Winter Feral Housing - Advantage To Straw Over Blankets?

orange&white · Aug 15, 2017

We're at the height of the 100 degree dog days of summer, but I'm already fretting over how to keep my backyard feral warm this winter.

I've read multiple posts about people using hay as bedding for ferals and barn cats. Is there some advantage of hay versus lining a box with fleece blankets, towels, or other materials?

I expect decorative bales of hay will be for sale just about everywhere in October. How much hay do you go through with bedding changes (for one cat)? Doesn't it attract bugs (lizards and mice)?

We have mild winters. I don't think the temperature dropped below freezing last winter. However, in years past, it is not uncommon to have several very cold days and occasional ice-storms which don't melt for 2-3 days. Generally, we have mild days, cold nights and a few spurts of several freezing days in a row.

Kit Kit is my first TNR who I am caring for outside and I want to be prepared. She really doesn't like to get inside boxes, but that may change if we have a really cold snap of weather.

Kieka · Aug 15, 2017

Thank you for looking out for Kit Kit. It sounds like she is very lucky to have come into your life.

One of the reasons she may no like boxes is if there is only one entrance. It isn't uncommon for cats to feel trapped if there isn't a back entrance. You'll also want something with feet or raised so that it doesn't rot as quickly on the bottom from the moisture.

This link might help you out, Feral Cat Shelter Options Gallery

Here are some other threads on the site that may help as well:

Feral Housing
Feral cat housing in winter
I have a few outdoor cat shelter/ housing Questions

shadowsrescue · Aug 15, 2017

If you choose to insulate the feral house, you want to use straw not hay. Hay holds onto the moisture and will cause mold and mildew quickly. Some cats love to burrow into the straw to keep warm. If you choose to use blankets or fleece, you just have to be sure they don't get wet. Once wet, the cat will have a difficult time getting warm. I only use blankets or fleece if my shelters are in covered areas where the rain or elements will not get inside the shelter.

I always start with 2 holes. Once the cat gets used to the shelter, I am usually able to cover one of the holes and make the shelter warmer. It's just a matter of attracting the cat to the shelter. I usually find that catnip works well. Never use food to lure the cat as you don't want to attract other wildlife to the shelter.

You also can use microwave heating discs that you warm in the microwave and then place in the shelter either burrowed in the straw or wrapped in a blanket. In milder temperatures they can stay warm for 6-10 hours. I used them in the fall when low temps were in the 40's and my cats loved them.

Willowy · Aug 15, 2017

Blankets hold onto moisture. Cotton or wool blankets would be a bad idea. Fleece blankets might be OK. Straw is good because the straws are hollow so that traps heat, plus it isn't damp on the surface even if the bottom is wet. And there's no grain left on the straw so it shouldn't attract mice. Wood chips will work too, but not cedar.

Also, I kind of think that if you have to worry about attracting lizards, it probably doesn't get cold enough to bother a cat :tongue:

.

orange&white · Aug 15, 2017

Kieka said:
Thank you for looking out for Kit Kit. It sounds like she is very lucky to have come into your life.

One of the reasons she may no like boxes is if there is only one entrance. It isn't uncommon for cats to feel trapped if there isn't a back entrance. You'll also want something with feet or raised so that it doesn't rot as quickly on the bottom from the moisture.

This link might help you out, Feral Cat Shelter Options Gallery

Here are some other threads on the site that may help as well:

Feral Housing
Feral cat housing in winter
I have a few outdoor cat shelter/ housing Questions

I have looked at feral housing and saw some really nice designs. I'm just not sure I can get her inside one. She is, of course, afraid of being trapped (again).

Using various sizes and locations of cardboard boxes, I've experimented with cutting one door to multiple doors (and open or closed tops) while the weather is nice. She hasn't set foot in any of them.

orange&white · Aug 15, 2017

shadowsrescue said:
If you choose to insulate the feral house, you want to use straw not hay. Hay holds onto the moisture and will cause mold and mildew quickly. Some cats love to burrow into the straw to keep warm. If you choose to use blankets or fleece, you just have to be sure they don't get wet. Once wet, the cat will have a difficult time getting warm. I only use blankets or fleece if my shelters are in covered areas where the rain or elements will not get inside the shelter.

I always start with 2 holes. Once the cat gets used to the shelter, I am usually able to cover one of the holes and make the shelter warmer. It's just a matter of attracting the cat to the shelter. I usually find that catnip works well. Never use food to lure the cat as you don't want to attract other wildlife to the shelter.

You also can use microwave heating discs that you warm in the microwave and then place in the shelter either burrowed in the straw or wrapped in a blanket. In milder temperatures they can stay warm for 6-10 hours. I used them in the fall when low temps were in the 40's and my cats loved them.

Oh, yes, I see. Straw won't hold water on top, so it stays dry and insulates better? So that's probably worth purchasing some straw. I have a dozen of the small fleece blanket "throws" that WalMart sells for $2.50. My cats love them in the cool months, and they're so easy to wash and dry, so I was wondering why that would work outside. Thank you.

I looked up the microwave disc on Amazon and I'll pick one up. If I can't get Kit Kit in a warm shelter, my senior cat who is a little arthritic would probably love a little extra warmth in the winter, even though he's 100% indoors.

orange&white · Aug 15, 2017

Willowy said:
Blankets hold onto moisture. Cotton or wool blankets would be a bad idea. Fleece blankets might be OK. Straw is good because the straws are hollow so that traps heat, plus it isn't damp on the surface even if the bottom is wet. And there's no grain left on the straw so it shouldn't attract mice. Wood chips will work too, but not cedar.

Also, I kind of think that if you have to worry about attracting lizards, it probably doesn't get cold enough to bother a cat .

I do see lizards in the winters here. Most years we have maybe 10-20 nights where the temp drops into the 20's, but most nights I probably won't need to worry too much. I've assigned Kit Kit's birthday as Sept 1st, and last year when she was a kitten, we didn't have one single freezing night. I never pulled out my winter coat.

Kit Kit may decide a warm box is "A-OK" when she experiences her first freeze.

orange&white · Aug 15, 2017

How deep do you put the straw, and how often does it need to be changed out? The only regular daily moisture I'd expect between any showers or storms is morning dew on the grass.

shadowsrescue · Aug 15, 2017

Here is an article from Alley Cat Allies on using straw
Straw—Not Hay—for Outdoor Cat Shelters

My feral boys never liked straw. I live in Ohio where it gets darn cold in the winter. I believe one of my boys might have an allergy to straw. He would go in and come out sneezing and sneezing. I thought something might have been wrong with the straw and bought new from a different source. Yet the same reaction. Since I have electricity on my deck, I now used heat pad and also a dog house heater when it is really cold. For your climate, I am sure the straw and/or blankets with the microwave disc will work well.

I still use my microwave discs from 6 years ago. I now use them to place the wet food upon when it is darn cold outside. It helps to keep the food from instantly freezing while the cats are eating. The heat discs still work really well.

orange&white · Aug 15, 2017

shadowsrescue said:
Here is an article from Alley Cat Allies on using straw
Straw—Not Hay—for Outdoor Cat Shelters

My feral boys never liked straw. I live in Ohio where it gets darn cold in the winter. I believe one of my boys might have an allergy to straw. He would go in and come out sneezing and sneezing. I thought something might have been wrong with the straw and bought new from a different source. Yet the same reaction. Since I have electricity on my deck, I now used heat pad and also a dog house heater when it is really cold. For your climate, I am sure the straw and/or blankets with the microwave disc will work well.

I still use my microwave discs from 6 years ago. I now use them to place the wet food upon when it is darn cold outside. It helps to keep the food from instantly freezing while the cats are eating. The heat discs still work really well.

Thank you again! So it looks like a little straw will go a long way; very long if she never uses it.

Hopefully she won't have an allergic reaction.

I'm definitely going to get one of those warming discs. If Kit Kit doesn't like it, and my senior doesn't like it, I would like something to put at the foot of my bed in the winter to warm my feet. Icicle toes when I go to bed is my least favorite part of cold weather. :lol:

susieqz · Aug 16, 2017

i thot i was being nice to my dog, adding straw to her house.
she spent an entire day nosing the straw out of her house.
she hated it.
i won't use it for my feral cat.

orange&white · Aug 17, 2017

susieqz said:
i thot i was being nice to my dog, adding straw to her house.
she spent an entire day nosing the straw out of her house.
she hated it.
i won't use it for my feral cat.

Well, maybe I'll just price straw and purchase only if it's really cheap, for a trial run. I'd hate for Kit Kit to get sneezy or just hate the stuff. I should be able to keep those little fleece blankets rotated out daily if they get damp.

shadowsrescue · Aug 17, 2017

I used to buy my straw in the fall when they had it for fall decorations. I could get a large bail for $5. I then stuffed the shelter(s) and kept the rest in my garage. When I first tried using straw, I had 2-3 shelters as I had more than one feral. It's all just trial and error. Many cats just love straw and love to burrow into it for warmth. My boys are just strange!

ondine · Aug 17, 2017

I used straw for all my outside houses and they were well-used. I would sprinkle a little diatomaceous earth in the straw and let it settle some (it is dusty). I always used food-grade. The stuff they use in swimming pool filters also has chemicals. It keeps bugs out of the bedding.

I have a friend who lines the bottoms of her houses with straw, then puts a fleece blanket on top. She washes the blankets every few days just to keep things clean.

orange&white · Aug 17, 2017

ondine said:
I used straw for all my outside houses and they were well-used. I would sprinkle a little diatomaceous earth in the straw and let it settle some (it is dusty). I always used food-grade. The stuff they use in swimming pool filters also has chemicals. It keeps bugs out of the bedding.

I have a friend who lines the bottoms of her houses with straw, then puts a fleece blanket on top. She washes the blankets every few days just to keep things clean.

Maybe I'll try the combo with straw and blankets. I'm not sure she'll ever see the benefit of walking into a "cube" again after being trapped and kenneled at the shelter, but she hasn't ever lived through a real cold front either.

I want to thank everybody for their input and would love any other suggestions as well! :thanks:

orange&white · Sep 12, 2017

Hobby Lobby has a small bundle of straw on for $3.00 (40% off). It said they were sold out online, but I just stopped into a store near me and they had oodles of it. At that low price, I don't care is Misfit uses it or not, but I'll make her a straw-stuffed shelter and let her decide.

This is what I bought:

They have larger bundles at $12.99 regular price, so 40% off would be $7.79 in case anyone is shopping for a deal on a small amount.

shadowsrescue · Sep 12, 2017

Be careful with using straw from a craft store. Often they can be treated with chemicals that you would not want your kitty to ingest. Look to see if it says that it is safe for animals on the packaging. When I bought straw I always found a farm stand or garden center. You want the straw to be as fresh as possible. The straw you bought might be ok. Just check the packaging well.

Willowy · Sep 12, 2017

That stuff looks good. Anything that would hurt animals would likely hurt flowers too, so they'd have to list it. Some craft-store "straw" bales are just raffia or paper :/. But that one looks like real straw.

orange&white · Sep 12, 2017

It says "Natural, Sun-baked Straw". I hope it's ok.

I saw it for around $10 on Amazon with a few reviews from people using it for feral cat shelters. It doesn't look like very much straw, but one reviewer said they were able to fill two multiple-cat shelters with it after fluffing it up.

I did shop around for sources before buying anything.

Tractor Supply doesn't carry the EZ-Straw "Just Straw". The only one they have is "EZ-Straw with Tack". I didn't think that would be good.

I was worried about some of the straw from smaller, regional farm supply stores being moldy or full of bugs. What I bought looks really clean.

Anyway, Misfit disappeared somewhere during the very worst of the winds and rain during the Hurricane Harvey storm. I think she has a preferred "safe place" (not my patio) when the going gets rough.

graywing · Sep 14, 2017

I haven't been able to get our last outside feral to use an outdoor house yet. I'll try the advice mentioned of trying to have one raised up somehow. Maybe that'll also help the other problem I've encountered. My neighbors have a couple loose chickens, a rooster and a hen, and the hen thought our outdoor cat house was perfect for laying eggs in. This is a problem I never thought I'd ever have to deal with. I live in a fairly mild climate though so maybe I won't have to worry too much.

Winter Feral Housing - Advantage To Straw Over Blankets?

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