kitty houses for the winter

we have 2 outdoor cats where i'm staying right now and i want to make them a house for the winter. i can come up with some simple ideas but i was wondering if any of you have some too. i live in minnesota so our winters can get pretty cold. right now they have a cardboard box with blankets but they don't seem to be very fond of it. a heating system would be awsome but getting the electricity into it would be an issue.

any ideas?

 

why cant they come in? it doesnt matter what you put out there.....unless there is an electric heating system in the house they will still be cold. And i doubt they want to hole up in a little "house" all day. sorry if im sounding critical but why make them stay outside? i know where i live it doesnt even get that cold but as soon as the temp start to drop my cat (who has tons of long fur by the way) doesnt want to go outside anymore. he will cry at me to let him out but as soon as he feels the cold air he comes right back in and then cries in frustration....he so funny.

but.......as a last resort, why not some heating blankets and use and extention cord to plug them in. as well as pillows and keep it all in a big insulated dog house (they sell those at walmart even.) however, the heating blankets may be a fire hazzard so you'd probably have to ask someone else about that idea.

 

one roomate is allergic. that's why we can't let them in. they normally love it outside and are very happy...

i remember my grandparents had "farm cats" (outdoor cats that they kept an eye on) and they had a steel barrel with blankets and a heating lamp inside that was a big hit ( they had their kittens in it and slept in it together). these cats are strays, we're taking them in because we've fallen in love with them. with the allergic person, though, we need to be considerate to everyone. that means keeping them outside, throuigh the winter, and comfortable.

any ideas?

 

also... they're not going to be cold no matter what...

inside cats, up here during the winter, beg to get out almost like it's summer.

cats are built with insulation that we humans can't really imagen. and then they cuddle and that seems to be enough warmth to get them though the night regardless.

 

My dad used to make haybail forts for our dogs in the winter. I'd imagine it could work for cats too.

 

ohh good idea

we'll even be putting hay bails up around the house for extra insulation pretty soon.
hell yea.. we'd be putting it in the porch and then we can cover it with blankets and put some blankets in it too.

thank you much

 

Make sure to put tarps over the blankets to keep out the wet. And block off as many directions as you can, paying attention to which direction the wind blows.

Some sort of elevation off the ground (or cover) is good since the ground, when frozen, can leech away body heat.

Also, a constant water source that isn't frozen or is kept unfrozen by you is critical as all their usual water sources will be frozen over.

 

yup totally..

i mean, i'm not an idiot here.. heh..

 

I wasn't suggesting that. But you'd be amazed at the number of folks who don't think of it.

 

I've never tried it for cats, but our sled dogs live outside all winter here, even at 40 below. They all have dog houses that we stuff with straw. They bed down in it and love it. We keep refreshing the straw from time to time. So maybe a box stuffed with straw?

 

yea yea i'm totally excited about this haybail thing. they're gunna have one phat pad.

 

Alternatively, get rid of your housemate with the allergy LOL
Naa only joking, just have a dog house & put cardboard or newspaper on the flooring (good insulation) & then the pets bedding material, something thats
not too porus & lets the warm air circulate a little & keep the door away from the wind

 

Maybe designate a certain room for them? Keep a box under your table or something for them to sleep in. Then just use one of those Siwffer mops to get rid of the hair before your room mate goes in there.

 

like, they'll be fine in a simple insulated shelter. keep in mind, it's going to be inside a porch. although it's not heated, it's not like there's going to be snow drifts n shit. one of the cats has already seen at least two winters outdoors and he's been fine. my roomate also takes them into his room every now and then, especially when it's really cold. the only thing i wish i could help them with is excersize... but now that i think about it, i've seen the older one have fun in the snow... so i don't think there's anything to worry about.

 

a relative of mine makes them a haybale fort with a little opening that's a flap of carpet to keep the wind out and the cat's stay in there all winter and sometimes even get deliveries. mice like the straw too, cats like the mice...