Winterizing Feral Cat ColoniesBack to Cat Facts
In one survey, shelter for feral cats was found to be more important than food. Cold, and especially wet, weather can have adverse, and even serious, effects on animals. They can become hypothermic and could even freeze to death. Actually the biggest problem is if the animals get wet and cannot find a warm place to dry their fur. Most feral cats can usually cope with cold weather, as is well documented on Marion Island, where as we mentioned before, it either rains and snows for over 300 days each year. And yet the feral cat population continues to thrive.
Domestic cats and dogs, if left outside, probably suffer more from cold weather conditions than feral cats, who develop a winter coat in the fall. During the autumn season, cats' coats thicken in anticipation of frigid temperatures. In fact, sometimes you can tell how harsh a winter will be by how early their coats develop. While cats' fur will keep them warm even in severe conditions, they do need your help to make it through the winter healthy and risk-free. Feral cats need a warm, dry shelter to protect them from wet weather, as well as extra nutrition and fresh water.
Providing shelter is a crucial aspect of colony management. You can build a simple shelter or you can provide other types of protection against the elements. Shelters provide a safe haven to keep cats dry and warm and will prevent them from roaming. With this provision managed colonies can be very hardy in the wintertime. Helpful tips for creating or building feral cat shelters:
Tips for Winterizing Your Colony:
- Insulate the shelter with Styrofoam or thick plastic.
- Leave a small opening for the cats to enter. Put this opening on the side of the shelter that is protected from the wind.
Use straw for bedding. Do not use blankets or towels as these retain moisture.- Raise the shelter off the ground by placing it securely on bricks or on a wooden pallet. If left on the ground it will retain moisture and will rot.
- Clean shelters each spring and autumn by replacing the bedding with fresh straw.
- A feeding station – a simple structure with a roof and floor will help keep food dry and provide a dry place for cats to eat. Fresh water can be a problem during freezing weather. Hot water can be poured into their water bowls, which may give them an opportunity to drink once it cools. For porch cats a heated water dish can be used.
- Feral cats will huddle next to each other to keep themselves warm. This is one reason they become such social animals: it is a survival ploy for them.
Shelter
Two key elements are needed in any good feral cat shelter. First is the material used. Material with excellent insulation qualities, such as Styrofoam, works best. Styrofoam traps the cat's body heat, turning the cat into a little radiator. Second, the shelter's interior should have a minimal amount of air space, thus reducing the amount of heat the cat's body must generate to keep the space warm. Both elements must be present to provide effective shelter for the cats.
Covered litter boxes (some have doors) and plastic totes work perfect for shelters. But you can also use a strong box or crate, or buy a dog "igloo" from your pet supply company. Use Styrofoam to line the containers and use shredder newspaper or stray for bedding.
Microwavable heating pads and hot water bottles can also be placed in shelters to keep cats warm. Most will stay warm for up to 12 hours; these can be especially helpful to protect against night time temperatures.
How to Construct a Shelter for Feral Cats
You Will Need:
- Sturdy cardboard box (ideal size 24”L x 13”W x 15”H)
- Several pieces of Styrofoam
- Duct Tape
- Utility knife
- Marker
Instructions:
1. Draw a 6 inch circle on one of the long sides of the box
and cut the hole to create a door
2. Duct tape the edges of the circle door for reinforcement
3. Arrange the Styrofoam pieces to line the bottom and walls
of the box and use the duct tape to secure all pieces of
Styrofoam to the box
4. Fold close, 3 of the box’s top flaps (allowing 1 of the
larger flaps to stand open) and duct tape the 3 flaps closed
5. Run strips of duct tape length-wise along the bottom of the
box to help waterproof the bottom. This may be done to each side of the box for extra protection.
Note: One box top flap is left unsecured to allow for easy bedding changes. After the bedding has been changed, place a brick on top of the box to secure the flap closed. Also, it is suggested a plastic table cloth or tarp be secured over the box for extra protection and to ensure the box lasts longer. Lastly, the box should be raised off the ground using bricks or pieces of wood.
Food and Water
Small bowls of dry or canned food can be placed inside the shelter. The cats' own heat will slow the freezing of the canned food and can even defrost it. But never put water inside the shelter — it can easily spill and cause the cat(s) to get wet. Getting wet while it's cold outside and then not having a dry place to go is one of the greatest threats to a feral cat's health during the wintertime.
Nutrition is especially important for outdoor cats during the winter because the cold and difficult weather conditions create additional stresses for their immune systems. Feeding them a higher quality brand of food, if you can manage the additional expense, will be beneficial to them.
Normally, healthy cats do not require a lot of water and can get most of their water needs from eating moist food; however, in the winter when canned food can freeze, dry food becomes feral cats’ staple. Therefore, providing fresh water is a necessity during cold weather. To keep water bowls from freezing, try these few tips.
The best solution to keeping water from freezing is to use an electrically heated water bowl. (These are used for “porch cats” and not ideal for large colonies.) Water will evaporate relatively quickly, so the bowl needs to be filled regularly or to maximum capacity to sustain long hours. The bowl also can be used for wet food, though it can quickly dry the food out. Pet bowls that use solar power or batteries to keep water and food heated are also available. You can use microwavable heating pads/disks to place under water bowls to keep from freezing.
The type of bowl you use in general can make a difference. Use one made of thick plastic, like a Tupperware container - it's amazing how long it takes for water to freeze in one of them. The best bowls are deep, insulated and have relatively small openings compared to their volume. Black or dark colored bowls will absorb solar radiation better. Position the bowl so it's protected from the wind and, if possible, exposed to the sun. Styrofoam containers lined with plastic also make great water bowls.