Feral Winter Shelters (updated)

Here are more links to feral cat shelters for cold winter months or even just cozy sleeping spots.

Here is a list of ideas from the Urban Cat League,

http://www.urbancatleague.org/WinterCatShelters


This has some of the above and some others,

http://allaboutspayneuter.com/shelters.html


These are my favorite, but they are mothers to build and lug around.

http://www.alleycat.org/buildashelter

Indy Ferals has some ideas and also some feeding station suggestions. Feeding gets tricky in snow and rain. The great shelters Indy Ferals used to make and sell can now be found here:

http://www.feralvilla.com/

These (Feral Villa) shelters are smaller than the Alley Cat Allies ones and also have 2 levels and 2 escape/entrance routes. They're a lot easier to move although still heavy enough! You can get the "project" version for half the price and build it yourself. Both are a great deal ($73 or $49).

Here's the tub: Fast and cheap, I could do it in my sleep. (Hey, that rhymes.)I've found that if you don't have any other way of cutting out the holes in the tubs, just poke small holes in the circle pattern with a drill and cut out between the holes with an exacto blade. Also, you can line the tubs with silver body-heat reflective mylar if you have some lying around.

http://www.spayandstay.org/winter-shelter

Check out the snug wooden shelter and the styrofoam shelters while you're on the website. Those Spay And Stay people know their stuff. I've worked with them for years!

Don't forget to use straw, not hay for insulation. Straw is the outer husk of hay. Hay gets moldy, straw dries out. Also remember heated water bowls when possible and necessary. Don't use light bulbs to heat - it's too easy to break and catch on fire or electrocute. Also indoor heating pads can burn catch fire. Use an animal outdoor heated mat if possible.