Michele (Hooch), here's how to build a feral cat "house"
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Michele (Hooch), here's how to build a feral cat "house"
Submitted by Clovis Boo Flyn... on April 21, 2010 - 12:35amI've done two of these. Total cost, about $15 for each, and they take about 15 minutes to make. In this first link, they used transparent storage boxes. I used colored ones instead, bot at Lowe's and or Home Depot (I also didn't use the black tubing, it's not necessary tho the cats may prefer it). As the instructions emphasize, do NOT put blankes or cloth type materials inside the shelter as they become and stay wet. Much better to use straw, or if no straw, hay. Most feed stores sell both.
Here is the link:
http://www.spayandstay.org/wintershelter.htm
Here is an even better way to build a shelter for them. If I had discovered this way first, this is how I would have done it:
http://www.pacthumanesociety.org/core/WinterShelter.htm
ALL PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY ME ARE MY PROPERTY, ARE COPYRIGHTED UNDER FEDERAL LAW, AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT MY WRITTEN PERMISSION. ANY INCOME MADE OFF OF MY PHOTOS AT ANY TIME MUST BE IMMEDIATELY REMITTED TO ME. 
And click here for puppy photos of Boo & Clovis:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/glandry113
Well, I don't have to build a shelter for the ferral cats
They make themselves at home in our garage that has a portable heater or they just come in the doggy door and decide they are now home cats. I have 6 cats. All of them adopted me.
That is great, Gary...yes, we are in NJ so definitely colder
than Louisiana.
Yep, sort of . . .
there are two feral cats that come sleep on my porch on many nights. Also, I feed a momma cat and her kittens who live in a small wooded area next to a school that is only about 100 yards from my house. I put one of the shelters in the school yard next to a storage building there (on the side that blocks out the wind). The janitor also feeds the cats sometimes and he keeps an eye out for them, including checking the straw to make sure it doesn't get wet.
I was surprised at how easy and fast it was to make the shelters. As the instructions suggest, I put a lot of straw in them so the cats can borrow into it to keep warm. I also cut a piece of insulation foamboard to fit the bottom of the Rubbermaid tote. Then I bot a small rug sold at Home Depot for about three dollars that is water proof and put that over the foamboard. The combination of those two items helps keep the cold from coming up thru the bottom of the tote. If you live in a much more cold weather state, I suggest you do as those links suggest and put either straw or insulation foamboard between the two totes and on top of the smaller one before closing the larger one's lid on top of it.
The school cats are definitely using the tote I put there for them. The janitor is not around to feed the cats on weekends, so i go over there and I usually look inside the totes. The straw clearly shows that the cats make a bed for themselves in the straw.
I bet someone could make a lot of money if they would mass produce such shelters for feral cats. The parts are so cheap and the labor so easy.
ALL PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY ME ARE MY PROPERTY, ARE COPYRIGHTED UNDER FEDERAL LAW, AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT MY WRITTEN PERMISSION. ANY INCOME MADE OFF OF MY PHOTOS AT ANY TIME MUST BE IMMEDIATELY REMITTED TO ME.
And click here for puppy photos of Boo & Clovis:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/glandry113
Thank you, Gary! Do you have kitties right now hanging out?
nm