outside kitties

**weeze** · 01-09-2004, 01:41 PM

It is reaallllllllly cold here in Toronto today and for the last few days, with a wind chill up to -30 celcius. I have an outside kitty (Blackie) who's a feral that I have been taking care of for the last 6 months and I am so worried about her. I have a box with blankets in the garage where she sleeps but I don't know if that's enough. I can't really let her in the house because of my inside cats. Any suggestions ??

**K & L** · 01-09-2004, 01:43 PM

Anyway to supply some type of heat in the garage? Do you have a laundry room she could stay in?

**catlover4ever** · 01-09-2004, 02:12 PM

Go to your drug store and pick up 2-3 hot water bottles and fill them with hot water and put them under the blankets for Blackie or you could always plug in a heating pad, keep the setting on low or medium (depending on how thick the blankets are) and this should provide some extra warmth. Also hay is a good insulator, it is really cheap but provides a lot of insulation for a kitty.

My Rainbow Bridge baby Cleo was a feral that I helped out, and this is what I did for her on many a cold day down here in Connecticut. Good luck.

**Tubby & Peanut's Mom** · 01-09-2004, 03:52 PM

If you can somehow rig up a light bulb near her bed that would help too. Even though there is just a little heat that radiates from the light bulb, it should be enough to add that extra that she might need right now. However, just being able to get into your garage and out of the wind makes a huge difference I'm sure.

Good luck little Blackie!

**Lallypop11** · 01-09-2004, 04:15 PM

I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW! *raising hand*

This is so timely because I was just at Petsmart and they have a HEATED cat bed! I think it's only $19.99. It's a normal fleece bed with sides and it has a heating pad inside. If you could put that inside a box that she could be protected in, perhaps out of plywood or something, and run an extension cord out there, that would help a lot I bet. I have a friend taking care of an outside cat and she made a little house for him from wood and put a heating pad in it, he loves it. Hope that helps, I would be worried too, let us know how it goes!

**kuhio98** · 01-09-2004, 04:22 PM

It's very cold here in Anchorage, Alaska also. It's "warmed" up to 20 degrees today (-8 Celsius). Right now it is snowing like crazy.

What we use is a product called Snuggle Safe Heat Pads. You put it in the microwave for a few minutes and it stays warm for 12 hours. It really works.
http://www.petsmart.com/products/product_12125.shtml

**cutie_chica** · 01-09-2004, 04:43 PM

Everything I was going to say, someone already has, just keep us updated on the kitty!!

**weeze** · 01-10-2004, 04:45 PM

Thanks for all your advice.. A couple of those suggestions had never occurred to me. I went out today and bought some hot water bottles, and so far they seem to be working well.. Hopefully it warms up around here soon!

**jenluckenbach** · 01-10-2004, 05:04 PM

I'll be thinking of the poor cold kitty. I am sure some of those things will help her out a lot.

**sqwelch** · 01-10-2004, 05:15 PM

Originally posted by Lallypop11
I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW! *raising hand*

This is so timely because I was just at Petsmart and they have a HEATED cat bed! I think it's only $19.99. It's a normal fleece bed with sides and it has a heating pad inside.

I think your Petsmarts must be a whole lot better than the one in Glasgow. It useless, this bed sounds absoluetly amazing, in Glasgow they sell the heat pad but it alone costs £20. As for cat trees, their selection is soooo bad, anyway sorry to rant on !!