Stray cat- best winter outdoor shelter to prepare?

That’s very kind of you. Here are some ideas. It’s an American site but the ideas are adaptable. You can buy ready made shelters, too.

www.alleycat.org/resources/feral-cat-shelter-options-gallery/

Thanks for caring. Even the wildest of feral cats can be 'tamed' with patience. In the long term, this would be best so she can be sterilised or she will have litters after litters if she survives the winter. Keep us informed.

just a big carboard box on its side with an old blanket in basket and one on top would help in the meantime, if shed is waterproof.

I'd get a large cardboard box, perhaps line it with polystyrene or bubble wrap, go to one of those local stables and scrounge a slice, or black bag full, of hay and put some of that in for a bed. Cut an opening in the side. Put it in the shed and see if the cat approves of it before the winter.

If it is a stable cat it will be used to roughing it a bit.

I agree with Fp. If it's female get it spayed if you possible can. Kittens are delightful things to have around, but it's a bit irresponsible really to let her go on producing them.

Thanks Sue Fleurpepper and Maisie. I had not thought of straw for insulation. The many ideas for feral cat shelters from the USA was very helpful SueDonim. I have an old recycling lidded box that might be adapted. I’ll see what I can come up with! Of course, kitty may have other ideas!

At least we don’t have raccoons predating cats here!

Such a kind thing to do but may I make a few suggestions? My apologies if you've already thought of these things. Firstly, the cat should be scanned for a microchip in case she is a lost pet surviving amongst feral. It's also worth considering neutering: female cats remain fertile all their lives and being the victim of roaming amorous Toms is a horrible existence. Perhaps contact a local rescue agency who could help you with both these things. They will be able to point you towards a trap / neuter/ release scheme. Finally, whatever kind of shelter you devise, please use hay or straw and NOT blankets inside: they trap condensation and freeze in cold weather.

I had one stray live round my back garden about 15 years ago. He lived in an upturned wheelie bin. I put out food for him and stood back he was so scared. He got a bit bolder over time, we, re talking a couple of years by now. Fed then he went back to his bin. One time it was snowing and I opened front door to let my own cat in and he came in behind her. I put a spare cat bed I had in dining room and after eating he went into it. Still looking scared though. He had twigs and his coat was in bad condition. He would appear for his food, and I gave him a litter tray. Went on for weeks he put on weight. I came down one morning and there was a big pool of blood, on closer inspection he had a massive infection on his face. Managed to get him in cage and took him to local vets. The vet gave him an antibiotic injection and squeezed the pus from his cheek. Vet reckoned he'd been a fighter, he had teeth missing and scars on his face. He recovered, continued to stay with me, over time he got less timid. He let me brush him he'd really long hair. I had him indoors for couple of years, he was great kept to his routine. I came in late from a party one night and he was spinning round on his back legs and literally just died. I was devastated, cried for weeks. Nearly crying just now just thinking about him. I've got a picture of him beside my bed so I see him minute I open my eyes. Friend's tried to console me by saying you gave a lovely home good food etc. Still miss him. Sorry for my ramble.

Ah, bless him.

Lomo123 sometimes the wild/ unreachable/ untamed are the creatures who really steal our hearts.

My son's scared/feisty rough rescue dog was one of those... 💕

Lomo that is touching I can imagine how you feel 😢

We adopted a feral cat and ,really, he was the most beautiful loving cat we have ever had. He was an adult, very skinny and cried a lot but lived with us for 22 years (!) . When he died we were so upset we made a little lavender garden to remember him. He was a very large headed tabby, enormous once we had nourished him. We called him Declan and I still miss him.

Lomo, what a kind thing to do. Sometimes we find our hearts taken unexpectedly.
My son has just moved into a rental due to his marriage break up and has had to leave his two cats with his ex wife. He was so upset.
However a small black cat has befriended him and comes every day to visit. He is very thin and timid but is slowly coming around. I am going to pass on all these suggestions to my son as he is worried about Bruce, his new friend, when winter comes.

We had a cat that was semi ferrel , he refused to come into the house . Was born in a local farm and my then 11 year old daughter begged to keep him . We had him neutered, vaccinated regularly, and was wormed / given flea prevention regularly. With careful management we were just about able to handle him! I spoke to my vet about him and felt guilty he was outside in the winter weather - although he had access to a large garden shed. We put a wicker bed in for him - raised from the floor and he was fed and watered regularly. My vet said that more than likely he had come from generations of farm cats and as long as he had shelter and food he would be fine -
and he was ! Since then our cats have been lap cats !! 🐱. Bertie lived to a ripe old age but had to be put to sleep due to cancer. He was such a character but very unpredictable.

That's so nice of you to care for her. Do what you can to see if it is just a visitor.

All good suggestions, to add to them, use Polystyrene on top and sides of a box, and something the cat can snuggle into, within the box.

See if it will go into your shed, or if anyone has an old Rabbit hutch, they don't need. it can go into that, put a box inside that? Just take the door off for easy access.
My cat loved getting into our one, when I was cleaning it out, the Rabbit running around the garden.
When it was colder or serious Rain, I would insulate ours with a large sheets of Polystyrene. I also used a old waterproof sheet to cover up the front of the cage... Very spoilt Rabbit!

Best of luck... Do let us know what happens.

As others have sensibly advised, please do NOT line any boxes/shelters with blankets as they trap the damp.
Line instead with hay or straw. Much warmer and certainly drier

Our best cat ever was feral, we had her from a nervous kitten and to see her sitting in a dolls pram pushed round in the garden by my dds was a joy. She died too young at 14 and was terribly missed.
How about using a cardboard box with an entrance cut out.
Cheap and cheerful and easy to change if necessary.

Just spotted Maizie already suggested the same.

Thanks everyone. The woodshed is open at the front but is dry. Kitty is timid so won’t allow anyone to get near so at least for now we won’t be able to take her to check if she is has a microchip. She hisses if anyone gets too close! When she wants food she stares at us through the window, then once she has eye contact looks at the back door and then the spot for the food bowl!

She’s almost certainly feral so not chipped, but very good at the important stuff like communicating.

A few years ago, a beautiful grey tabby appeared from nowhere and started hanging around our garden. He didn't like being touched so when I went to feed him outside, I'd sit and stroke him and chat to him whilst he was distracted with food. DH made a little chipboard house for him and every afternoon in the winter I used to heat a pet hot water bottle and leave it on the cushions in his house. One day he arrived with his foot nearly hanging off from a fight and we managed to get him into a cat carrier and to the vets where they stitched him up and neutered him at the same time. He wasn't chipped so he became cat number 3 and went from being stand-offish to being my best friend! He was so deserving of a really good life. Two weeks later when he didn't come home, I found out he'd been killed on the road. I was understandably devastated and still miss him to this day.

If you can make a wooden box or find one that is only slightly larger tthan the cat, that is a good start.

Don't paint it - feral cat will probably dislike the smell of paint and associate it with humans.

If it is to stand outside, you will need to cover the outside with something waterproof - a piece of American sail-cloth or an old tarpaulin would be good.

If she is happy in your shed, I would place the box in there, stand it on four bricks, so it is not directly on the cold floor or bare earth, whether it is outdoors or indoors.

Put a good layer of straw if you can get hold of it, inside it and and old blanket, or part of one, folded double and turn the open side away from the prevailing wind or most fierce draughts.

Stand a bowl of clean drinking water near it - cats often find it harder in winter to find water to drink than food, and place her food nearby too.

If you are right that she is a she, watch out - come spring she may well have kittens, as cats are fertile until they are literally at death's door.

Aww bless.
I wouldn't have the heart to let the cat live outside in the winter.
I would have to try to coax her indoors with some food and keep her.
Our first cat was a feral kitten living in a farmers barn with the others. Oh. he was the most loving cat we've ever had. He used to climb up the legs of my jeans. ( A bit painful) Jump on my back when I bent over.
Sleep sprawled out on his back on our laps and went to sleep.
Couldn't read a newspaper as he would get among the pages.
He used to get on my son's shoulder and lick his head.
He was a real character.
Sadly he was knocked over and killed at just two years old.
We've had four other cats since then. Only have one now but none have been so loving as our 'Tiddles' . Named because he wasn't litter trained and used to tiddle under the coffee table.