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There are two key elements present in any good feral shelter - first, it's made from material with excellent insulation qualities, like Styrofoam. The Styrofoam traps the cat's body heat, turning the cat into a little radiator. Second, the shelter's interior will have a minimal amount of air space, thus reducing how much heat the cat's body must generate to keep the space warm. Both elements must be present. A large doghouse made of excellent insulating material will have too much air space for a cat or cats to heat. On the other hand, a thin cardboard box might be the right size, but most of the cats' body heat will pass through the walls. So you want good material and not too big. Inside the shelter, extra insulating materials can be placed, such as straw (the best) or shredded newspaper. Avoid using blankets, towels, folded newspaper or anything the cat would lie on top of. These materials only warm when a body is beneath them. Lying on top draws body heat out and will actually make the cat colder. See our winter shelter page for ideas for extra-protection against extreme cold, such as Purr-pads and Mylar blankets. Small bowls of dry food and canned food can be placed inside the shelter, tucked into a back corner. The cats' own heat will slow the freezing of the canned food or even defrost it. But never put water inside. It could easily spill and cause one of the cats to get wet. Getting wet while it's cold out and then not having a dry place to go is one of the greatest threats to a feral cat's health during the wintertime. Because canned food left outdoors will freeze quickly in chilly conditions, using mostly dry food can become a necessity. Normally, a healthy cat drinks very little water and can obtain most of the H2O he needs from the moisture content of canned foods. However, when dry food becomes the staple of the cats' diet, their need for access to water increases. This can be a problem in winter when water left out for the cats freezes. To prevent this or at least significantly slow down the process of water freezing, check out the many suggestions at Preventing Water from Freezing. Whether it's an electrically heated water dish or a little Styrofoam vaccine shipping container lined with a plastic bag, you can make a difference. Nutrition is especially important for the cats during the winter when the cold and difficult weather causes more than the normal stress on their immune systems. Buying a higher quality brand of food is a good idea, if affordable. Also, supplementing any canned food with extra Vitamin C is an excellent way to boost the cats' health. Cats manufacture their own Vitamin C, but in the cold weather, this naturally-occurring nutrient can be quickly depleted. For the type and amount of Vitamin C to provide, read "Vitamin C to the Rescue," an article by Anitra Frazier (author of "The New Natural Cat"). By providing warm, dry shelter, ensuring access to drinkable water and improving nutrition, you will have made the winter a much gentler season for the ferals in your care. history | about | board | back to top |
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Feral
cats need warm, dry shelter to weather the snowstorms and blustery, icy
winds. On our
