Comments on: (Too) Cool Cats: Winter Care Tips for Outdoor Cats

By: jim

jim — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 04:50:33 +0000

I built a half dozen shelters for the ferals I’ve been taking care of for the past year. Double containers with straw between the two containers, straw bedding and the interior shelter lined with space blanket material to reflect body heat back onto the cat.

None have used any of them yet from what I can tell.

It’s distressing me as we’ve had some really cold weather already. The other night I finally left my garage door cracked open hoping some of them might seek shelter in there. My garage is attached and I can see into it from my back porch via a side window. I’ve watched them enter, only to eat and then leave, on a night when it was 15 degrees outside with brutal winds.

Tonight when I got home from work I did see indications one or two cats bedded down into the thick layer of straw I left on the floor.

But I guess I’m thinking like a human and not a cat…

The advice to leave warm/hot water may not be the best. See
http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/General/hot_water.html — hot water actually freezes faster.

By: Winter Tips for Pets and Outdoor Animals « The Creative Cat

Winter Tips for Pets and Outdoor Animals « The Creative Cat — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 04:55:27 +0000

[...] ModernCat also published a list of tips for caring for cats outdoors at (Too) Cool Cats: Winter Care Tips for Outdoor Cats. [...]

By: jmuhj

jmuhj — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 03:25:18 +0000

Thanks for these excellent ideas and suggestions, Kate! I would NOT, however, suggest any electricity where water or other liquid is present. It can have tragic consequences!

John, that’s a GREAT idea and hopefully rescuers and colony caretakers will be able to use it.

By: Marg

Marg — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:49:38 +0000

That was a wonderful post. Those outside feral cats are pretty self resouceful, but it is so much better if they have food and water and a place to get out of the weather. I have a bunch here that I feed and luckily I have two barns so, they have a place to get out of the weather. Those were some great suggestions. Especially the antifreeze. That will kill an animal. I had a dog get in some and she died a week later from Kidney failure

By: (Too) Cool Cats: Winter Care Tips for Outdoor Cats | moderncat … | Cat Disease

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:57:44 +0000

[...] (Too) Cool Cats: Winter Care Tips for Outdoor Cats | moderncat … Share and [...]

By: John

John — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:04:18 +0000

If you have a feral cat or two hanging around outside your house, there is a very inexpensive way to keep them warm this winter. I bought a couple of small styrofoam ice chests, glued them together and cut out a doorway.
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/gallery/data/500/styrofoam_cat_box1.jpg
I used a couple of wedge shaped pieces from the lids to make stabilizing feet for the bottom.
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/gallery/data/500/styrofoam_cat_box2.jpg

The fun part of this is that you can start with any shape or size of styrofoam ice chest and let your creativity run. Plus, you’ll be keeping a few paws warm this winter.

John

By: joan

joan — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:28:52 +0000

Thank you for this post reminding us about all the cats struggling to survive outdoors.

By: Loora

Loora — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 09:36:31 +0000

Interesting, informative and clever, as always.

However, the title got me confused: I thought it was about cats who have access to the outdoor, and not about feral. Then again, I’m used to opening my backdoor all day long for my cat to go out, so I’m a bit biased (in vain, winter has her setting camp on my laps, which is a great source of pleasure for me).

It’s funny how feral seem to be such an issue in the USA; here in France, all we hear about are summer abandons, animals left on the side of the road, very often about a year after they were bought or adopted as kittens. There are few ferals, and they are considered a problem. Just wanted to point out a cultural difference !