How To Keep Stray Warm In The Cold

[kittiekate89]

One of the strays I have been feeding has taken residence in this wooden cat house we have.
She is soo tiny, skinny and has thin fur so I highly doubt she is very warm. I've put blakents in it but that's the best I've come up with.
It's very cold here and quite a bit of snow.
What can I do to make/keep her warm??

Want to add the house is solid wood.
Also, as much as I would like, she can not come in the house or garage.

 

[kittychick]

Hopefully more people will offer ideas since I'm an hour past sleep-deprived Lots of us on here house ferals/strays - - so keeping them warm is a subject that comes up alot!

First I want to say thanks for worrying about her and wanting to help her - - that's the best start! You're probably very right - even a fluffy cat with tons of winter fat has to work hard to stay warm in winter. What size is the wooden house? The smaller the better (to an extent) because smaller keeps her own body heat contained the best. If it's not already off of the ground - it'll be warmer for her if you can at least put some bricks or anything solid (make sure it doesn'tt make the house wobbly - that'll scare her). Getting it off the ground - even a few inches - keeps the bottom of the house from being right on the ground, which pulls the warmth out (especially a wooden house - if it's directly on the ground the bottom would tend to get damp, again making it colder for her).

I know blankets sound best because it's what we use to keep warm as humans. Unfortunately it's not best for her - because if the blankets get even slightly wet (like if she gets a little damp in snow or rain), the blankets will freeze and again, it will actually make it colder. The best thing to do is cover the bottom - - and up the sides - - with lots of straw (but I always push the straw down in the center to make a little nest - it'll help her get the idea). It has to be straw though - not hay. Straw's very cheap - - - most greenhouses carry straw, as do some home centers (if you're in the US - like a Home Depot), or Tractor Supply. Call around first. If you really can't find any - the other option is to purchase some at a craft store - they sometimes have small decorative bales - - but it's far more expensive that way. (Actually - if you can place several bales all around the house - that provides a lot of insulation!)

If you have access to electricity, you can also provide her with a special animal outdoor heated pad (just google "outdoor electric heated pet pad" - they come in multiple sizes). They're not cheap so look around online - but it'll help warm her significantly. Do NOT use a human heating pad - - -they get way too hot - even on low - for her to sleep on.

If you don't have access to electricity or can't afford one of those pads - you can try a "Snuggle Safe Pet Bed Microwave Heating Pad." They look a little like two frisbees glued together - and they have a soft cover. You microwave them and put them in her house - -- the downside is that they don't stay heated too long (I've never had one last as long as the packages claim)....and if she's scared by you approaching her in the house, you'll have to get the disc a few times a day to reheat and put it back with her.

An even cheaper option to the electric pad is a "Self-Warming Pet Pad." I've never used one - but some people on here swear by them.

There are even more "tricks" to warming her - - - - hopefully others will weigh in!

She'll also be warmer if she's got some weight on her, as the fat will insulate her. Do you provide her food and water? It's obviously really important - the more food you can get her to eat the better. Make sure she has access to water that's not frozen (you can find electric heated water bowls) - - if you can't do that, make sure to break the ice off the top of her water often. Are you able to pet her? If so - is it possible to get her checked out by a vet? It's highly likely she has worms - which are very treatable. If she's friendly, is it possible to start looking for someone (only because you aren't able to) who can provide her an inside home? It's SO much safer for her, and she'll live a longer, safer, more comfortable life.

And if she's not already been spayed - - - it's important to do so. Unless you can let her heal in a warm inside location, you'll need to wait until the weather warms up, but it's critical she's spayed. Spayed cats are in general much healthier and live longer (plus the world doesn't need more unwanted kittens!). If she's that tiny and skinny, birth might be very hard on her. Depending on how handleable she is - - - if she's not too handleable, people on this site can offer help in how to get her to a low cost vet clinic.

I'm SO glad you're taking care of her - - keep us posted on here how things are going! And here are two links to a little more info on keeping her warm -- hope they help! The first link is to another great site that's done by a group called Alley Cat Allies - and they have alot of info on their site about keeping outdoor cats safe and healthy. And use this group here - - -- it's full of people with lots of information and experience!

Providing Shelter

Top Ten Tips: Caring For Ferals in Winter

 

[shadowsrescue]

If you do a search on feral cat shelters you will come up with lots and lots. Here are some of the shelters I have used throughout the years.

Shelters

 

[di and bob]

Food is one of the most important things to keep a cat warm, they use a LOT of extra calories trying to keep warm.I know the heated electric pads are somewhat expensive, the small outdoor ones on Amazon are are around 30.00 and you can get them on sale often at Farm stores such as Orschelns and Tractor Supply. They work absolutely wonderfully, and last for many years, mine are going on 8. They only use a few watts of electricity. just make sure they are covered with a fleece blanket or cover. They have to be checked once in awhile because the cats can bury them too deep and they warm up too much. I check all 5 of mine at least once a week. the heat actually dries any moisture that gets on the blankets too. Mine are constantly in use. Or use the straw, but over the years, buying it can add up too. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[foxxycat]

good ideas here folks.

yes first=get that house OFF the ground. Use whatever you need to do. buy some 4x4 boards at home depot and put them underneath. bricks. anything. because when it rains/snows we don't want that getting inside the house.

and yes STRAW is best. I know it feels itchy and uncomfortable but it's best for outdoors. besides you can make a nest inside the house or even layer it around the outter edges inside to make a cocoon like sleeping area. some people lean pieces of plywood across the house as added wind breaker and snow protector- it will help cut on wind on the house which will keep it warmer.

Also if you know any builders=get some tyvek material- wrap the house with it-it's an insulator-we use it on our homes= it really is a great barrier for the weather-seems this year we have winter early. In my area it is 2°F this morning...wow is that cold..also if you have a deck= move the house UNDERNEATH the deck=this will help give more protection from elements as well as getting it off the ground-we don't want it to freeze into the ground.

 

[kiggy]

I bought a feral villa which is filled with straw. I placed the villa under my garden trug and have two layers of waterproof canvas on that with a zipper which is closed so she can get inside but a bigger animal can't.
Feralvilla Outdoor Cat Shelter II

I also have a second cat shelter I bought called Kitty tube. This one is also filled with straw for the winter. In the spring I remove the straw and the cat will use it during the spring, summer, and fall to get out of the rain.
Fully Insulated Outdoor Cat House | The Kitty Tube

Both of these houses are insulated. The villa has the sleeping area in an upper section which keeps cats off of the ground. My feral likes the one under the trug best.

 

[kittychick]

Interestingly - we provide almost everything I suggested. Two insulated houses in our garage, with heated outdoor-rated cat heating pads both on floor and attached to side of the shelter so they can lie on the heated floor AND cuddle against the wall for warmth, the walls are also covered on the inside with a layer of styrofoam insulation that my husband covered in the reflective warming sheets, shelters are filled with added straw, and then shelters wrapped in multiple blankets to provide as much insulation as we can so that only opening heat can escape from are the shelter doors. Guess what they basically fight over who gets to sleep on? A stack of patio furniture (the chairs) that we bring into the garage in the winter. The first two get those - the two latecomers get the radically insulated houses??? We finally gave in and this year wrapped the stacks of chairs in insulation, swapped out the chair pads for heated cat pads, and stuffed in straw. And once again this year - - first two who finish eating out of our four ferals run for the chair stacks, the two slower eaters - the ones who "lose" the race for the chairs, have to "tough it out" in the nice houses. One of our guys often STILL chooses a dogloo that we lined with insulation, put in a heated pet bed and straw and added an acrylic door to provide a windbreak. By far though it's the coldest sleeping option - because it's alot of space so the heat isn't trapped well. And yet our one feral, Crosby, rotates through ALL the options - and often chooses the dogloo.

In other words - - - - do your best to provide the most shelter you can, but don't be surprised if it's not always used And definitely feed feed feed!

Would love to hear how things are for the little one!

 

[DianeCF]

Hopefully more people will offer ideas since I'm an hour past sleep-deprived Lots of us on here house ferals/strays - - so keeping them warm is a subject that comes up alot!

First I want to say thanks for worrying about her and wanting to help her - - that's the best start! You're probably very right - even a fluffy cat with tons of winter fat has to work hard to stay warm in winter. What size is the wooden house? The smaller the better (to an extent) because smaller keeps her own body heat contained the best. If it's not already off of the ground - it'll be warmer for her if you can at least put some bricks or anything solid (make sure it doesn'tt make the house wobbly - that'll scare her). Getting it off the ground - even a few inches - keeps the bottom of the house from being right on the ground, which pulls the warmth out (especially a wooden house - if it's directly on the ground the bottom would tend to get damp, again making it colder for her).

I know blankets sound best because it's what we use to keep warm as humans. Unfortunately it's not best for her - because if the blankets get even slightly wet (like if she gets a little damp in snow or rain), the blankets will freeze and again, it will actually make it colder. The best thing to do is cover the bottom - - and up the sides - - with lots of straw (but I always push the straw down in the center to make a little nest - it'll help her get the idea). It has to be straw though - not hay. Straw's very cheap - - - most greenhouses carry straw, as do some home centers (if you're in the US - like a Home Depot), or Tractor Supply. Call around first. If you really can't find any - the other option is to purchase some at a craft store - they sometimes have small decorative bales - - but it's far more expensive that way. (Actually - if you can place several bales all around the house - that provides a lot of insulation!)

If you have access to electricity, you can also provide her with a special animal outdoor heated pad (just google "outdoor electric heated pet pad" - they come in multiple sizes). They're not cheap so look around online - but it'll help warm her significantly. Do NOT use a human heating pad - - -they get way too hot - even on low - for her to sleep on.

If you don't have access to electricity or can't afford one of those pads - you can try a "Snuggle Safe Pet Bed Microwave Heating Pad." They look a little like two frisbees glued together - and they have a soft cover. You microwave them and put them in her house - -- the downside is that they don't stay heated too long (I've never had one last as long as the packages claim)....and if she's scared by you approaching her in the house, you'll have to get the disc a few times a day to reheat and put it back with her.

An even cheaper option to the electric pad is a "Self-Warming Pet Pad." I've never used one - but some people on here swear by them.

There are even more "tricks" to warming her - - - - hopefully others will weigh in!

She'll also be warmer if she's got some weight on her, as the fat will insulate her. Do you provide her food and water? It's obviously really important - the more food you can get her to eat the better. Make sure she has access to water that's not frozen (you can find electric heated water bowls) - - if you can't do that, make sure to break the ice off the top of her water often. Are you able to pet her? If so - is it possible to get her checked out by a vet? It's highly likely she has worms - which are very treatable. If she's friendly, is it possible to start looking for someone (only because you aren't able to) who can provide her an inside home? It's SO much safer for her, and she'll live a longer, safer, more comfortable life.

And if she's not already been spayed - - - it's important to do so. Unless you can let her heal in a warm inside location, you'll need to wait until the weather warms up, but it's critical she's spayed. Spayed cats are in general much healthier and live longer (plus the world doesn't need more unwanted kittens!). If she's that tiny and skinny, birth might be very hard on her. Depending on how handleable she is - - - if she's not too handleable, people on this site can offer help in how to get her to a low cost vet clinic.

I'm SO glad you're taking care of her - - keep us posted on here how things are going! And here are two links to a little more info on keeping her warm -- hope they help! The first link is to another great site that's done by a group called Alley Cat Allies - and they have alot of info on their site about keeping outdoor cats safe and healthy. And use this group here - - -- it's full of people with lots of information and experience!

Providing Shelter

Top Ten Tips: Caring For Ferals in Winter

Hi, Is it safe to use an electric heater with the straw? i hear that straw is very flammable.

 

[trudy1]

No I wouldn't think so. They are usually based on heating some kind of element which glows, air passes over it via a fan , etc. The better ones do have a level sensor which shut the thing off when tipped over.
It really depends on the proximity to the hay. If it was knocked over into the hay or hay has thrown into the unit by playful cats.....fire

If you have a walled in structure you are using like a dog house you could buy a small heat lamp bulb and holder that has wire in the front, suspend it from a corner of the ceiling where the hay wouldn't make contact. The down side is it's on all the time and lights up the area with a red light. But small heat lamps are fairly cheap to buy and to run.

 

[Shar371]

I've gotta say, for our little colony, we've had a lot of "rejected" shelters. My parents finally decided to leave the garage cracked partway at night (we feed outside) so that the colony can run in there. The garage is sort of my dad's man-cave, though, with carpet under workout equipment and a little seating area with four padded chairs. They usually fight over the chairs, or curl under his toolbox (I can't even begin to say how many kittens we've found sheltered there after storms).

Oh well, it works, right?

 

[kittychick]

D DianeCF - I think multiple people already answered this (I just skimmed through between meetings) - but "human heaters" (like space heaters - - and even human heating pads) definitely aren't safe for the kitties. Space heaters and straw definitely be a fire waiting to happen (and remember to use straw vs hay). And human heating pads really do get too hot - even on low - for kitties. The cats can actually get burned sleeping on a human heating pad. But the outdoor rated animal heating pads are extremely low heat/wattage - - I think they barely feel warm to the touch. But they do get warmer as the kitty puts pressure on them, and they absolutely make a big difference for the kitty.

We've got several kinds we've used - - we have these two in our cat shelters in the cold weather. Here are the links to the two I've kind of settled on.

And I'd love to hear if anyone has actually installed one of the heating bulbs w/the can set-up, or even one of the "Hound Heaters." I definitely worry about fires/burns with those (I think because my grandfather was a farmer and he had an entire barn burn down due to one of those red bulb heat lamps in a pen with piglets - none of which survived. I know that makes me gushy - - - so I'd love to hear from someone who's had a better experience with them.

Despite all that we do for them, in this extreme cold (-15 F with windchill here this morning!) I still worry we haven't done enough. It's so cold this morning that only of our 4 ferals would come out of their shelters for soft food - - which froze solid in the 10 minutes I was out with them!

I hope all goes well - keep us posted!

 

[kittychick]

It helps if I actually add the links to the heated pads that I say I have Here are links to the two we use - - search online for them - they're not cheap, but sites do put them on sale periodically. Ours do seem to prefer the soft one (understandably!) but the second one feels a little warmer.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/K-H-Lectro-Soft-Outdoor-Heated-Bed/15262519

 

[shadowsrescue]

I have used both the heating bulb and a hound heater. I much prefer the hound heater. They both work best in insulated shelters built out of wood. They also have to be kept out of the elements. So they must be under an awning or in a shed.
When using the hound heaters in the insulated cat houses, it would keep the temperature up to 40 degrees warmer than air temperature. I also used heat pads on the bottom of the shelter.

I kept wireless thermometers in the heated houses so I could monitor the temperature. Last winter my DH and Ds built a component that attached to the hound heater to adjust the temperature. It was amazing.

There are two kinds of hound heaters. I prefer the Deluxe as you can adjust the heat from low/med/high. The regular hound heater is just always on high. I used these for 4 winters and never had the bulb go out.

I first started with an heating bulb that had a black paint can with holes over it. It did put out heat, but I was so worried the bulb would burn out. It also was not nearly as warm as the hound heater.

Here is some information from my blog on the shelters I have used along with directions to make the heated house.
Shelters

 

[kittychick]

Thanks so much shadowsrescue ! I hadn't heard any direct comments on either heat options. I'll definitely check out the blog (I keep meaning to anyway - this'll remind me to actually DO it!). I saw one shelter a few days ago that someone had added rope lighting around the inside of his shelters - - it raised the inside temp by something like 30 degrees!?!? I will say that I laughed out loud at some of the comments - multiple people asked why he used lights in the shelter since "cats don't need to read at night." Sadly - I think they were serious. Hubby and I talked about trying that - but we started talking about how constant bright light is a method used for torture - - I definitely don't want our guys to feel like they're in solitary confinement!

I know Hound Heaters aren't cheap - but I try to remind my hubby that peace of mind has no price limit, right? Knowing our guys --I'd probably buy one and they'd still use the "ghetto kitty condo" of the two sets of two stacked chairs brought into the garage for the winter. As opposed to the two not-cheap actual heated cat shelters with heated pads, triple insulated walls, etc. how

My hubby actually laughed last night - - as the temp keeps dropping, I keep adding things to the two sets of stacked chairs (I started out with replacing the chair cushions, then added as much straw as possible around the edges...then cut actual insulation to fit into the space with just enough room for them to come and go....then wrapped the outside of the chairs with more insulation...then added 2 blankets wrapped around the outside of both stacks...and this morning added even more blankets...that corner of the garage ooks like a giant pile of blankets now!).

 

[MJO12]

Swimming pool solar heat covers. You can buy them online. $30 for a roll. Cut and tape them to the cat house. I heard that the ones with the silver coating are best, but they are more expensive. So far I've bought the blue ones that look like bubble wrap. They heat up in the sun and the bubbles hold heat at night. Not as good as an electric heater, but I don't have outdoor plugs.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Swimming pool solar heat covers. You can buy them online. $30 for a roll. Cut and tape them to the cat house. I heard that the ones with the silver coating are best, but they are more expensive. So far I've bought the blue ones that look like bubble wrap. They heat up in the sun and the bubbles hold heat at night. Not as good as an electric heater, but I don't have outdoor plugs.

I tried this years ago. It did warm the shelters up during the day, but as soon as the sun went down, the cold settled right back in. I think the issue with many of our shelters is that we have to have entrance and exits. Having doors that remain open just do not do well in retaining heat. If you are lucky and are able to keep a door closed, it would certainly work in helping to retain the heat.

 

[dustydiamond1]

How is the cat?

 

[DianeCF]

No I wouldn't think so. They are usually based on heating some kind of element which glows, air passes over it via a fan , etc. The better ones do have a level sensor which shut the thing off when tipped over.
It really depends on the proximity to the hay. If it was knocked over into the hay or hay has thrown into the unit by playful cats.....fire

If you have a walled in structure you are using like a dog house you could buy a small heat lamp bulb and holder that has wire in the front, suspend it from a corner of the ceiling where the hay wouldn't make contact. The down side is it's on all the time and lights up the area with a red light. But small heat lamps are fairly cheap to buy and to run.

Thank you very much!

 

[ArchyCat]

Kittenkate89 -- So how fairs the kitty? Please let us know.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Thanks so much shadowsrescue ! I hadn't heard any direct comments on either heat options. I'll definitely check out the blog (I keep meaning to anyway - this'll remind me to actually DO it!). I saw one shelter a few days ago that someone had added rope lighting around the inside of his shelters - - it raised the inside temp by something like 30 degrees!?!? I will say that I laughed out loud at some of the comments - multiple people asked why he used lights in the shelter since "cats don't need to read at night." Sadly - I think they were serious. Hubby and I talked about trying that - but we started talking about how constant bright light is a method used for torture - - I definitely don't want our guys to feel like they're in solitary confinement!

I know Hound Heaters aren't cheap - but I try to remind my hubby that peace of mind has no price limit, right? Knowing our guys --I'd probably buy one and they'd still use the "ghetto kitty condo" of the two sets of two stacked chairs brought into the garage for the winter. As opposed to the two not-cheap actual heated cat shelters with heated pads, triple insulated walls, etc. how

My hubby actually laughed last night - - as the temp keeps dropping, I keep adding things to the two sets of stacked chairs (I started out with replacing the chair cushions, then added as much straw as possible around the edges...then cut actual insulation to fit into the space with just enough room for them to come and go....then wrapped the outside of the chairs with more insulation...then added 2 blankets wrapped around the outside of both stacks...and this morning added even more blankets...that corner of the garage ooks like a giant pile of blankets now!).

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