Winter Shelters

Spay and Stay has had heavy-duty styrofoam shelters available for registered caretakers. The Meowhouse shelters were constructed through the Spay and Stay's Kids and Cats program. The kids of Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Lake County Juvenile Detention Facility made sure these shelters would be snug and warm shelters for the feral cats of Lake County.

During the fall months , the calls for these shelters has been overwhelming, which is really great for the lucky cats who will be snug and warm in them this winter. However, we have been getting more calls than available shelters.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

If you are handy and would like to help caretakers keep their colonies warm this winter, we need 2-3 volunteers who can help us make more shelters. Please give us a call now at 847-289-4557 so we can get get these shelters set up for the cats before the cold weather sets in.

If you're one of Spay and Stay's registered caretakers and you'd like a Meowhouse shelter, please call 847-289-4557 and leave a message. We will put you on our waiting list and give you a call as soon as we have more shelters.

In the meantime, you can download instructions from Neighborhood Cats for a really great and easy-to-make Styrofoam shelter. Each 4 x 8' piece of Styrofoam makes two shelters. If you only need one, we'd love to have the other one so we can pass it along to another caretaker who needs shelter for their colony. Thanks to Neighborhood Cats for this great photo.

We all need to make sure we do everything we can to keep the outdoor cats warm this winter.

Here are more instructions on building a weather-proof, inexpensive feral cat shelter

With a few supplies available at your local hardware or home store, you can quickly construct a snug shelter for your ferals! Follow the step-by-step illustrated instructions below.

Spay and Stay is indebted to the wonderful caretakers who took the time to photograph each step as they built this terrific shelter. Thank you Jim and Nancy!

Assemble your materials:

• Two Rubbermaid® or other brand sturdy storage boxes with lids, one smaller than the other
• Rectangle of insulation material, such as styrofoam, cut to fit inside the bottom of the large box
• Flexible tubing, found at most hardward stores, approximately 7" in diameter when closed
• Cutting tool sharp enough to cut through the plastic boxes
• Block of wood or other sturdy cutting surface
• Bale of straw (not shown)
• Black marker such as a Sharpie®

Place the insulation material into the bottom of the larger box.

Place the smaller box inside the large box to make sure the lid of the outer box will still close.

Locate your flexible rubber tubing material.

Overlap the ends of the flexible rubber tubing material so that it forms a circle.

• You may want to clip the overlapped ends together to hold the tube in a circular shape for now.
• The circle should be large enough for a cat to get through, but not a raccoon or other animal.
• Remember: cats can easily squeeze through tiny spaces!

Place the circular tubing at one end of the smaller plastic box, a couple inches up from the bottom of the box.

Use the black marker to trace around the circular tubing.

• Once cut, this circle will be the entry into the shelter.
• A small opening is perfect for cats.

Place the end of the plastic box over a piece of wood and use the cutting tool to cut out the circle.

You may need a small saw to finish the job.

Place the smaller box inside the large one, and use the cut-out circle to trace the same size circle on one end of the larger box.

Cut the circle out of the larger box as in Steps 8 and 9 above.

Place the smaller box inside the larger box and line up the cut-out circles.

Squeeze the flexible plastic tubing together and pass it through both circles, making sure it fits snugly.

Look at the entryway you just created!

The plastic tubing should stick out of the outer box a few inches to serve as a wind break and water shield.

Line the bottom of the smaller box with dry, clean straw.

Don't use towels or rags because they can get dirty, wet, and frozen. Cats like to burrow into the straw for warmth.

Stuff the spaces between the smaller and larger box with straw.

Pack it in! It's great insulation!

Snap the lid onto the smaller box.

Cover the smaller box's top with more straw, then snap on the lid of the larger box.

Your shelter is ready!

• Place the shelter in a secure area against a brick wall or other sturdy facade, or, under a porch or deck.
• You may also want to surround the shelter with bales of straw for further protection from the cold.

How to Build a Snug Wooden Winter Shelter

CLICK HERE for instructions from Alley Cat Allies on building this great wooden shelter.