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

For those who’re an everyday round right here, you already learn about our neighborhood stray cat, who we’ve named Tiger. He’s completely lovable, and so pleasant. I feed him twice a day, and on days after I’m engaged on tasks exterior, 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 joyful to oblige.

So I went to Amazon to see what was obtainable. After perusing a number of completely different choices for stray and feral cat homes, I landed on this one. Yow will discover it right here. (affiliate hyperlink) It had good scores, and general, I actually preferred 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 an ideal design and a very good cat home. However I wasn’t utterly glad with it. The underside was simply wooden slats, and I couldn’t see how that will supply 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 gap between the legs on the entrance/again and in addition on the edges.

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

After which I nailed these in place between the legs to create a bit of skirting across the backside. I nailed proper by way of 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 crammed that house with two layers of R-13 insulation that was leftover from our newly insulated closet/laundry room flooring. However something might 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 lower a chunk 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 way of the skirting boards and into the perimeters of the plywood.

I needed 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 packing containers readily available! So I lower these right down to line the outside partitions of the sleeping space. (By the best way, miter saws and desk saws make fast work of slicing thick cardboard.)

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

He loves it! He is aware of that is his home. He sleeps in there each night time, and I usually catch him in there taking a nap through the day. I’ve stored it below the carport proper by our again door as a result of the primary night time 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 needed due to the chilly, biting wind.

I shared the method on this video…

Since I made a decision to maintain the cat home below 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 way of the again of the home for the twine, 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 joyful and cozy with out it.

Final Thursday, our climate turned actually unhealthy. Not solely was it chilly, but it surely rained all day lengthy, and it was rain blended with sleet. I used to be so fearful about Tiger being out in that as a result of he doesn’t like spending all day in his home. I couldn’t consider what I used to be engaged on as a result of I used to be so involved about him, so I went exterior 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 received all the eye and cuddles he needed. I made him a mattress in a field with a comfortable blanket, and he slept for a really very long time. He received some catnip, which he completely went loopy over. I assumed that maybe I now had one other indoor cat, and I’d simply should discover a technique 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 needs to be exterior 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 night time, two meals a day, and head scratches and stomach rubs any time he needs them.