FERAL SHELTERS FOR COMMUNITY CATS

 

Here are a few easy ideas for shelters for your community cats. Once you understand the basics, you can use whatever materials you have on hand, or things that will work best for your situation.

The main thing to remember is that cats will only go inside of something if they feel it is safe, if they have easy access and a second way out.

• When constructing your shelter always make sure that there are 2 ways in/out. Do not put them front and back, but front and side,so as not to create a cross-breeze in the structure.

You want to make sure that the structure is insulated, helping to keep it warm in the winter and cool in the summer. There are many materials that you can use to do this:

• straw (cheap at feed supply stores)
• Styrofoam sheeting (available at home improvement stores)
• packing peanuts (available at packing/shipping stores, office supply stores)

When using packing peanuts, place them inside pillow cases.This will cut down on mess and keep them inside the shelter, allowing the cats to burrow in peanuts inside the pillow case.

It is best to have a removable top on your structure for easy access and cleaning.

Although cats don't tend to "potty" where they shelter, you should maintain their cleanliness and change the bedding/insulation (straw, peanuts).

Here are some examples of feral shelters, have fun making your own. If in your yard, the sky is the limit with imagination and invention, if putting your shelter in a public area, make sure it is as hidden and camouflaged as you can make it to keep people from seeing it. Use bushes when you can and cover the structure with something to make it blend in. Rolls of burlap for wrapping trees works well and is only $10 at Lowe's and Home Depot.

 

 

Feeding and shelter station!

 

 

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