Stray cat- best winter outdoor shelter to prepare?

Margiknot Would you be willing to offer the cat a home? Ferals can become lovely pets. I had one years ago, and he was a lovely boy. My current cat was a stray - not neutered or chipped- has been with us for 8 weeks now.

Hi, all these suggestions are great, so kind. I looked on Cats Protection and they advised a box, strong cardboard , off the ground, on bricks and with plastic cover to waterproof. Straw, not hay and definitely not blankets as they retain the damp and if it freezes can attach to fur. A YouTube video shows how to make a hole in these big polystyrene boxes for meat freezing, if you have a butcher or raw food place nearby they will have on, then put straw inside. We have a stray, he comes 3 times a day and we have eventually put a cat flap on the garage door!! We don’t really want another cat inside and this one isn’t used to being inside anyway. He likes his freedom but now with a few more home comforts. Thanks all for your amazing advice, people do care even in these tough times.

You can improve a cardboard box by taping extra layers of thick cardboard to the outer surfaces - cardboard is a very good insulator.

Margiknot

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!

@Margiknot
This is why I suggest contacting one of your local rescue agencies (not Cats Protection or the RSPCA) who are experienced with trapping and scanning. Are you prepared to also care for a litter of kittens which will be an inevitable consequence if she is feral? So many times we hear stories of much loved pets who find themselves for a multitude of reasons, far, far from home and the poor owners never have closure

you can buy heated outdoor cat houses that will keep her warm and cozy. They usually don't take much electricity to run and some can be recharged or take batteries.
I agree with getting the cat neutered and looked at by the Vet. Contact your local Cat charity. They often offer the loan of a trap and they would take over the Vet costs if you agree that the cat can come back and can be released in your garden.
Hopefully the cat will become more trustful with time.
Thanks for caring for the stray

There is a cat in our neighbourhood whom everyone thought was feral, but a posting on the local WhatsApp group has revealed that the cat has a home. He's simply a wanderer, as many tom cats are. The owner gets very worried when he disappears for a couple of weeks, but he is being fed by at least three different people who thought that he was a stray.

We have "Jerry" a stray who appeared in our garden over 4 years ago - we first saw him eating the dog food left out for foxes - we started to feed him but he was so timid he wouldn't come near us - we had to put the food down then he would approach it only when we'd retreated indoors. DH felt sorry for him with winter approaching and we bought him an outdoor bed - this was extended some weeks later so he had an indoor dining room! The following summer on a day when it was 30+ degrees he walked into our kitchen, flopped on the cool ceramic floor tiles and has never left! He is the most pampered cat in our road (our neighbours call him His Highness) - so we've been officially adopted.

Some great ideas on here. If you are going to put anything into a box let it be straw not hay. Straw is hollow and holds in the heat and will keep her warm,whereas hay will get as damp as blankets and may even freeze
Thank you for being so kind as to look after this little cat.

"My" outdoor cat chooses to sleep in her outdoor hutch for most of the year. It's a bit like this
www.petsathome.com/product/pets-at-home-wooden-guinea-pig-and-rabbit-hideaway-for-gardens-runs-or-play-areas/7119618P?productId=7119618&purchaseType=one-time&size=oneSize
Which I have lined with the sheep's wool insulation that I got with a food order and covered with a self-warming cat bed mat (the type with a thin reflective sheet inside like an emergency blanket with a fleece cover.
In winter I put in a pet hot pad that's been heated for a couple of minutes in the microwave to heat it up before she gets in. www.petsathome.com/product/snugglesafe-microwave-heatpad-for-small-animals/26935P?productId=26935&purchaseType=one-time&size=oneSize
Although you can make them one with a sock and some rice:
jaxhumane.org/how-to-make-a-heating-pad-for-pets/

We used a tea chest with a blanket inside. Cat seemed to like it.

I wish a stray would stray to my doorstep.

I'd love it.

MissAdventure

I wish a stray would stray to my doorstep.

I'd love it.

you could sort of stray into a cat refuge and help things along a bit

It's really been on my mind lately.
I have whole weeks of feeling poorly, though.
I wouldnt want to take on some poor little soul and then not be able to fulfill my caring duties.

I think that would be selfish of me.

oh I am sorry- yes, I get it. Take care.

Easiest way to make an outdoor shelter is to get a large plastic storage crate with a lid and line it with polystyrene including the base and lid. Put lid back on and cut an opening in one of the narrow ends and pop an old towel/piece of blanket inside. Place in woodshed with opening facing inward. It makes for a very dry, cosy and happy cat! We've made a few of these over the years, they work very well. Also speak to your local pharmacy as sometimes they get drugs delivered in large polystyrene boxes which make excellent crate liners

Lomo123

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.

We had a similar experience; a thin, flea ridden little cat that shied away, but was so hungry. I put a big umbrella in the garden so he had shelter from the rain, and eventually he came in - and never left the house again. We had him for about a year, and he suddenly went into a decline and died. The vet said he was much older than we thought. Dear little creature.
As for a shelter, at another house years later we had a stray cat visitor, and OH bought a small kennel from Pets at Home - it wasn't expensive, but was robust, weatherproof (a heavy duty plastic) and lined with old blankets, he loved it. Eventually he came in too....

Well we got some straw and put it in a cardboard box, whilst trying to work out how to make a more suitable shelter. Guess who now sleeps in it? The present box is too big, but kitty seems happy for the moment. We might look into buying a wooden hutch/ kennel.

A really lovely thread. I have enjoyed reading everyone's stories.

That’s lovely, Marginot. Thank you for coming back and telling us!

Sorry Nour98 but perhaps you don’t realise you’re resurrecting old threads (many years old) where it’s highly likely that the OP has already taken action.

Don't put blankets as they get wet and full of germs. Straw freshened regularly is cleaner and comfortable.