Hi - thanks so much for checking in. I promise to post an Oscar video this afternoon.Bitsy's Mom Hope all is well. We haven't had an Oscar update in awhile. I am sure you are busy and hopefully you have sold your house. Please check in when you can.
It's interesting. I did put one of those outdoor cat houses (missing the heating element which cannot be found) inside the shed with a mylar blanket underneath and straw. I had it under my car port last winter when Oscar was out there - but no one every used it. So, I put it in the shed and recently noticed that the mylar blanket was pulled out and straw was all over the place. Not sure what he was doing at night since the camera often doesn't recordThank you for checking in! So glad he is doing well and I look forward to seeing the videos.
For winter time you might want to add a bedding area with some straw. Some cats like to burrow down into the straw for warmth. My feral cats hated straw and never used it, but I know many that find it warm and cozy. I always used outdoor approved heat pads.
Another thought is to get a small shelter to place inside the shed that has a heater. We had 2 shelters outside that each contained a hound heater. It kept the space nice and warm. The shed will get terribly cold in the winter. Planning ahead now is a good idea.
I am sorry your house has not sold yet. Good thoughts coming your way that it sells soon.
I bet having a puppy is a big change. Puppy energy is a lot. How long will you have him?
That looks awesome. The issue with the shed is that it is 12 x 16 and has a 10-12 ft ceiling. The soffits are plastic (as we all know!) so the air just exchanges with what is on the outside. The saving grace this summer was that hot air rises, and Oscar was smart enough to come and lay down on the floor while the air conditioner was running. The cooler, more dense air was down on the floor.I used an extension cord with the hound heater and outdoor heat pads. It worked very well along with the heat pad and kept my feral boys quite warm even in bitter cold. I put a wireless thermometer inside and could view it in the house. Below is a picture of the heated shelters I used. My DH built them. You can see the hound heater attached to the inside of the shelter.
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Unfortunately, looking at current pix, I see that almost every one of the radiant (oil) heaters now on the market are vertical rather than horizontal, making them easier to knock over. But some look to be a lot sturdier than others.Thank you for all the great ideas! It so wonderful to have everyone supporting my journey with Oscar with love, care, and ideas! It takes a village I think <3
I am going to look into the different heaters and figure out what may work. I will keep you posted. And, the video will be later too <3
I looked at a few on Amazon and saw that lots of people use them in sheds with really good results. It looks like a really good solution. I like that some of them have remotes too so it would be easy to adjust to the temp and fan from a distance.Unfortunately, looking at current pix, I see that almost every one of the radiant (oil) heaters now on the market are vertical rather than horizontal, making them easier to knock over. But some look to be a lot sturdier than others.
I just remembered there is a website thumbtack.com that we have used a few times to find people to do small jobs. They have reviews from others. Thought it might help you.And, I am still searching for someone to fix the soffit. NO ONE seems to know anyone to do it!!! It's so frustrating.
I've used this site and found a good person to do a job I needed done. I recommend the site far above the more well-publicized and advertised sites.I just remembered there is a website thumbtack.com that we have used a few times to find people to do small jobs. They have reviews from others. Thought it might help you.
A good thought, DeeCat , but anyone renting or leasing needs to bear in mind that there may be damage or poor upkeep from temporary occupants. This is the reason I will never rent to anyone.Oh -- forgot another thought I had (which you likely have already considered, but...) - I can't figure out how to edit my post.
For your house:
Most areas in New England are short on home rentals.
Is there a chance you can rent it out? Short-term, month-to-month rentals can be handled by a local real estate agent (for a fee, but probably worth it if you are over an hour away now) without any long lease commitment, with the understanding that the house will eventually sell. Or, you can do a fixed short-term rental until Spring, if you want, so you have income until then and don't have to deal with selling it over the winter. If you go through an agent, they can screen the renters.
Just a thought but of course, you've already likely considered it.
That's why one needs to have them screened - an agent will do that, with a background check and referrals from at least one previous landlord.A good thought, DeeCat , but anyone renting or leasing needs to bear in mind that there may be damage or poor upkeep from temporary occupants. This is the reason I will never rent to anyone.