How to Build a House for Feral Cats
You've been feeding a colony of feral cats since spring. You've even trapped them, had them spayed/neutered and returned them to their territory. Now the weather's getting colder and you're worried about their lack of shelter during the frigid temperatures of winter. No need to fret. You can build a simple, inexpensive, yet very warm and comfortable shelter for your feral cats. The shelter will keep your feral cats from the rain and snow that can cause their fur to get wet and quickly lead to hypothermia and even death.
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Things You'll Need
- 35-gallon plastic tote
- 18-gallon plastic tote
- Two Styrofoam coolers
- Strong scissors or knife
- Straw
- Marker
Instructions
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1
Cut round holes--cat sized--in the narrow ends of the large tote. Make the holes just large enough for the cat to get inside. The larger the holes, the less cozy your shelter.
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2
Place the Styrofoam cooler inside the 35-gallon plastic tote.
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3
Cut the cooler, if necessary, to make it fit tightly against the sides of the tote. Cut the cooler so that the cat-sized holes in the tote remain open.
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4
Place the 18-gallon tote on top of the cooler.
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5
Using a marker, trace the location of the cat holes on the smaller tote.
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6
Remove the small tote and cut out the entrance and exit holes.
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7
Put the small tote back into the large tote.
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Place your feral cat house in an area where it is unlikely to be noticed by people but frequented by feral cats. Try to place the shelters where they will be protected from snow, rain or wind blowing in the entrances and exits.
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Tips & Warnings
Try to find totes in earth-toned colors, if possible. These will blend into the surrounding area and make it less likely that your feral cats will be harassed or that someone will tamper with your shelter.
If you can, surround your feral cat shelters with bales of straw. Straw provides a lot of insulation.
