Need to build a heated cat house

[warren5421]

I have severel cats do to the out buildings. I would like to build a warn inclosure for them but have no idea what is needed. I could use some ideas for the house and heat.

[CastingFool]

When we had outside cats, I made a box with t111 paneling left from a previous job. I made it so the cat had to go a narrow tunnel the turn into a larger chamber. Then I lined the box with 1" insulating foam board. The lid was hinged, to make the sleeping chamber accessible to cleaning. The "ceiling" in the sleeping chamber was also lined with the foam board. The box was kept in the garage, to shield it from the wind. The garage door was kept open, just high enough so the cat could crawl underneath. The entrance opening on the box was just high enough for the cat to go inside. The opening was rounded at the top. Cut out with a Saber saw. One of my daughters is still using one of the two boxes I made, for her outside cat. I also used a rag towel in the sleeping chamber

[beemer]

Knew a guy that built a plywood box with a opening just big enough for the cat to go through and put a pad in the bottom. He used a light bulb for heat but shielded the cats from the glare. I think a ceramic reptile heat bulb that screws in a light fixture would work better, it's just heat with no light. They come in different wattages like a light bulb and last a lot longer. I use a 60w in my well box and have had the same one for several years. Bought mine off Amazon, about $15 for two.

[M-Tecs]

https://brightstuffs.com/diy-insulated-cat-house-ideas-outdoor/

https://www.diyfavorite.com/diy-feral-cat-shelter/#:~:text=Here%20is%20how%20to%20get%20your%20cat%2 0a,side%20of%20the%20tote%20to%20make%20a%20hole.

[bayjoe]

Use one of those heated pet pads. Our dog loved hers. We just put it in her dog house

[fg-machine]

Outside critters don't need a heat source , you aren't really doing them any favors by providing one .

A nice dry snug place out of the wind with some dry bedding providing insulation from the ground is about as much luxury as they need. Nature provides a warm fur coat and metabolism to take care of themselves.

When it's really cold a water source will do them more good then heated accommodations

[JWFilips]

For years I have been using the Foam Shipping containers for frozen food ( Nutrisystem) For My outdoor cats I fill them with Straw and cut a 5" hole in them .
They are 2" thick foam and Have protected them in the NEPA winters which get to 0 deg and a bit lower No heating they snuggle inside and keep every body warm!
I have house 22 cats at a time in 8 of these houses

[John Wayne]

JW Filips has a good idea there.
We have two of the insulated houses with an electric pad. Cats seem to like them!

[15meter]

I made a cat house for a friend from an old Igloo cooler. Road find special. 6" hole saw, cut the hole near the top. Lid was hinged to open for cleaning. Old rug in the bottom. It even had wheels for her to move it around easily for the feral cat that took up residence in her back yard. I put a little tin awning over the opening to slow down the rain/snow.

We had a much more elaborate cat-o-minium at the farm for my mother's cat. I put an electrical heat tape in the bottom under the rug. I think it got too hot for the cat, she destroyed the heat tape and moved out of the cat box. I think it was too warm for her.

The heated water bowl is probably the best idea. I used the bottom 5" of an oxygen cylinder with a heat tape duct taped around it. Heavy enough nothing was dragging it off and tough enough it wouldn't break if we ever lost power. Set it on a block of wood, not directly on the ground. Set directly on the ground it would freeze up when it hit -10. Wouldn't freeze on the block of wood. The cat was standing there waiting if I ever let the water bowl run dry.

[MaryB]

Friend did the old cooler trick but he added a tunnel 2' long made form drain tile. Keeps out drifting snow. Cats will dig down to it to go in!

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I have heard that Straw in a cooler is one of the best ways to go. Bedding, like blankets and such, that can ice up, can make for a miserable experience, that a cat would probably avoid.

[magnumuser]

The trick is to get the correct size of cat to volume of container down. to much volume, poor cat freezes to death. To small, condensation is an issue.

family used those blue mini barrels, cut hole in one end, make sure to use a cheap vent on top, straw and a thin chair cushion. they do well.

[GregLaROCHE]

A heating pad under a thin cushion is a good idea, if it gets really cold where you are. Be careful not to get something to too hot. Consider a pad that is designed to germinate seeds.

[Coopaloop86]

Cheaper and easier than the premade heated pet pads is a seedling pad. Can be had on Amazon for about 10 bucks and waterproof. I used to put one under the cats blanket on cold nights and they loved it and no worries of one getting accidentally zapped on a humid night.

[augercreek]

I think yours's is the best as outdoor and feral cats will put on heavier coats as the weather gets colder.

[MrWolf]

Outside critters don't need a heat source , you aren't really doing them any favors by providing one .

A nice dry snug place out of the wind with some dry bedding providing insulation from the ground is about as much luxury as they need. Nature provides a warm fur coat and metabolism to take care of themselves.

When it's really cold a water source will do them more good then heated accommodations

This. When weI first got our girls (chickens but same principles) I was all concerned with a heat source, etc. I did a bunch of research and determined keeping them off the ground and out of the wind was the way to go. Mother nature knows what she us doing. I do use the deep litter method (we shred our cardboard as bedding) and the have a 2x4 wrapped with rope for roosting. Same principles apply for cats. Keep them above the ground and out of the wind. A small area allows their body heat to warm it. I do have the heated water bowls, chicken one inside the coop and a heated dog bowl outside that work great. Good luck.
Ron

[ulav8r]

One of our dogs did not like to sleep on the carport. He preferred the mulch in the flower bed. One morning we saw him there with about a 1/2 inch of snow on his coat. He had his head up checking his surroundings, then went back to napping.

[45DUDE]

How about a large plastic plant container with a $15 heat pad upside down and a weight on top if outside? I have one and a possum took it over.

[fiberoptik]

I made a small insulated (dog)cathouse. Cat loved it. When he passed, his replacement moved in! I would think those heated pads used for reptiles would be the way to go. They don’t get really hot.

[WILCO]

You needn't worry about cats and cold wintry weather.
They always find what they need.
Like Roger Miller sang in his song, "Every lock that ain't locked, when no one's around".........

[farmbif]

at one time I thought my cats need a warm place on 0 degree nights. I was wrong. they get very frisky in cold. and maybe because they have lots of buildings and places to go. most recently I found two cats of mine snuggled together on top of a pile of firewood in the woodshed but it was only about 22 degrees that morning.
if cats are healthy and they have been outdoors through the year the fur fills in and gets thick protective layers by winter. on the coldest nights they ball up and tuck the paws in under them and keep a keen eye out for anything that moves.
in winter I like to give them some canned fish or canned food in addition to the regular kibble to keep them fat and happy. im down to only 6 very healthy cats to keep the rodent population in check around the farm. yeah I do find mouse nests sometimes but they are always empty.

[jsizemore]

I saw a very interesting video about keeping a greenhouse warm in the winter. A fella was germinating seeds and keeping sprouts alive by placing a 5 gallon bucket with lid nearly full of water with an aquarium heater located in a small portion of his greenhouse. He was dressed like Nanuke so I assume it was pretty cold at his location.

[popper]

I always thought all cat houses were hot!

[Patrick L]

Man you need to watch your titles!! Where I come from, a cat house has a very different meaning!!

[warren5421]

You have never been to Holland. On the canals cat house line the banks with the red lights across the street. You can visit either, I went to the canal side.

[SteveM54]

Hmmm, I've always wanted a cat house out in my back yard. May have to look into this.

[shaggybull]

My wife made some heated kitty houses for the back porch a couple years ago when we had some subzero weather for her outside kittys. One of the things you need to watch out for is the stinky kitty's like the houses too! She went out one morning and discovered stinky kitty (skunk) in one house and a opossum in the other needless to say heated housing for kitty's were removed!!!

[bcraig]

Cat house's are a good idea ,shed etc
Mother nature is cruel and lots of animals freeze to death every year.
Just because they have fur does not mean that they are immune to freezing to death .
Same thing applies to not having shade to get out of the sun and heat.
Same thing for having enough water and food.