Build a (cheap) Stray Cat Shelter!

[Savas]

This is a quick, fairly cheap and easy way to build a stray cat shelter. Buy a cheap plastic cat carrier (10-20 dollars) and get some home insulation (can get a small roll for around 8 dollars, mini-repair an area roll, not full!) Old towels will work pretty well also.

Wrap the carrier with the insulation/towels...use duct tape to keep in place. Then take two strong garbage bags and  place the whole thing inside them, leaving the opening uncovered. I use cardboard and tape to extend the top lip of the opening to help trap body heat inside.
Tape the whole thing over again to hold in place.

If you've got an old board or two, place his diagonally against the shelter as a wind break.

The result is a pretty good insulated shelter, that will use the cats own body heat to keep them warm. With winter coming, this will keep the wind, rain and cold away! Easy to clean out too!!

[Savas]

My *favorite* part of dealing with the outdoor shelters is when the Alpha males have spraying contests to declare ownership!!!!

[Soror]

Make certain when you finish using your stray cat shelter to spray it with flea-killer before bringing any part of it back inside or into your garage.  Change the bedding periodically to cut down the number of flea eggs and larvae that will thrive in the warm, protected conditions.  Helping stray cats is a commendable service, however make sure that you protect your own cats and yourself as well.

[Savas]

I try to rememeber it's "the circle of life" and all that, but it does suck. We lose stray cat kittens to the racoons if they're really young in our area. Normally they all get along well (possums, 'coons, woodchucks, cats...) but the little ones are fair game to non-parents.

[NewLeaf]

I think the little black stray we have been trying to trap (humane have a heart trap) so we could check it out and take to the no kill animal sumaratian shelter was caught by the coyotes last night. Sad and a horrible way to go. The coyotes use a huge private school yard right behind our development to breed and live when they come up from the wash that goes out to the salton sea and is a bridge for wild animals from wild lands into the developed areas of the desert here. Not a pretty sound or sight.... Just hoping they got a jack or other bunny. They have to eat too. Yesterday, since we feed the birds in both fron and back, the cooper's hawk regularly sweeps the yard areas and loves a dove or two per day. Well, he/she got their dinner dove and proceeded to eat it on our patio! Feathers everywhere but the real tip off was 6 cats glued to the window, doing that meee a a a a owww chin up and down thing watching the hawk less than 2 feet from their noses but on the other side of the glass. Needless to say, all the kitties are indoor cats.  

[Savas]

The nice thing about his is you can toss it at the end of the season if you want to. or pull off the plastic and remake it next year. Strays tend to spray all over shelters, so easy to clean/ disposable is a plus. Wipe down the inside, change the outer bag.
It's not pretty, however. Making it look nicer takes a little more effort...but that would cost more. :)

[IBKleen]

My "deck" cats will forward a thank you card...

Thanks for the tip!

[Addicted Andy]

Wow,great idea and just when I need it! Thanks so much,I'm off to build it:)

[NewLeaf]

How ingenious, you must have very happy strays.

I was just telling my husband I can't wait for winter here........... today the "official" high was 98' my car thermometer reading hit 100' for the outside temp.  Our strays have a hard time keeping cool most of the time.   ;-]