When Do Kittens Get Too Hot?

[firestar246]

So we have a shipping container on our property. A stray cat showed up about a month ago or so and exactly two weeks ago had five adorable kittens in the very back of the container. The stray is super friendly and lets us handle them and such. Though if we bring them outside, she will meow until we put them back (or put them on the ground, in which she'll pick them up herself and put them back).

Now since the container is solid metal, it gets quite hot down in the back. The next few days are going to be in the 90's so it's going to probably get over 100 in there. The kittens seem fine so far; I did notice though yesterday they were all sleeping separately. I know kittens need to be warm, so I'm just wondering if they can get too hot.

We can't bring them in the house, because we have two other cats (they stay in all night and we try to keep them out all day). The stray doesn't get along with them. We have a small shed-like building also, with a lot more ventilation. It stays about the outside temp. in there. However, it's closer to the house and our other cats. I'm afraid if I stick them in there the cat-fights will start. Also, I've tried moving the kittens before and mother just brings them back. Oh, and we also have a stray dog (we're suckers for animals ) which we keep outside chained all the time. She seems friendly and just wants to play (as far as we can tell), but of course the cats will have no part in it. The shipping container is far away from the dog to not cause a problem, but the shed is a lot closer. The dog can't reach it on the chain, but probably close enough to worry the stray.

So all of this just to ask will the kittens be safe in the container with the heat? There's not really anywhere else I can think of at the moment to keep them.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! Welcome!! maybe something here will help
How To Keep Cats Cool

 

[firestar246]

Thanks! Many of the tips there had to do with keeping the water cool. However, since the kittens are only 2 weeks old, they're not drinking water yet. Also some mentioned using fans, which is impossible due to the distance the shipping container is to the house (I would need like 10 extension cords).

Is it normal for the kittens to breath quickly? I noticed when sleeping their stomachs are moving quite rapidly. We've had kittens before, but I can't remember if this is normal.

I tried moving the kittens closer to the front of the container (it's not as hot there), but the mother just moved them back. They seem to be fine right now; they're sleeping close together and such ( I would think they would sleep separately if hot) but not sure what the warning signs would be for kittens if they're too hot.

 

[KarenKat]

Wow, this is a toughie. The best case would be convince mom and kittens to move, but I've never dealt with kittens or mom cats before, and based on the story it seems unlikely. I'd worry that if you moved them outside and closed them off, they might find an unknown new spot. Maybe you can bring them into the house and close them off from the other cats? At least until the heatwave passes?

I know thermal engineering much better, as that was my last job. Shipping containers are quite different from what I worked on though, lol, so I will do my best.

The second best idea would be to cool the shipping container, and it sounds like active cooling (AC or fans) won't work due to the distance (maybe a super long extension cord?). If you could rig up fans, you would want one inside pushing the hot air out and one outside pushing the cooler air in.

Passive cooling might work, if you could have something large and cold inside the container. A large block of ice would be awesome, if available. Or maybe a kiddie pool filled with ice and cold water. Not sure how well this would work, or how often you would need to exchange the water with new colder water. This might simply be too complicated to do in such a short timespan.

Good luck, hopefully the kitties can stay cool!

 

[StefanZ]

Set up white paint or a white sheet on the south and south west walls of the container?

Black on the north side.

Ps if the dog is chained he is no stray he is ex stray now your chained outside dog.

 

[StefanZ]

Spraying the container with water should help some. The water going into wapor chills off the rests. If the roof is horistonal and water stays on it, it should do the trick.
Or have some sheets on the container - perhaps these white and black ones mentioned, and have water on them. Idea: Oh, let the sheets begin in buckets of water. Water will draw into the sheets, and get vaporized, drawing on more water - and chilling off the rest...
Should work.


You can prob do something similiar with the dogs hut.
As he is chained, you must think on his comfort too.

 

[Furballsmom]

Oh, StefanZ has great ideas!! Good luck let us know how they do

 

[Pjg8r]

Is there any way to raise the back of the container slightly to encourage them to move closer to the open end?

 

[firestar246]

Sorry guys, I stopped getting e-mails and kinda forgot about the thread.

Stefan: the dog doesn't have a hut, she stays on the porch. We don't have anyplace else to keep her right now (trying to give her to a dog shelter, but they're all full around here).

Also about the sheets, water and Pjg8r comment, I'm not sure if you grasp the size of the container. They're the big metal cases they put on ships, basically large trailers. I'm 6'2", and I can stand in it fine with about another foot of space above me. I did try moving the kittens closer to the front, but the mother moved them back.

The hotter days have gone by. I checked the kittens frequently and they seemed fine with the heat. It was cool during the nights which cooled down the container, until the afternoon, when it got hot. Also, we had a couple rain showers which also cooled it down.

It got really hot in there sometimes, probably close to 100, but the kittens seemed fine, even the fluffy one. Even during the hottest days, they would sleep with each other. I'd take them outside a couple times.

They're starting to try to get out of the box they're in (one actually managed to somehow), and with all the boxes stored in there, I don't want them to get trapped. I'll probably try to move them to the empty shed within a week or so.

I'm just hoping there are any critters around that'll try to get them. We did see an oppossum a few times, but haven't seen him in a few weeks; but I don't think he'd go after them anyways.

Thanks for the tips everyone! Even if some of them weren't useful for this scenario, they're good to think about for the future.

 

[Furballsmom]

Thanks for the tips everyone! Even if some of them weren't useful for this scenario, they're good to think about for the future.

Thanks so very much for the update and the news! Good luck with the move, hopefully mama will let you

 

[LTS3]

I'm not sure if you grasp the size of the container. They're the big metal cases they put on ships, basically large trailers. I'm 6'2", and I can stand in it fine with about another foot of space above me.

Something like this?

 

[talkingpeanut]

What do you plan to do with the kittens and mom when it’s time to rehome and spay/neuter?

 

[firestar246]

Something like this?

Yes, very similar. Our's is probably 1 1/2 to 2 times as long and only has doors on one end, not both.

What do you plan to do with the kittens and mom when it’s time to rehome and spay/neuter?

Not sure yet... I'm hoping to keep one or two of the kittens, probably the mother also. I'm talking to friends around hoping some will take them. Not sure yet how we're going to spay/neuter them yet. Can't afford to do it to all six cats, maybe just the mother.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Where are you located? We can help you to find a low cost clinic in your area.

 

[firestar246]

Where are you located? We can help you to find a low cost clinic in your area.

Mountain Grove, Missouri

 

[jenmunoz]

Wow, this is a toughie. The best case would be convince mom and kittens to move, but I've never dealt with kittens or mom cats before, and based on the story it seems unlikely. I'd worry that if you moved them outside and closed them off, they might find an unknown new spot. Maybe you can bring them into the house and close them off from the other cats? At least until the heatwave passes?

I know thermal engineering much better, as that was my last job. Shipping containers are quite different from what I worked on though, lol, so I will do my best.

The second best idea would be to cool the shipping container, and it sounds like active cooling (AC or fans) won't work due to the distance (maybe a super long extension cord?). If you could rig up fans, you would want one inside pushing the hot air out and one outside pushing the cooler air in.

Passive cooling might work, if you could have something large and cold inside the container. A large block of ice would be awesome, if available. Or maybe a kiddie pool filled with ice and cold water. Not sure how well this would work, or how often you would need to exchange the water with new colder water. This might simply be too complicated to do in such a short timespan.

Good luck, hopefully the kitties can stay cool!

Maybe try putting an ice pack by the shipping container so they can cool off.

 

[firestar246]

Update: The mother started moving the kittens out of the shipping container into another large building on our property where we store inventory for our family business. They can't stay there, as we don't want our inventory ruined with cat smell (there's also several placed for them to get stuck). I decided this was a good time to move them to the shed. After bringing them in there, the mother tried moving them back to the building. I finally resorted to putting the kittens and mother into the shed, then shutting them in there for a couple hours. There was a small window open for air (I'm surprised the mother didn't try to get out that way). The mother at first panicked and tried to get through a gap underneath the door, and even got her head stuck. I freed her and blocked up the gap. After that, she calmed down. After the couple hours went by, I opened up the door and she was feeding the kittens.

She hasn't even left the building since, let alone trying to move the kittens. So I think she's good. The kittens love all the space to explore. Probably going to shut them up again during the night, just so she doesn't move them on us and so no predators can get in ( I wouldn't think any would get in anyway, since it's close to the house). The cat seems fine with the dog; she knows it's on a leash. And even if the dog got free, I don't think she would deliberately hurt them; she seems like she just want to play.

Now just to figure out which ones to keep... they're all so cute.

 

[Furballsmom]

Whew, good for you!!
Awww, can you get pictures now that things are a little more calm?

 

[jenmunoz]

Update: The mother started moving the kittens out of the shipping container into another large building on our property where we store inventory for our family business. They can't stay there, as we don't want our inventory ruined with cat smell (there's also several placed for them to get stuck). I decided this was a good time to move them to the shed. After bringing them in there, the mother tried moving them back to the building. I finally resorted to putting the kittens and mother into the shed, then shutting them in there for a couple hours. There was a small window open for air (I'm surprised the mother didn't try to get out that way). The mother at first panicked and tried to get through a gap underneath the door, and even got her head stuck. I freed her and blocked up the gap. After that, she calmed down. After the couple hours went by, I opened up the door and she was feeding the kittens.

She hasn't even left the building since, let alone trying to move the kittens. So I think she's good. The kittens love all the space to explore. Probably going to shut them up again during the night, just so she doesn't move them on us and so no predators can get in ( I wouldn't think any would get in anyway, since it's close to the house). The cat seems fine with the dog; she knows it's on a leash. And even if the dog got free, I don't think she would deliberately hurt them; she seems like she just want to play.

Now just to figure out which ones to keep... they're all so cute.

That's great

 

[firestar246]

Whew, good for you!!
Awww, can you get pictures now that things are a little more calm?

Maybe in a few days when I'm less busy.