Protecting Cats in Cold Weather

As the weather gets colder, you may worry about the cats you see around your neighborhood.

They may be pets whose owners let them outside, or they could be community cats, a group that includes ferals (who are afraid of people) and strays (who've been lost or abandoned). No matter how resourceful these outdoor cats are, they need help surviving winter.

If you've got time to help, the kitties will thank you! Follow these tips to help your local outdoor cats during the cold months.

Give outdoor cats shelter from the cold:

Yes, their thickened winter coats help feral and stray cats weather winter's chill, but they still need warm, dry, well-insulated, and appropriate-sized shelters. It's cheapest to build your own, and there are many plans and instructions that can help you get started. A shelter-building party can be a fun weekend project! Ask your friends, neighbors, and coworkers to join in. Try contacting local youth groups to find out if they will help build shelters as a service project.

What to put in your outdoor cat shelter:

Straw allows cats to burrow. Pillowcases loosely stuffed with packing peanuts and shredded newspaper also work. Keep things clean: Replace straw and newspaper if moist or dirty, and wash and re-stuff pillowcases as needed. However, if it's really cold where you live, and you can't check on the shelters regularly, don’t use the above insulation. Instead, "wallpaper" the shelter's inner walls and floor with Mylar. It reflects back body heat, and it's okay for cats to lie on it. Also, remember to keep outdoor cats food and water nearby.

What NOT to put in your outdoor cat shelter:

Don't use blankets, towels or folded newspaper; they absorb body heat and chill cats who are lying on them. Forego hay too, which may irritate noses and cause allergic reactions.

How to keep outdoor cats' food and water from freezing:

What you put food and water in can make a difference. A thick plastic water container that's deep and wide is better-insulated than a thin plastic or ceramic container. A solar-heated water bowl can prevent or delay water and canned food from freezing.

If shelters are well-insulated, you can put bowls of dry or moist food inside them, far from the doorway. Even if the moist food freezes, the cats' body heat will defrost it when they hunker down in their shelter.

Don't put water bowls inside the shelter. Water is easily spilled, and a wet shelter will feel more like a refrigerator than a warm haven. Do your best to keep water from freezing.

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