outside shelter

AFTERNOON ALL!
I hope everyone is having great holidays.
This was the first Christmas with our newest fur children Clayton and Tucker. They were very good and Santa came to see them.. and Shadow my Princess.

I have a question.....As you all know I seem to be feeding all of NOah's Ark. Raven comes inthe Garage every day and gets fed, brushed, Hugged, kissed etc.....His people are moving to La. and they said they will try and keep him inside.. but the little dickens is a Houdini.
Others that come and eat in the garage lately are Possum, foxes and other cats.
OK.... there is a nice sized GORGEOUS Gray/black striped cat that has been making Himself (?) feel welcome by helping himself to Raven's dish. HOwever when I try and go out Kitty runs....I don't know if he/she is feral or just scared. He/she does NOT hiss or spit.. just runs, and stops to turn and look at me.

I went to PetSmart and bought a round Dome Covered Litter box.
I lined it with a soft sheet and nice fresh towels. Here's my question. I am in Va.. and I KNOW we are going to get nasty weather sooner or later.... WHERE can I put this so if he/she needs it they will be somewhat out of harems way. Right now, I have it in a raised flower bed off of the deck with the opening facing the deck away from direct wind. Am I insane for trying this?
I feel so awful thinking that this blessed little one may be homeless and not have a safe place to sleep out of the elements.

Love and Blessings,
Mommacat.. Deb

Bless you for taking care of all the critters!

You're not crazy for offering shelter to the striped cat. Or if you are, you have a lot of company. I recently purchased a "kitty igloo" for a feral cat and she just started sleeping in it. The PetSmart cashier where I bought it also has one in her back yard.

I have it snuggled in the bushes up against the house with the opening pointed away from the usual wind direction. Your improvised cat house would probably do better up against the house, but it's the wind I think that's the most important thing to minimize.

Two years ago, a stray made her way to my back yard and lived in a cat carrier on my back porch until her ringworm was cured.

For the cat carrier, because it had side air holes in it, I covered it with old rubber-backed rugs to block the wind and help insulate it. Also, I put cardboard inside a plastic garbage bag and put it under the carrier to help insulate from the ground. She spent 20 hours a day inside that carrier when it got really cold.

Besides protecting the striped cat from the wind, your litter dome probably also offers her some protection from other animals. Do you have coyotes where you live?

Let us know if she accepts your offering. (Did you put food in it by any chance?) If she's homeless and not feral, she might warm up to you.

Let us know! Good luck!

Dear Abby's mom,
THank you!
Since this is a domed litter box, it has air vents in the lid. So I covered the inside with newspaprer and used Strapping tape. Then I took newspaper and put it inside a heavy trash bag then I taped that on the outside of the lid. The entire "shelter" is pretty high off the ground as the raised flower bed is about 3 feet high. The opening is facing away from the outside and toward the deck. I am going to put a mashed cardboard box and newspaper under the container to give in more insulation. HOW will this little one know to use it ? Howwill I know if he/ she uses it.
Should I keep it there or should I place this UNDER the deck?
I want to protect this little one as much as I can... that's why I put this on the raised bed......I just don't know how to atract him/her to use it. SHould I partially cover the opening somehow?

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated. I am heart sick thinking that these precious ones are out in the cold like my Tucker was this time last year.

BLessings,
MommaCat.... Deb

MommaCat, I'm not an expert on luring cats. For expert advice, you can post under cat rescue where the cat rescuers will see your post.

I can tell you what worked for me, though. I started putting food out every morning near the igloo. Sometimes she came by, sometimes not. Then I put started putting turkey (Thanksgiving leftovers) in there every morning so she began a regular.

Then I put cat nip inside the igloo. I noticed the next day that the bedding towels were matted down and someone had slept in it.

Of course, canned cat food will also work and they can smell it from a very long ways away. It might also attract other animals, which is why I used cat nip.

I only knew for sure that it was her when I stepped outside at night and she ran out of the igloo. So, I guess I'm saying you'll need to check it personally to be sure it's the cat and not a possum.

Would your litter dome get more protection underneath the deck?

Did you put the mashed cardboard and papers inside a plastic bag before putting under the dome? Otherwise, they will get soaked and then freeze.

Quote:

---

Should I partially cover the opening somehow?

---

I would to help keep the wind and snow out. Now that I know that the feral kitty is using the igloo, I have placed an old, large rubber-backed rug over the top that makes sort of a tunnel entrance to the igloo.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Pat

PS When I knew the feral cat was using the igloo for sure, I went to PETsMart and bought this warming device that you put in the Microwave and heat and then put in the outdoor house. It will retain heat for up to 12 hours. I just put it in last night for the first time. I found it in the dog section.

Morning!
Yes, I did put the newspaper in a plastic bag, but not the cardboard.....The "shelter" is facing away from the wind.
We are surrounded by woods and I am already feeding every creature that was on the ARK.. so I am a little leary about putting cat food out in the open.
Maybe I will take y ou suggestion and place some catnip near the shelter.

THank you all so much for you help!

Many Blessings,
Deb

I have been putting food next to a large cardboard box on my front porch. The box has a layer of styrofoam under a piece of carpeting on the bottom and top. I put a hole in one end and covered the open side with a heavy blanket, folding the corner back. I also put a Snuggle Safe disc in it every night. I toss a blanket over it so anything that sits on it won't get too hot.

Last year I had a couple of visitors; I only saw them when they ran out.

Thanks for helping these poor creatures.

Mary

I'll stop by PetSmart and get a snuggle disk. I looked yesterday and it doesn't look like anyone has slept in there yet.I'll keep checking.
I just hate the thought of a blessed angel being outsidein the cold and not having a place to sleep. I can almost feel their pain.

THank y ou for trying to keep them warm too.

Blessings,
Deb Mommacat

you asked the question.. "Am I Crazy" for trying to provide shelter to a stray cat... Yes you are, and you are in the company of alot of other crazy people here on Pet of The Day.
We all take in strays, or rescue them, or any number of other things... Good For Us !!!! I once heard that these small lives are PROOF of God's love for us. Their love is unconditional, and everlasting. We were given "Dominion" of all the creatures that walk the earth.. This Implies being "Responsible" for them, and whatever it takes.... So are you crazy ? Yes, just as Crazy as myself, and others like us... God Bless all of us... :)

Many Blessings be yours.

I am thankful to be in the company of so many crazy people who truly understand that it is ok to love all of the fur children.

Love, light and blessings,
Mommacat Deb