Winterizing A Stray Cat House (Plus, An Update On Our Neighborhood Stray, Tiger)

For those who’re an everyday round right here, you already find out about our neighborhood stray cat, who we’ve named Tiger. He’s completely lovely, and so pleasant. I feed him twice a day, and on days after I’m engaged on initiatives outdoors, he hangs round and retains me firm. He likes to be liked on — head scratches, stomach rubs, cuddles, and anything he can get — and I’m comfortable to oblige.

So I went to Amazon to see what was accessible. After perusing a number of totally different choices for stray and feral cat homes, I landed on this one. You can find it here. (affiliate hyperlink) It had good scores, and general, I actually favored it. It was tremendous easy to place collectively. It took me about quarter-hour from begin to end. And I actually don’t assume I may have constructed it from scratch for lower than what I paid for it.

The slanted roof raises up on hinges for simple entry to the within. The within has a divider to separate the within into two sections to supply extra wind safety to the sleeping space. General, it’s a fantastic design and a extremely good cat home. However I wasn’t fully glad with it. The underside was simply wooden slats, and I couldn’t see how that may provide a lot safety from the chilly air and wind.

So I had an thought so as to add insulation to the underside. I began by measuring the space between the legs on the entrance/again and in addition on the perimeters.

After which I used leftover PVC boards that I had readily available (however any scrap wooden may very well be used for this) and minimize 4 items to these lengths on my miter noticed.

After which I nailed these in place between the legs to create a bit skirting across the backside. I nailed proper by the legs and into the perimeters of the PVC boards utilizing 2.5-inch 16-gauge nails.

As soon as I had all 4 boards connected, I flip the home on its again and stuffed that area with two layers of R-13 insulation that was leftover from our newly insulated closet/laundry room flooring. However something may very well be used to insulate — leftover packaging supplies from Amazon packages, previous clothes, a can of spray foam insulation.

After which to carry the insulation in place, I minimize a bit of plywood (I at all times have scrap plywood readily available) to suit inside the underside.

After which I nailed that in place by nailing proper by the skirting boards and into the perimeters of the plywood.

I wished to insulate the sleeping space of the cat home a bit extra, and after contemplating a number of choices, I assumed to myself, “What do all cats love? CARDBOARD BOXES!” And I at all times have loads of cardboard bins readily available! So I minimize these all the way down to line the outside partitions of the sleeping space. (By the way in which, miter saws and desk saws make fast work of slicing thick cardboard.)

After which I put a bit blanket within the backside, and…

He loves it! He is aware of that is his home. He sleeps in there each evening, and I typically catch him in there taking a nap in the course of the day. I’ve saved it beneath the carport proper by our again door as a result of the primary evening he had it, the wind was terrible. It was so windy and so chilly, so I really tucked it proper subsequent to our trash cans to supply a wind break, after which I additionally wrapped extra insulation across the exterior of the home. There have been solely about two nights when that was essential due to the chilly, biting wind.

I shared the method on this video…

Since I made a decision to maintain the cat home beneath our carport (for now, a minimum of), and I knew it was about to get so chilly, I really purchased a warming pad (particularly for cats and canines) to go inside. I merely drilled a gap by the again of the home for the wire, and plugged into the outlet proper there behind our trash cans. However sadly, he hated it! So long as that warming pad was in there, he refused to enter his home. As quickly as I took it out, he began utilizing his home once more. Maybe it made him too heat. Or perhaps it emitted a sound that bothered him (and that I couldn’t hear). I’m unsure what the issue was, however he’s completely comfortable and cozy with out it.

Final Thursday, our climate turned actually unhealthy. Not solely was it chilly, nevertheless it rained all day lengthy, and it was rain blended with sleet. I used to be so nervous about Tiger being out in that as a result of he doesn’t like spending all day in his home. I couldn’t focus on what I used to be engaged on as a result of I used to be so involved about him, so I went outdoors and located him (he at all times comes operating after I name him). The I put Cooper and Felicity in a separate room, and I introduced Tiger into my studio the place I used to be working.

He stayed inside all afternoon. He bought all the eye and cuddles he wished. I made him a mattress in a field with a snug blanket, and he slept for a really very long time. He bought some catnip, which he completely went loopy over. I assumed that maybe I now had one other indoor cat, and I’d simply need to discover a solution to get Cooper to get together with Tiger.

However that night, after the climate had calmed down, I opened the again door to go get one thing out of the van, and he darted out the door. So whereas he loved his afternoon in a heat home and out of the loopy climate, I feel he’s only a free spirit who desires to be outdoors the place he can roam round, snooze within the heat Texas solar, and are available round for snuggles and meals on his personal schedule.

So for now, he’s nonetheless the neighborhood stray, and never a brand new addition to the Linauer family. Which will change sooner or later, however for now, a minimum of he is aware of that he has a heat place to sleep at evening, two meals a day, and head scratches and stomach rubs any time he desires them.