
Ninnemann helped us better understand the ideal sizing of cat houses. Although the Feralvilla Outdoor Cat Shelter II requires more assembly than all but our DIY recommendation, its unique two-level design makes it one of the best cat houses you can buy. After entering via one of two doors on the ground floor, a cat will pass through a wind-breaking baffle. Then, they can hop up through an opening to a completely protected, cozy upper level that's 20 inches wide and deep and 12 inches tall. Cats are susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia the same way humans are. While some cats do well outside as long as they have protection from wind and precipitation, even a heated cat house may not be enough to keep them warm in more severe conditions.
What Is a Feral Cat Shelter and How Can It Benefit Your Neighborhood? - Family Handyman
What Is a Feral Cat Shelter and How Can It Benefit Your Neighborhood?.
Posted: Wed, 20 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Catio Spaces!
Our favorite outdoor cat house is the Petsfit Cat House, with its weather-resistant, sturdy, and attractive triangular design. If you’re looking to house multiple cats, check out the Rockever Luxury Two Story Outdoor Cat Shelter with Escape Door Rainproof Outside Kitty House instead. For consumers looking for extra protection against predators and the elements, the hyper-fortified Kitty Tube may be worth the steeper price tag.
Fit-to-Size Cat Shelter
If it’s a stray, it will lose its fear of humans and come up to you looking for food. A better approach includes TNR and the involvement of one or more caregivers. Spayed or neutered cats are healthier because they no longer fight over mates or expend resources on making and caring for kittens, and their nuisance behaviors are greatly reduced or eliminated. Caregivers provide food, water, and shelter and watch over the cats’ health and well-being. HumanePro is our dynamic, comprehensive online resource for those in the trenches of animal care.
How we selected the best outdoor cat houses
The best outdoor cat houses can keep felines warm and dry in the worst conditions. During the winter, cats that live or play outside face freezing temperatures, snow, sleet, rain, and wind. These weather conditions can be dangerous since cats are susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia.
Predator Protection

For this story, our Good Housekeeping Institute pet product experts consulted veterinarian Megan Conrad, M.B.B.S., who works for Wellhaven Pet Health outside of Portland, Oregon. She shared her thoughts on the features that are worth paying extra for, including an escape door and high perches. "Mostly, an outdoor cat house should be resistant to heat and cold and should provide adequate shelter from the elements," Conrad says. This cat house from Clawsable is elevated up off the ground by six inches to keep the interior as free as possible from the ground's moisture and cold. The waterproof cover is made from Oxford cloth that is removable and machine washable. This house is highly insulated with inserts covered in aluminum foil to help keep your outdoor cats warm and cozy during colder weather.
Where's the best place to put an outdoor cat house?
This outdoor and feral cat house is easy to assemble, so you can put a roof over your furry friend’s head in no time at all. Inside is a heated bed which is designed to keep your kitty warm, no matter what the weather is like outdoors. This variation on the plastic tote cat house uses housing insulation to keep the outdoor kitties warm. This makes it slightly more expensive to construct than similar projects. However, this project is easy for anyone to accomplish and requires only simple tools.
DIY “Smart” Outdoor Cat House
The Frisco Outdoor Wooden Cat House With Retractable Roof is a simple cat house. Therefore, it’s great for those who just want something simple and straightforward. It works, but it isn’t going to blow you away with any fancy features. It’s made from treated wood that’s designed to stand up to outdoor conditions.
How to build a feral cat shelter from a plastic storage tote Raleigh - Raleigh News & Observer
How to build a feral cat shelter from a plastic storage tote Raleigh.
Posted: Tue, 13 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Stephen Quandt is a certified feline training and behavior specialist with over 20 years of experience. He consults for organizations like the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation, Ready For Rescue, and the Animal Care Centers of NYC. Quandt helped us understand what makes a cat house ideal for hot weather and how to keep cat houses of all kinds clean. With Rubbermaid's Brute 14 and 20 gallon totes, you can make an outdoor cat shelter that is affordable, waterproof, and easy to maintain. If you're setting up a shelter for feral or community cats, it's also important to remember that they may not want to bed down together. Ninnemann recommends setting up multiple houses instead of one large house if you think more than one cat in the neighborhood may use it.
Houses with a covered porch are especially ideal, since the porch will have the most ventilation of any part of a cat house, he says. The K&H Pet Products Heated Kitty House is just large enough for two cats to snuggle up together. The shelter consists of lightweight vinyl-backed nylon and has a removable zippered roof with overhanging eaves. Its awning, protected by asphalt, is a perfect shield against heavy snowfall. Unfortunately, it is not easy to help your cat lose weight, and it is preferable to prevent your cat from getting fat in the first place. Cats can quickly develop fatty liver disease if you try to make them lose weight too fast.
The house’s interior dimensions are 18 by 17 inches, with 20 inches of height, providing enough space for one or two cats inside. We hope you have enjoyed reading this guide, using our cat weight chart and learned whether or not your cat is in a healthy weight range. Most modern house cats are suffering from obesity, and we need to get this serious problem under control.
Cat-wildlife conflicts can be humanely resolved by implementing and sustaining effective TNR programs. The ultimate goal of TNR programs is to dramatically and humanely reduce the number of cats outdoors, which is better for the cats, wildlife and the public. To prevent outdoor cats from stalking your bird feeder, check out these tips.
The interior, including the floor, is protected by foam insulation and comes with wheat straw to add up to two more layers of insulating bedding. The house has a slightly elevated door with an awning to prevent water from entering. You have several options for sheltering outdoor cats and feral cats in extreme weather. Ideally, you can offer cats access to a garage, barn, or shed that won't become soggy in the elements. If the building has electricity, setting up a heated bed or heated cat house will help keep outdoor kitties warm. If you don't have a space to welcome cold cats, set up a pre-made cat house or build your own with material that won't leak.
If you need a heated house, the K&H Pet Products Outdoor Heated Kitty House is ideal. It is a bit expensive, but since it’s heated, it’s worth the extra cost. First, your cat should always have an escape route in case a predator or another cat shows up. The last thing you want is for a predator to be blocking the only doorway and your cat to be stuck inside. Their natural instinct is to choose hiding places with multiple entrances, just in case a foe shows up. Therefore, many cats won’t use a house if it only has a single door.
For added peace of mind, you can rest assured that these houses have been certified to USA/CA electrical safety standards. All cats love to have shelter away from adverse weather conditions and other animals who may be out there. You may wonder why you would want to buy your cat their own home rather than just letting them come inside. A cat home gives them a place to call their own away from the potential stresses outdoors. Alternatively, you may have feral cats in your area, and you want to give them a place to shelter.
She puts pieces of Styrofoam in between the floors of the two bins, then lines the sides with Mylar sheets and stuffs them as full as possible with moisture- and mildew-resistant straw. Some complain that the pre-drilled holes are not always in the right place, requiring some new drill work. Per the brand, this house can also be used for pet rabbits or small dogs.