The Blizzard and my ferals

meowmmy_aprile

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We have a major, historic snow storm looming today. They are talking of up to 2 feet or more of snow for us and up to 60mph winds.

I am worried to death about my ferals. 

I have put out heated kennel pads in their shelters near the house and tried to cover the openings so the snow wont blow in but they can still get in and out. I am not confident they are going to use these as I haven't even seen them this morning, The snow is starting soon and I believe they have already hunkered down somewhere.

I live on 35 acres of woods and they have multiple dens out there that I know they use, My husband and I went out this morning with snow markers marking the entrance areas that we know about so that we can keep clearing the snow away as the storm progresses so that they don't get buried in. That is my biggest fear is that someone is going to get trapped in a den that I am not aware of as it will be weeks before the snow melts down enough to get out.

A few of them are older ferals who are atleast 8 years old as they have been with me since 2005. Unfortunately they have never tamed enough for me to handle past the TNR. They are the old die hard ferals.  I worry this will be more than they can handle as I have seen them start to look old and slow down alot this past year.

I put feeders at the opening of the dens and on my porch that I can check and refresh as needed.

Is there anything you all can think of to help me keep them safe through this?
 

ritz

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This is another thread with similar questions and answers.

I recommend try periodically shoveling some type of path to/from the dens.  Is your porch enclosed--could/would any of the feral cats retreat there, especially after a lot of snow has fallen. 

I think cats can sense when a big storm is coming, and you're right, they do hunker down.  If a cat can fit his head into an opening, he can fit his entire body.  So they can escape into places we'd never think or (or seen before).

Lots of vibes...
 

feralvr

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When we had that gigantic blizzard with seven feet of snow a few years back :eek: I was SO worried about the feral cats and called my "mentor" feral cat expert!!! She said that the feral cats actually stay quite warm burrowed somewhere underneath all of that snow. Like igloos!! They just hunker down and basically hibernate for a bit. She said not to worry that they would survive the storms during the winter months. I just shoveled a path from the shelter to my deck. I do have a thread somewhere with pictures of that storm and the feral shelter I had at the time. A few days after the storm, I saw the paw prints and started seeing the cats coming for food looking perfectly fine and well rested unlike me due to the worrying. :lol3: I think we worry more than we should about them but we just can't help ourselves. :hugs:
 
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jtbo

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I guess worrying is caring :)

7 foot of snow, that is bit insane, I don't think here ever comes that much, yet alone in one storm :-o
 
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