Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: House on the street
• Method 2 of 2: Indoor House
• What do you need
• House on the street
• Indoor house
• Tips
• Warnings

A small warm house will help keep your feral cat alive during the winter months. This house is easy to make from a plastic box or planks if you are familiar with the basics of carpentry. It is even easier to make a house that will be located indoors. Such a house will entertain the cat, and she will surely enjoy climbing into cardboard boxes.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: House on the street

1. 1 Pick up building materials. Under the open sky, your cat will need a safe shelter from wind, rain and cold. Take materials that are strong enough or rework an existing box. Try using the following materials:
   • a plastic box with a volume of about 130 liters (the lightest option);
   • an old doghouse;
   • plywood or boards (one sheet 1.2 x 2.4 meters or several smaller boards).
2. 2 Take the required measurements. To keep the cat warm, the house should be small. Although there is no need to follow any exact dimensions, try to keep the height and area of ​​the house no more than 65 and 65 x 80 centimeters, respectively. If you have a much larger box, cut it into pieces or divide it with a plywood divider.
   • These instructions for creating a dog house will work for a cat house as well, subject to the changes described below. Use them if you are making a house out of planks or plywood.
3. 3 Make a removable roof. Such a roof will allow you to easily change dirty litter, monitor if the cat has entered its house, and take care of it in case of illness or injury. If you are making a house out of planks or plywood, attach the roof to the walls with hinges.
   • If you are making a house out of a plastic box, use its cover as a roof. When the house is ready, you can press down on the lid with stones or other heavy objects.
4. 4 Raise the house off the ground if necessary. The cat shelter should be raised off the ground if there is heavy snow or rain in your area. In most cases, it is enough to raise the house by 45 centimeters, and in regions with less rainfall, 30 centimeters should be enough. This can be done in several ways:
   • set up a house on a covered veranda;
   • place the house on planks, concrete bricks, or other objects.The support must be level and strong enough. If necessary, support the house with something heavy so that it does not tip over;
   • Place the house on a sturdy sheet of plywood and lift it off the ground using four 40 x 90mm wooden legs. Screw the blocks to the plywood stand with screws.
5. 5 Make the entrance and exit. Cats prefer shelters with two exits, so that in case of danger they can escape from predators. Cut two 15 x 15 cm holes on opposite sides of the house. If you are making a house out of plastic, tape the sharp edges with tape.
   • If the house is not raised off the ground, cut the entrance hole so that the bottom edge is about 5 centimeters above the ground. In this case, the house will not be flooded in case of rain.
   • If the house is raised off the ground, make sure there is a ledge of plywood, planks, or other material in front of the entrance so that the cat can jump on top of it. Make the exit without a ledge to make it harder for predators to get close to it.
   • To keep the house warmer, cover the entrance and exit with tarps. The tarp can be attached with paper clips or glue.
6. 6 Make the house waterproof if necessary. You can skip this step if you are using a plastic box as it is already waterproof. If you are making a house out of plywood or planks, or using a dog kennel, rub the wood with sandpaper and paint it to protect it from rain.
   • For greater protection from water, cover the roof with roofing material.
7. 7 Insulate walls and roof. A wooden house will be warm enough without this measure, but if you are using not boards, but another material, it should be insulated. Tape all walls with 1 inch (2.5 cm) insulating foam sheets available from a building materials store. Leave a 7.5 centimeter gap at the top of the walls and place one sheet of Styrofoam under the roof to keep the cold out from above.
   • If your area has harsh winters, consider using mylar instead of foam, which will reflect the feline's body heat. The floor of the house can also be covered with mylar.
   • Cut the styrofoam with a sharp DIY knife.
8. 8 Fill the house with bedding material. To keep your cat warm, line the floor with enough straw. Make sure that no straw is blocking the inlets. If you don't have straw, get some pillowcases, sprinkle some styrofoam granules or shredded newsprint in them, and line the floor with them.
   • Do not use hay as it absorbs moisture and can cause allergies.
   • Do not place blankets, towels, or paper on the floor as they can absorb heat and make your cat feel cold.
   • Some cats eat styrofoam pellets, which can cause intestinal obstruction. Place pellets in two pillowcases to reduce the risk.
9. 9 Provide food and water for your cat. Food can be kept inside the house, but water should be placed outside to prevent the cat from spilling it on the floor. Place a bowl of water near the house.
   • If the temperature drops below freezing, use an electrically heated bowl for the water. If you don't have one, pour water into a ceramic or thick plastic bowl and line it with styrofoam.
10. 10 Lure the cat into the house. Place some bait inside the house near the entrance to lure a feral cat into it.

Method 2 of 2: Indoor House

1. 1 Find some cardboard boxes. If the house will be located indoors, it is convenient to use cardboard or foam boxes. You can also glue the house yourself from corrugated or poster cardboard, or from other lightweight material, although the finished boxes will be much stronger. If the boxes are no more than 60 x 90 centimeters, you will need several boxes to make the house big enough.
   • Cats can chew cardboard and styrofoam, so don't make your house out of the boxes you plan to use later.
2. 2 Cut a pair of entry holes into the box. Use a craft knife to do this. The height of the holes should be 15 centimeters for the cat to be comfortable.
   • Cut out a couple of small windows or narrow viewing holes if you want to observe the cat inside the house.
   • Glue pieces of fabric over the door and window openings so that the cat can retire to her house.
3. 3 Tape the extra boxes with tape. Take other boxes and add some rooms to the house. To make the second floor, cut a 15-centimeter hole in the roof of the house and use tape to glue the second box upside down on top. Make sure that there is enough free space on the roof of the lower box.
   • Glue the boxes together with packing tape, tape, or something similar.
4. 4 Make sure your cat is comfortable and interesting. Place a small rug or cat bed in the house. Place a scratching post or stiff towel for the cat to sharpen its nails. And of course, you should put a cat toy in the house!
   • If you have a multi-storey house, place your pet's favorite toy on the upper level so that it is not easy for the cat to get to it.
5. 5 Place food, water, and litter box outside of your home. In the house, they can cause clutter and even lead to the collapse of cardboard boxes. You can place them near the house. Be sure to show your cat the location of the bowls and litter box so that she doesn't return to her old place.

What do you need

House on the street

• plastic box
• or small dog house
• or boards and plywood (sheet with an area of ​​approximately 1.2 x 2.4 meters)
• veranda or plywood table or cinder blocks (in areas with frequent snowfall or rain)
• insulation foam sheet or mylar
• straw
• craft knife
• saw, drill and galvanized screws (if using boards)

Indoor house

• several cardboard boxes
• packing tape
• craft knife
• glue for cardboard or hot glue
• strips of fabric

Tips

• Most cats have a hard time getting used to change. Check the outdoor house regularly, repair it as needed, and prepare it in advance for the cold season so you don't have to make changes after your cat settles in.

Warnings

• After painting the house, wait for the paint to dry before throwing the cat into it, otherwise there may be paw marks all over the house.
• If you are caring for a sick or injured feral cat during the winter, keep your house well insulated as the animal will need extra protection from the cold.