on building skill if they are handy with tools. Shelter building workshops are a good assembly line group activity once one person in your group has skill building the finished product to oversee the
workshop.

Feral cat winter shelter ideas:

STRAW (not Hay) is the BEST AND CHEAPEST NATURAL INSULATOR; read why.
http://www.txses.org/epsea/straw.html

Buy straw in Feed stores, Rabbit supply section of Pet Stores, Garden shops. We recommend stuffing the shelters with fresh, dry straw. (Do NOT use blankets, towels, etc. inside the shelter! The inside will be exposed to moisture from outdoors and the cats themselves, and fabric tends to grow mold and mildew.) The cats can nest and burrow into the straw and with their thicker, winter coats, stay warm through the cold months.

Solar Heating Idea
(Shelter needs to get direct sunshine of course and be in a SAFE AREA to be left out in plain sight to catch the sun) Placing shelter out of Rain and Wind may have more advantages than the warmth derived from the sunshine.
What a stroke of genius! Debbie Peterson of the Chicagoland Stray Cat Coalition uses solar pool covers/blankets to keep her ferals warm during winter. Solar pool covers are used to attract and retain heat from the sun, to keep water in swimming pools warm. Debbie saw them as a way to upgrade her feral cat houses to solar energy! On a 10°F night the temperature inside could easily reach 70°F! A 15 mil premium-grade 12' round blanket costs $32. Cut them with standard household scissors. Drape one over your feral cat house silver-side down, and the purring will start. Aim for full exposure to the south. Check the temperature until you know how much heat is generated; it may become too warm inside on milder days! Consider setting up a solar feeding station a distance from the sleeping area. Purchase at Home Depot, Pool shops or online.

Send us your own innovations and/or sites where you found great shelter ideas so we can add them to the list!
urbancatleague@gmail.com

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