What Can I Use To Create A Little Bit Of Heat Inside The Cat Shelters

myfamily

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I have 5 shelters. They are stryofoam boxes with straw inside. The entrance is a gaping hole which lets out a lot of heat. I didn't cut the holes otherwise I probably would have made them smaller. Regardless, I would like to put something battery-operated inside the boxes to generate a bit more warmth for them. I have been racking my brains, but can't think of anything. They are located in areas without access to electricity. Thanks.
 

Furballsmom

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Hi!
There are cushions that are thermal and would radiate the cats' body heat, if they would use them...I don't know if there are ones that are ok to use outside/in wet conditions.
 

shadowsrescue

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You can buy microwave heat discs, heat them in the microwave each night and bury them in the straw. Yet the self warming pads work pretty well too. As far as the gaping hole, some times people have luck putting up a flap that helps to shield some of the wind. The problem is being sure the cats are ok with the flap.
 

Bookish1

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Hi there! You could always put a self warming mat or bed inside your shelters. Some are relatively inexpensive, and work well.
I love that you have made a place for those poor kitties to keep warm.
 

nunnc84

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I have 5 shelters. They are stryofoam boxes with straw inside. The entrance is a gaping hole which lets out a lot of heat. I didn't cut the holes otherwise I probably would have made them smaller. Regardless, I would like to put something battery-operated inside the boxes to generate a bit more warmth for them. I have been racking my brains, but can't think of anything. They are located in areas without access to electricity. Thanks.
Well, the average DIY kitty shelter has a plastic tub, styrofoam, an opening, tape, and straw. See link: How to Build an Outdoor Shelter

Here are multiple kitty shelters that may cost a bit. Someone has already reviewed the pros and cons:
Feral Cat Shelter Options

Personally I prefer the kitty tube: The Kitty Tube Generation 3 – with Straw Only | Free Shipping
They also sell a heating pad that needs to be plugged in.
SAFE Low Voltage Outdoor Heating Pad | Free Shipping

Sorry, I'm not much help. Here is advice from a vet:
How to Help Outdoor Cats Stay Warm and Safe in Winter Weather
 

1 bruce 1

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We use heat lamps, but without electricity this is pointless suggestion.

A little battery operated light of any sort would probably work, those push button closet lights might do wonders....depending on the size of the box, a little battery light can put out a lot of heat. A big box will hold less heat than a small box, so depending on the size of the shelters, this will be something to think about.
Another option is leaving about 3/4 or less of the door frame open, but placing something like a heavy blanket or tarp to minimize the size of the gap. They can still see in, fit through, but the doorway gaps is much smaller and lets out less heat.
Consider your location and aim the doorways near anything like a building, tree, etc., to minimize wind gusts.
 

Q2U

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Here is my feral cat shelter which I made out of a deck box with a CatMate swinging door on each end...

Andy And The Feral Cat Shelter

I have the doors propped open presently to encourage the feral colony to enter and explore. It has 8 inches of hay in the bottom and the cats make little round nests in the hay.

I searched and searched for heaters but I never found anything I was confident would be safe and also work effectively. I finally decided to just go with the swinging weather proof doors and a large bed if hay.

Here is feral male “OhDee” sleeping in myshelter tonight...

662E0564-EB37-4A69-A7E8-42D0BE1EE9BA.jpeg
 

Bookish1

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Here is my feral cat shelter which I made out of a deck box with a CatMate swinging door on each end...

Andy And The Feral Cat Shelter

I have the doors propped open presently to encourage the feral colony to enter and explore. It has 8 inches of hay in the bottom and the cats make little round nests in the hay.

I searched and searched for heaters but I never found anything I was confident would be safe and also work effectively. I finally decided to just go with the swinging weather proof doors and a large bed if hay.

Here is feral male “OhDee” sleeping in myshelter tonight...

View attachment 262956
That just melts my heart.
 

Willowy

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Being dry and out of the wind is enough for healthy cats. They have fur for a reason :D. Straw is the best bedding; the hollow straws hold a lot of heat. Aspen wood chips are OK too. Polyester fleece blankets are acceptable. Don't use other kinds of blankets though; they hold moisture and just make things colder. Since the problem with your shelters seems to be the openings, try placing them in a larger plastic tote so that the opening isn't out in the wind, or putting some heavier plastic over the opening.
 

msaimee

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You can purchase mylar sheets at a Dick's sporting store. These are thin emergency sheets for people stuck outside in cold weather, you can line a pet house with them. You can also purchase a self warming cushion for them from Amazon or eBay, which is basically a cushion filled with mylar. Putting some straw on top and around it will absorb moisture from snow and rain. I drape blankets and towels over the top of my cat's pet house, covering over half the entrance and exit holes. When bitterly cold and windy, I drape my sleeping bag over it, entirely covering exit and covering two thirds of entrance holes, allowing enough room for cat to slink under. And where I live, it does get cold enough to kill a cat without a warm shelter--we get wind chills 20 below zero and a foot of snow sometimes - - and fur is not adequate protection. Remember to give extra food during winter because the cats burn extra calories regulating their body temperature.

20181121_162516.jpg
 

Jilly Bean 47

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I have 5 shelters. They are stryofoam boxes with straw inside. The entrance is a gaping hole which lets out a lot of heat. I didn't cut the holes otherwise I probably would have made them smaller. Regardless, I would like to put something battery-operated inside the boxes to generate a bit more warmth for them. I have been racking my brains, but can't think of anything. They are located in areas without access to electricity. Thanks.
hi there. I live in an area where strays get. Dropped off so I’m up to about 12 to 15 strays right now. So I’ve been brainstorming the same thing and I have two ideas for you. One is a rubber bottle filled with hot water. You can find these on Amazon or fairly cheap 10 to 15 bucks. It’s a 2 L rubber bottle that you can put boiling water in and it stays hot for a long time of course you would have to be careful about covering it or putting it inside of some thing so they couldn’t bust the bag. Also what about handwarmers? They say they last up to 10 hours which would be plenty for overnight. I’m trying the handwarmers tonight I’m gonna put them underneath a blanket that I have out for him inside of a shelter and we’ll see how that goes!
 

jsyb

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We also have several styrafoam + straw & styrafoam + straw + plastic tub-over cathouses. For the ones that had too large of an opening, I found additional styrafoam to shrink the opening (enough to create a 6x6 round opening) ductaped it in place, and then taped slitted bubblewrap over the 6" holes. Catos were good with that last year with exceptional snowfall & -low temps & WIND. I purchased 2 K&N outdoor heat pads this year, but they say not to use with straw, so trying to figure out a safe plan there yet as I think the straw is comfy if not warm enough.
 

catsknowme

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You could try hunting equipment like battery heated seat cushions. I plan to try those but haven't had the budget to get any yet. They use a USB battery pack. If you are able to try them, please let me know how they work out!
For those kitties who have electrical power available, I use an outdoor doghouse heated pad but I place it under the shelter not directly in contact with the bedding because I worry about fire.
 
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