Feral Caregivers: What Do You Do Differently In Summer?

[Anne]

I'm working on a new article on how to help feral cats during hot summer months. I already have a few ideas focusing on the basics: water, shade, food alerts and being extra careful with TNR.

I'd love to work in a few quotes and special tips from our members, so if you can think of anything or just share what you're doing differently during hot summer days, please post in this thread. Photos would be extra welcome too! Thank you!

 

[rescue53]

I put out water and change it daily, and make sure the feeding station area is dusted very lightly with 5% sevin dust to keep ants away. I hate chemicals but years ago i learned that % was safe . And even a hungry cat wont eat food crawling with ants. Also any cats im able to briefly touch get a dose of advantage multi or revolution.

 

[Anne]

Bumping and stickying for a few days! Also if anyone knows of a past thread on the topic with tips and stories, please let me know. I ran a quick search but couldn't find anything.

 

[catsknowme]

I apply Vaseline around the bottom of the feed dishes to discourage ants and I feed the main meal in the late afternoon because it is sunny here and gets very hot early on. In the winter, I feed the main meal in the morning after the sun has been up awhile and feed earlier in the afternoon so that the kitties can hunker down in their shelters before the cold sets in - living in the High Sierra means temperature extremes.

 

[msaimee]

I use an outdoor ant and bird proof pet feeder that costs about 20 dollars. The ordering site is linked on a few old threads which I can look up when I'm at my desk top computer. Someone had provided the link for me on this site a few years, and it was the only solution I had found to keep the starlings out of the cat food! I taped the cloth flap up so my cat didn't have to stick his head through, and it worked great. I also fed my cat more canned food and mixed it with more water. And of course I gave him monthly Frontline Plus treatments, dripping it on his shoulder blades while feeding him his favorite chicken breast. He would hiss, but it didn't bother him enough to stop eating or run away. In short: protect the dry free standing food from ants and birds by using an ant proof pet feeder, apply flea/tick protection, and keep kitty well hydrated.

 

[msaimee]

The link for the Carter ant free outdoor pet feeder doesn't seem to be working, but I found it on FaceBook. I hope they're still in business.

 

[pdgal9]

The link for the Carter ant free outdoor pet feeder doesn't seem to be working, but I found it on FaceBook. I hope they're still in business.

Wow, what an interesting feeder! Looks like it may be able to be DIY-ed if they're not being sold anymore.

 

[kittychick]

LOVE this question and the wide variety of answers! (just when I think I've heard it all -boy I haven't!).

To deter ants, and other creepy crawlies -- we put the bowl with their hard food in one bowl, then fill another, slightly larger bowl with water. We then set the smaller bowl with the food in it inside the larger bowl- - - in essence we made a little "bug moat" that keep the "keeping creepy crawlies" away from the food bowl! Seems to work - just make sure there's enough space around the smaller bowl so that it doesn't touch the larger bowl with the water in it - - if they touch, the ants figure out quickly they can walk right over where the bowls touch!

We obviously move their drinking water bowls a bit into areas that stay out of direct sun. We also found a silicone ice cube "tray" that makes several GIANT (like 3 inch x 3 inch at least!) cool square ice cubes - - and we place them in their water dishes. The kitties were nervous about the "giant funny thing in the water' for about a day or two - - but quickly figure out that the cubes are nothing to be scared of. And since cubes are so large - it's an added bonus that they take quite some time to melt!!! And an even bigger bonus that when we have company, everyone thinks they're super cool in their drinks!

 

[thecatzmeow]

I found these "ant proof" food bowls on Amazon that could be useful. I'm going to buy a couple. They also sell the "moat" design too (bowls surrounded by water).

 

[thecatzmeow]

Thanks for tip about giant ice cube trays. I'm picking up a couple of these.

 

[Norachan]

Slugs love dry cat food and will even crawl through the shallow dishes of water to get to it. You can make a slug trap by getting a plastic cup, digging a hole so that the rim of the cup is just above the surface of the ground and putting a few cm of beer in the cup. Slugs will be attracted to the beer rather than the food.

Good for feeding over night, when slugs and snails are more likely to be out.

 

[thecatzmeow]

Here's another anti-ant bowl design:

The Anti Ant Moated Pet Bowl - Hammacher Schlemmer