Outdoor Kittens And Cats And Behavior About A Winter Shelter

[dawn harvey]

Hi, I have a couple totes on my porch for outdoor cats/kittens (especially the young kittens). There is a lot of cats trying to use these, not the ones they are intended for either. How do you deal with competition for shelter? Originally they were put out there for a Momma kitty and her 4 kittens. One of them or maybe more is also peeing and pooping in one of them. This is very frustrating and tiresome to clean up. What can I do to solve this issue? I do this every year and have the same problem every year. My husband used to make them a house, but now he won't because every year it gets destroyed from the messes in it and the smell is impossible to get rid of. I put straw and insulation in the totes too and they are on a pallett. Hope someone can give me some help here! Oh forgot to add that I also have 2 litter boxes on porch. This is an op[en porch, not enclosed. Thanks

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. That is so sweet of you to provide protection for the cats in the winter!! Do they even use the litterboxes at all? Just curious.

I have no idea if there is really anything you could do to stop them from using the totes as their potty. Anything you would do to deter them from peeing/pooping in them would likely deter them from using them at all.

As far as the house your husband used to make, could there be two (yeah, I know, the NERVE of me - lol), and when one gets too smelly, replace it with the backup and then use enzymatic cleaners to remove the smell from the first one. It would then have time to dry before swapping them out again. I trust the straw and insulation are things you are already changing out from time to time?

I am sure other members will come along soon and have some ideas! I just wanted to thank you for being so kind!!

 

[shadowsrescue]

Are these kitties spayed/neutered? Are you sure it's the cats that are peeing/pooping in there and not other animals such as possum or raccoon?

Is it possible the smell is tomcat urine from a male cat not being neutered? Cats will spray to mark their territory. If the cats' aren't spayed/neutered this could be a reason.

Do you leave any food in the shelters? If so, something else could be getting into the shelters and making a mess. I cared for many ferals during the winter months and never had one make a mess.

I used a wireless ip camera and/or a trail camera to see what was happening with my ferals cats.

 

[dawn harvey]

Are these kitties spayed/neutered? Are you sure it's the cats that are peeing/pooping in there and not other animals such as possum or raccoon?

Is it possible the smell is tomcat urine from a male cat not being neutered? Cats will spray to mark their territory. If the cats' aren't spayed/neutered this could be a reason.

Do you leave any food in the shelters? If so, something else could be getting into the shelters and making a mess. I cared for many ferals during the winter months and never had one make a mess.

I used a wireless ip camera and/or a trail camera to see what was happening with my ferals cats.

No, these are kittens, not cats. It is them doing it. I can tell. I have been around enough of these guys to know. They are not spade/neutered. I am just trying to give them shelter and some food as we just got over a foot of snow. Every year this happens so I'm surprised nobody else has seen this type of behavior. I think that when it's too cold or they're scared they don't want to leave it, that's what I am starting to think. Thank you for the ideas!! I put the food in another type of shelter to protect it so it's not that either.

 

[dawn harvey]

Are these kitties spayed/neutered? Are you sure it's the cats that are peeing/pooping in there and not other animals such as possum or raccoon?

Is it possible the smell is tomcat urine from a male cat not being neutered? Cats will spray to mark their territory. If the cats' aren't spayed/neutered this could be a reason.

Do you leave any food in the shelters? If so, something else could be getting into the shelters and making a mess. I cared for many ferals during the winter months and never had one make a mess.

I used a wireless ip camera and/or a trail camera to see what was happening with my ferals cats.

No he most likely won't do that. We have helped kittens in the winter for many years and it's the same thing every single year and to be honest, I get sort of tired of all the work it causes. I hate seeing them suffer though. We have brutal winters here and that's why I help them. No, it's the kittens making the mess. I think it's all due to their age. Thank you..

 

[shadowsrescue]

If you do not spay/neuter these cats you are going to have hundreds of cats. By feeding them and offering shelter, you making them healthy so they can breed. Please consider doing TNR so that you can stop the breeding. You can contact a rescue group in your area for help if needed.

All of the work would greatly be reduced if you control the population.

 

[dawn harvey]

If you do not spay/neuter these cats you are going to have hundreds of cats. By feeding them and offering shelter, you making them healthy so they can breed. Please consider doing TNR so that you can stop the breeding. You can contact a rescue group in your area for help if needed.

All of the work would greatly be reduced if you control the population.

Oh I know that. I do spay/neuter as I can afford it. We have no TNR where I live, there is no program for it at all. Our city council shuts it down every single time someone starts up the topic. We don't even have animal control here right now. It is ridiculous and I agree with you totally, but the only help I get is through vouchers when they're available and I still am responsible for $100 give or take (depends upon the voucher). I do what I can believe me. And the entire town I live in is over run with cats. I just try to help them not suffer as much because their lives are very, very hard.

 

[dawn harvey]

Oh I know that. I do spay/neuter as I can afford it. We have no TNR where I live, there is no program for it at all. Our city council shuts it down every single time someone starts up the topic. We don't even have animal control here right now. It is ridiculous and I agree with you totally, but the only help I get is through vouchers when they're available and I still am responsible for $100 give or take (depends upon the voucher). I do what I can believe me. And the entire town I live in is over run with cats. I just try to help them not suffer as much because their lives are very, very hard.

And there is no rescue group in the immediate area that helps with that just the lower cost spay if you can get vouchers. And only 1 vet in this town accepts those vouchers. I have often thought of completely stopping the feeding of them, not just because I help them survive, but the wildlife they kill is awful and many species are having trouble surviving and cats kill a whole lot of birds which I hate.

 

[dawn harvey]

If you do not spay/neuter these cats you are going to have hundreds of cats. By feeding them and offering shelter, you making them healthy so they can breed. Please consider doing TNR so that you can stop the breeding. You can contact a rescue group in your area for help if needed.

All of the work would greatly be reduced if you control the population.

I wrote a couple replies, but one went back to my first reply, sorry! If you have any other advice on what I could do that is affordable for 1 person I would love any you had to offer. I am so tired of seeing them suffer and multiply. Last year I spaded 4 in a row and I still couldn't keep up with reproduction. People dump them and there are neighbors that let out their unneutered male cats which is just so irresponsible, but what can a person do when they do that? I have talked to her and she still does it. I don't know I am at my wit's end here. But besides doing some spay/neuter I foster kittens as I can (I have my own cats that don't like that) and if nobody gives them a home I put the in no kill shelters as they have room, which is also rare. You really cannot keep up with this because some cats I bet we don't even see. This is going to take all new laws if we want to do anything.

 

[fionasmom]

I think that you are doing a lot for those cats, probably as much as you can since you back is more or less to the wall in your circumstances. Out here, I have never had cats pee or poop in the container beds I make for them, but the cold where you are might be a factor. Unneutered males have sprayed from time to time and that can start something even with a female who is inclined to mark back again. I would also agree that you don't see all the cats who come around. It is completely upsetting and frustrating.

 

[dawn harvey]

I think that you are doing a lot for those cats, probably as much as you can since you back is more or less to the wall in your circumstances. Out here, I have never had cats pee or poop in the container beds I make for them, but the cold where you are might be a factor. Unneutered males have sprayed from time to time and that can start something even with a female who is inclined to mark back again. I would also agree that you don't see all the cats who come around. It is completely upsetting and frustrating.

Thank you for saying that as I try to look after them the best that I can. I think it's probably the cold too, we have bad winters where I live. It is so frustrating.... I mean I change those litter boxes daily, complete clean out and change so it has to be something else.

 

[fionasmom]

I am in LA so out here it would not make sense for any cat to be too cold to exit their shelter to use a litter box, but in extreme weather I believe it could be. And I do think that you are working very hard at helping these cats. Rescue work is never as smooth as it theoretically is supposed to be and you don't win them all.