I am a dairy farmer. When I bought my farm there were no cats there. Then I had a feral cat shower up. So I put a little bit of food out. Not to much as I wanted him to hunt. As a dairy barm is warm I did not need a shelter. But I got a heated one and placed it where he could get out of the barn easily. He was a great cat. Later I had a female show up. So now I get kittens. My barn has a low population of mice and I am happy and they are as well.

@jethro1260

Жыл бұрын

Excellent story, I imagine that the cats 🐈 are very happy 😊. Thank you.

@beverlybalius9303

Жыл бұрын

Yes,,, still feed them some though, especially till babies are grown… I have a rat killer cat,,, She eats well ,, she kills them and never eats them, Thankfully!,,

@jim6161

Жыл бұрын

@@beverlybalius9303 oh they get dry food, and some fresh milk. I have had a few feral cats that did not know what dry food was. Only came for the milk.

@shawnaweesner3759

Жыл бұрын

To @jim6161: I hope you spayed and neutered the Mom and Dad and kittens! We don’t need any more feral cats and kittens!

@jim6161

Жыл бұрын

@@shawnaweesner3759 do you know how many cats we loose to wildlife alone a year? My barn has never been overrun with cats. Also very few of the kittens remain feral as I tame them. I pet them every time I feed them. In fact I bottle fed two little males that were pushed out of their nest two years ago. They became house cats. I had them neutered. Did not want them spraying the house.

I made a couple of those about 20 years ago for 5 kittens which used to hang around my back yard. I put them on my back porch. Every morning I would go to the door to feed them and there would be 5 faces anxiously peering out of the holes waiting for breakfast. It was the cutest thing I ever saw. ❤❤❤

@jeffk464

8 ай бұрын

my aussie prevents this situation

@judiththymes1532

2 ай бұрын

Did you take a pic? Please post it here if you can!

@claudermiller

2 ай бұрын

@@judiththymes1532 I don't remember. I should have patented it. 😆 🤣 😂

Lady , you did a a very good expose on how to care for feral cats . That was well rehearsed and well thought . I have a feral that sleeps in my bed at night because a raccoon tore her up bad . She cannot be litter trained and she has never once made a mistake in the house . She had never been in a house before and was scared to death . She had to come in to eat , because of the raccoons . The cat did not know that petting would actually feel good . She thought that was an attack . Now the whole world is changed for her !!

@halfdome4158

Жыл бұрын

You are so sweet.❤

@nancycosta2448

Жыл бұрын

Bless your heart!

@jand9770

Жыл бұрын

Just friendly warning, Be cautious of ticks. Could be brought in and left behind in bedding by cat.. You DON'T want Lyme Disease from ticks!! Just a sincere word of caution...

@lindahandley5267

Жыл бұрын

She has her own personal private duty nurse!

@lindahandley5267

Жыл бұрын

@@jand9770 Great advice.

I'm a beekeeper out in the country. People drop of singles or complete litters. During the winter mice try to move onto the hives. Mice also attract snakes. So having a few cats around help. We use pine straw, then in the spring it becomes mulch . Merry Christmas from the cats

@A-Cat-A-Mee

Жыл бұрын

I'm a Certified Feral Cat Caretaker with the Michigan Humane Society and I've been trapping, neutering and spaying feral and free roaming community cats for over 35 years while also re-homing the ones that I can. Let me first say that you did a great job, but you really need to use silicone to seal the lids otherwise moisture will get inside the shelters no matter how much tape you use or how tight the lid clicks in place and that goes for the Rubbermaid and Coleman like coolers as well. However, when using the Rubbermaid and Coleman like coolers, please make sure you use the ones that have a detachable lid and no drain plug inside, but if you choose to use the attached lids and the coolers with the drain plugs inside, make sure you use silicone in the inside of the drain plugs and all around the screws of the attached lids and check all of your shelters after rain, wind and snow to ensure the shelters are dry. You might have to re-position your shelters to keep the wind, rain and snow from getting inside. Please click on my link to watch my 4 minute video for further instructions on how to properly seal your cat shelters in order to prevent cats from laying on iced over straw if moisture gets inside the shelters which can lead to a freezing death: kzread.info/dash/bejne/mKh3zc6Kd868dMY.html

@julezee6500

9 ай бұрын

Hi @gregsanderson2470, what is pine straw? Thnx julie

@gregsanderson2470

9 ай бұрын

@@julezee6500 pine needles. The long neadles are raked up and baled like straw.

@gregsanderson2470

9 ай бұрын

@@A-Cat-A-Mee hi, I have a problem with a feral cat. She comes and goes at will. I have a live trap. She's the last of 13 to be fixed. And rabies shot. I'll need to catch her the day before going to the clinic. How? *** well she just had kittens in our guest bed room. They're under a bed but we've heard them. Does anyone want a barn cat? Or 2.

@aflawedhuman2046

9 ай бұрын

​@@gregsanderson2470same I had a cat show up but it's dangerous here for her because cats Just disappear around here..but I think the ome here needs a vet since she's bloated and you can feel her ribs and she coughs sometimes...It's hard to not give up when every rescue doesn't have room😔

In winter, I line the floor of my feral cat shelters with styrofoam insulation that is coated on one side with a reflective mylar-type material. It reflects body heat. When I check my shelters, I usually find that the cats have burrowed into the straw so that their bellies contact the warm mylar. I think they love it.🙂

@thebluelunarmonkey

Жыл бұрын

an explanation of how reflective foil works from the HVAC perspective translated to kitty speak. Picture the kitty and the radiant heat they are always emitting in every direction like a light bulb. Direct contact with the foil eliminates the emissivity/reflectivity of the foil, so only the styrofoam insulation is working. However comma, the cat is radiating heat in all directions, so assuming the cat is laying on it's belly, the radiant heat being emitted from his sides is hitting the foil that he is not in contact with and being reflected back inside the box - because there is an air gap. Lining the sides and ceiling with foil would be more effective. To test. Get a small skillet and put on stove and turn on the burner. When the pan is hot, hover your hand a couple inches above. Your hand gets hot. Put a sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the skillet. Hover your hand 1" above the foil and you will feel only warmth, about 3% of the heat is radiated thru the foil to your hand (emissivity) If you lightly touch the foil, it will be very hot. (Conductivity) The air gap is necessary for full effectiveness. The straw traps the air from freely moving about and expelling warm air thru the opening, much like how fiberglass insulation works by preventing air flow.

@A-Cat-A-Mee

Жыл бұрын

I'm a Certified Feral Cat Caretaker with the Michigan Humane Society and I've been trapping, neutering and spaying feral and free roaming community cats for over 35 years while also re-homing the ones that I can. Let me first say that you did a great job, but you really need to use silicone to seal the lids otherwise moisture will get inside the shelters no matter how much tape you use or how tight the lid clicks in place and that goes for the Rubbermaid and Coleman like coolers as well. However, when using the Rubbermaid and Coleman like coolers, please make sure you use the ones that have a detachable lid and no drain plug inside, but if you choose to use the attached lids and the coolers with the drain plugs inside, make sure you use silicone in the inside of the drain plugs and all around the screws of the attached lids and check all of your shelters after rain, wind and snow to ensure the shelters are dry. You might have to re-position your shelters to keep the wind, rain and snow from getting inside. Please click on my link to watch my 4 minute video for further instructions on how to properly seal your cat shelters in order to prevent cats from laying on iced over straw if moisture gets inside the shelters which can lead to a freezing death: kzread.info/dash/bejne/mKh3zc6Kd868dMY.html

@lizzieb6311

Жыл бұрын

@@A-Cat-A-Mee what terrific information! Thank you! I have not utilized the silicone on the shelters I’ve made here in central Florida. With all the tropical storms it’s tricky keeping the shelters dry. I will seal them! Thank you!

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for helping feral cats! And thank you for watching our video. Please hit the subscribe button for more!

@underthetornado

8 ай бұрын

I built a feral shelter box in desert of Mohave desert, CA in my RV park. I had a feral ca adopt me and he brought his family to me cuz mom cat got hit by car. So I got them all homes and Frank hung around for like 3 years. One if his female kittens had litter so I made her a birthing box plus home. It was really hot so I put tiny fan in roof of it and on super hot days I put big mayo jars filled with ice. The kittens loved it!! So did mom.

I had families of cats living in my backyard so I took some of the Styrofoam boxes from Nutrisystem and I cut the ends off and hooked together three boxes and made a little home and I put plastic strips over the doorway I put a heating pad in there that for cats. They absolutely loved it and I had it sitting on pallets. It was hard cutting the styrofoam and it made a mess so I found this tool that heats up and it just slices through the styrofoam like it's butter. Since the cats like to look out I also put in some plexiglass on one side so they could look out. I got it on Amazon it's called a foam cutter

@debbiewilson9712

9 ай бұрын

You are wonderful!!!

@susannestorm9705

8 ай бұрын

❤❤❤❤

@scook5599

8 ай бұрын

Great ideas!

@barnowlwatcher

6 ай бұрын

Can you tell us what the tool is called? I would like to get one at the hardware store. Thanks.

@scook5599

6 ай бұрын

Great job! Very creative!

I provided winter shelter for a feral cat that became a porch kitty. His ear is clipped from neuter/release. After years of feeding him outdoors, and knowing I was going to move, I coaxed him inside with food. And guess what? 8 years after he was living in a gutter, he is now a lap kitty. His name is Baby. He is very much a cuddler and loves my other cat who was once a stray but not feral. They are both black.

@furtadofan

7 ай бұрын

And people say you can’t tame feral’s.

@AH-wp7lw

3 ай бұрын

Aww that’s so amazing! I saved a boy Tom cat too, he was very wild when we first met but now the most spoiled cuddly sweet indoor cat I’ve ever owned 🥰

@barbaraarsenault1192

2 ай бұрын

Just read these two replies. ❤️. Wonderful about adopting that sweet feral. Glad there are kind people who give ferals a chance. Great cats. Full of love.

Great video! I run a storage facility in Baltimore City. We have a totally feral black cat who hangs around our building and I'm pretty sure is the reason I never have rat issues. He's looking a bit older this year, so I was thinking of putting shelter behind one of the containers , near the dumpster (where he hangs out) to help him get through the winter a little easier. I'll look around to see what I can get my hands on.

@r.j.whitaker

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for being so kind and thoughtful to the kitty.

@minarosered6699

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for looking out for the elder cat!

@A-Cat-A-Mee

Жыл бұрын

I'm a Certified Feral Cat Caretaker with the Michigan Humane Society and I've been trapping, neutering and spaying feral and free roaming community cats for over 35 years while also re-homing the ones that I can. Let me first say that you did a great job, but you really need to use silicone to seal the lids otherwise moisture will get inside the shelters no matter how much tape you use or how tight the lid clicks in place and that goes for the Rubbermaid and Coleman like coolers as well. However, when using the Rubbermaid and Coleman like coolers, please make sure you use the ones that have a detachable lid and no drain plug inside, but if you choose to use the attached lids and the coolers with the drain plugs inside, make sure you use silicone in the inside of the drain plugs and all around the screws of the attached lids and check all of your shelters after rain, wind and snow to ensure the shelters are dry. You might have to re-position your shelters to keep the wind, rain and snow from getting inside. Please click on my link to watch my 4 minute video for further instructions on how to properly seal your cat shelters in order to prevent cats from laying on iced over straw if moisture gets inside the shelters which can lead to a freezing death: kzread.info/dash/bejne/mKh3zc6Kd868dMY.html

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for helping feral cats! And thank you for watching our video. Please hit the subscribe button for more!

@debcarrwrites760

Жыл бұрын

Make sure to feed him high fat food in the winter time, and he will catch even more rats. The winter coat of fat from the high-fat food will help protect him as well. Good luck with your project and bless you for taking care of him.

We had some feral cats (and opossums and things) who used our garage last winter to stay warm. We left the door cracked just enough for them to get in and left boxes out filled with thick blankets so they all had their own personal space. We kept two of the kittens and they're adorable adult cats now. This year we're feeding and caring for almost 20 cats and dogs, including 6 small kittens. Their mother brought them to us one at a time, then left. We joke that there's a social media for cats and dogs because within a day of putting out food and water the 1st time, we had most of the neighborhood pets and strays eating here. The kittens are in the garage right now with lots of toys, snacks, blankets, and heat. We're slowly getting them used to people and other cats. We let them inside a few hours a day or when they decide to go back to the garage. We'll let them stay inside for good when they begin to feel comfortable in the house. At that point we'll have them vaccinated and spayed/neutered. We plan to be selective about who adopts them. We also built containers outside for the adults who are harder to trap. They have 2 stories so they can enter into the bottom level and then stick their head outside to eat while staying in the warmth. The top floor is warmer and has a cat bed with toys. The containers have several inches of soft insulation and Styrofoam to keep the cold and moisture out. I wish we could do more, but feeding almost 20 animals is expensive and money is tight nowadays. Thank you for making this video. If one life is saved, it's worth it.

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for all the work you are doing to care for the animals in your community!

@teripickering6724

Жыл бұрын

God bless you and I thank you for your stewardship of these lucky animals. If more people could care half as much more homeless cats and dogs would make it through the winter. On behalf of all those you help so much . . THANK YOU!

@annereidy7981

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@joea4936

9 ай бұрын

I bet the place smelled wonderful afterwards

@melindasmith3713

9 ай бұрын

I call it word on the street ! They animals communicate, who's giving ..

Nice to see in comments, so many of us caring for these little critters. Thank you for your care. !

@MichiganPetAlliance

8 ай бұрын

Yes, we are very encouraged to see so many people caring for feral cats!

The house I bought had 2 ferals hanging around. The one used to be a pet because he's neutered and declawed x4. He also going deaf, got a bad eye that always had green goop and may have a BB just under his skin near his shoulder. During a polar vortex he couldn't walk without falling over. Vet said he has idiopathic vestibular syndrome - eye drops, ear drops, antibiotics, anti-parasitics, and vertigo meds has him mostly better. Every once in a while the syndrome flares up and he'll walk with his crooked. He's an indoor cat now but still tries to get out. Both cats were shy but wet cat food fixes that. The other cat will come inside but freaks out if we try to shut the door. When i come home in the morning he runs over for head scratches then rolls on the walk for belly rubs.I bought him one of those shelters that looks like a mini dog house. It has a weight activated heat mat and I velcroed reflective bubble wrap insulation to the walls and ceiling. The heat mat is questionable. Not sure how well it works after several years, how effective it is in extreme cold, or if it freezes like a towel when it gets wet. The house is holding up well although fading.

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for caring for them! Feel free to add straw to the shelter if the heat mat is questionable. Keep up the great work!

Thank you for showing us the ins and outs in making these. I'm allergic to cats; however, I have two feral cats that sleep on my patio furniture. I've been shopping, trying to create a warm home for them during storms. I won't be able to bring them inside with my allergy, but I'm hoping I can make them comfortable and safe.

My sister used an old ice chest for her cat. That cat was in there all the time. Rain, wind, hot or cold, that was his house and he loved visitors. I really miss that cat.

@MichiganPetAlliance

7 ай бұрын

Others have suggested using an old ice chest, which is a great idea!

God bless you lady for doing what you do for those poor babies outside. They didn’t ask to be born. They didn’t ask to be let to live out on the streets. You must have a great big heart and that heart is leading you to save these poor animals lives, thank you so much.

@MichiganPetAlliance

7 ай бұрын

Yes, Jenny has a wonderful heart and is committed to caring for communities cats ❤

Cats are protected by a powerful friend, Jenny, you are a beautiful person who offsets the casual cruelty I see so often when humans interact with these exquisite creatures. Power to your Paw!

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for your kind words. Jenny is a treasure and truly a wonderful advocate for feral cats. Thank you for watching our video. Please hit the subscribe button for more.

@JakeStar-oe9ev

8 ай бұрын

I despise humans who treat cats bad

@nsav8

8 ай бұрын

@@MichiganPetAlliance Anyone who goes through all this work to save ferals is an angel on earth. Kudos to Jenny and everyone at MPA.

Unbelievably informative! Thinking you clearly have an advanced degree in feral feline architecture. So timely, so exact, so articulate, so loving. 💐 You and your team are on a wonderful mission 💓😻

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for your kind words.

@jeanmcginnis9804

8 ай бұрын

@@MichiganPetAllianceThank you for this information! I’m wondering if I can use pine straw bc I have a pine tree or is there a better straw I can get to keep them warmer and dry? Thank you!

love the reciprocity. she gives Linus a shelter for the winter and he gives her tech tips. beautiful.

I can't thank you enough for showing us how to make a simple, yet very effective shelter! We've got a garage with a pet door, beds & Snuggle Safes & it's been working well for years. We live in N. Florida & do have a few chilly or rainy nights where I worry a lot about a couple of newcomers who won't come inside yet. We're not handy types with carpentry skills, so I'm thrilled to know that we can make a good shelter for our new kitties without being Bob Vila. God bless you! 🙏🏽😺🌹

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and for helping feral cats! Please subscribe for more videos.

@teresahatfield4521

9 ай бұрын

There are feral cats where l live but they came from homes across the street from me. The cats are very thin and not well taken care of. I feed them every day. They all looks healthier since l have fed them. Thanks for this information about feral so good. God bless!

Thank you for caring for the little ones. We share this world with a vast variety of creatures and we should care for all of them. Great info about the hay and straw.

Bless you, Madam, for your care of these nearly-wild kitties. With the serious winters you get in Michigan, these shelters are essential.

To help camouflage the enclosure, you can coat the container with adhesive spray, then purchase a couple of the mylar chrome space blankets and smoothly cover the outside of the enclosure, the mirror image reflects the surroundings which basically makes the enclosure disappear when placed in or near wooded or grassy areas.

@isabellavalencia8026

Жыл бұрын

What a great idea!

@BarWatch

Жыл бұрын

yes, great idea. genius

@MsChristyMarie

Жыл бұрын

Great idea 👍🏼

God bless you for this video. Reading the comments made me tear up. Having the heart to open up to a feral cat, is amazing. I have an outdoor cat now, that adopted me. I build him a little house & keep his food next to it. His name is Guapo, which means Handsome.

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for helping dear Guapo! And thank you for watching our video. Please hit the subscribe button for more!

@teripickering6724

Жыл бұрын

Guapo is a very lucky guy to have you watching out for him!!!

Thank you for doing this for the kitties! God bless you! ❤

Thank you. Did not know about all the styrofoam at hospitals! I just bought a lot of styrofoam insulation for a shelter-building project for our rescue group this weekend. Next time, I will talk to some of our many local hospitals and see what i can get for free--great tip!

@Boogeyman1435

Жыл бұрын

I've been picking up the coolers from a local medical clinic. They just throw them out. I called and asked, and now they keep calling me to give me coolers. I need to start sharing with some local groups. I don't know what gets shipped in them, but they get an awful lot of these coolers

@tholei11

Жыл бұрын

Great idea! I'm no expert, but what I want to say is: straw starts to mould easily, there are reports of hedgehogs have gone mouldy with the straw. Maybe because it has become dump. Maybe in a shelter it doesn't happen so fast, but I think a cloth blanket would be better or something similar.

@anasazirose

Жыл бұрын

@@Boogeyman1435 they're used to ship medicine and vaccines that need kept chilled.

@Boogeyman1435

Жыл бұрын

@@tholei11 No to the blanket idea. It would trap moisture and freeze. The straw isn't going to go moldy the way that it is used in these shelters. And it's to be replaced each season anyway

@GGiblet

Жыл бұрын

If you worry the straw won't be enough, perhaps a sunshield from the dollar store (those foil looking reflective things) they are good for insulation. It could be cut to size and go beneath the straw.

This is fantastic! It is a Master Class on housing for feral cats and is fully comprehensive. I was left with no questions and no notes. Wonderful job!!!

Thank you for all that you do 🙏 i have a shelter in dubai. The temperature in summer is about 50 C and now in winter is about 8 to 15 C. The cats are not used to the cold at all. It is such a huge problem to cater for spaces that are shady and cool for 9 months in the year. Now in our winter i am using the styrofoam boxes with hay and they love snuggling inside. I have about 50 or so and all are abandoned cats. 😒

@MichiganPetAlliance

5 ай бұрын

Thank you for caring for community cats! Please try to get them spayed and neutered. Also, please do not use hay. Straw is a better insulator and a wonderful deterrent against insects, including fleas.

@adismom64

5 ай бұрын

@@MichiganPetAlliance yesss! Sorry, I meant straw, not hay. All that are old enough are neutered and vaccinated. 🙂

@MichiganPetAlliance

5 ай бұрын

@@adismom64 Keep up the great work!

This is a great idea! I’m going to look around and see if I can make one. I currently have a large dog crate under my carport for our outside cat stuffed with straw and in a sheltered area.

Great advice for shelter for cats I just wish people would stop stealing the ones I put out.

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for helping feral cats ... despite the awful thieves! And thanks for watching our video. Please hit the subscribe button for more!

Your kindness and empathy are inspiring ❤ thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience 🙏

Ever since the shelters closed down during Covid, we have been taking care of 10-20 feral cats. I have taken about 17 to the shelter, but our local shelter now has 800 cats. So we are on our own. My husband has made wooden boxes with heaters, but the cost of OSB has made it to expensive to make boxes. This is a great idea. I am going to show it to my husband and put these around the neighborhood. Thank you for the informative video.

Love Cats! Thank you for helping them & showing others how to make these shelters! ✨🕊✨🎺

@MichiganPetAlliance

9 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

THANK YOU so much for this great how to,video. We always have porch cats. I've had a few tub shelters set up for them for a few years. But you've shown me a much better way to do several things. Now I can host a few more kitties! ❤

I use duct tape to cover the cut edge of the entrance to keep those little styrofoam beads from sticking to their fur. They don't need to ingest those when they clean themselves. I agree with putting a board overtop two shelters with pavers on top. My best one was a few shelters with a tarp over all of them and two entrances to get under the "tarped shelter city" if you will. With pavers all around on every edge of the tarp covering the shelters underneath. They stay very dry and the tarp keeps all the wind out. Keep on kitty providing:)

@MichiganPetAlliance

8 ай бұрын

Great suggestions! Thank you for sharing!

❤❤ We set up heavy cardboard boxes on pallets on our porches with blankets between high filled woodracks along with infrared heat lamps secured well away from being hit by the cats. We've done this now for four years. The feral cats love them but i think the Styrofoam might be better except that we have temps near -40 F and winds here in wyo. We have heated water but the food is a constant challenge. Always defrosting plates and wasting food. Would love suggestions to improve that challenge. Thank you for also loving the ferals. A lot of people hate us.

@MichiganPetAlliance

5 ай бұрын

Check out another video on our channel to make an outdoor feeding station. kzread.info/dash/bejne/qWRsx69tXabNidI.html This will keep your food warmer, dryer, and free of snow, rain and ice. Thank you for watching and please subscribe for more.

I know that this is traditional fare for cat housing but in the north where we have very cold winters we use hard insulation like styrofoam board. For a pair of bonded feral cats we cut up the insulation to fit the inside of a larger tote. There are other soft insulation products available but this hard wall insulation works well. It can be cut with a sharp knife. Taped it to line the inside of the tote, bottom, sides and top. Got a good glue to glue the insulation to for the top of the inside of the tote and then taped it as well. Covered the bottom of it well so that they wouldn’t dig it. Bought an electric pet bed for inside and ran an outdoor approved extension cord to it. For another home we bought a self warming pet bed. Straw is ok but we have had cats go into sheds rather than go lay on straw. The pet beds was easily and are inexpensive. If your going to do it then do it well. We also used a tarp to cover the totes to keep rains and melting snow from dripping g into the houses. It also gives them a little porch to sit under when they want to. Alway elevate the house off the ground. That helps to keep other animals out and keeps the home off the cold ground. I’m glad to say that after a couple of winters the bonded pair became tame enough to live indoors and we found them a nice new home.

Our barn cat, we really did not want a cat hanging around but let her come and go. One morning I happened to look at the carport and there she was trying to get some bird seed off the gravel. At that point it was no, not on my watch. Over a year we fed her, she would hide then come eat. One day I just stayed by the bowl and she came, wary, but came. Later I reached out as she ate and she stayed. That progressed to her jumping in my lap for a Scratch and her purr session. Long story short, schedule is in the house and is part of our pack. She is loved and loves back.

Thank you so much for the thoughtful video💕 may Linus and all the precious ferals have warm places to sleep and full tummies

@deliawright8626

Жыл бұрын

Yes, thanks for explaining your years of experience and helping God's creatures.

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for your kind words and for watching our video. Please hit the subscribe button for more!

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

@@deliawright8626 Our subject matter expert Jenny is a true friend to feral cats. We are lucky to have her! Thank you for watching our video. Please hit the subscribe button for more!

Thank you for the knowledge. I have two cats that come visit me one has gotten comfortable enough to rub up against me. The other one still is not as comfortable with me. I bought an insulated house, but your ideas are much better thank you.

I love that you can tell this lady knows what shes talking about. I need all her outside cat knowledge

Thanks I've been struggling to keep my rescue TNR colony warm. Since mine are on the porch, I plugged my ceramic reptile heaters I used for young birbs. This is our first time using straw and it has been so much better to work with. We have some mini goat kid size doggloos around for storm shelters, but I will start adding these as well.

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for helping feral cats! And thank you for watching our video. Please hit the subscribe button for more!

Thank you so much for the great video. My Niebhors house burnt and he's 89. He lost what was left of his world. He has a cat that has lived outside for 20 years. When the house burnt, I began to notice that he didn't come every day. Then he went for a few days at a time. I asked if the cat was getting fed, he said every time he comes. I'm not a cat person. But , just as Gene's life burnt up, so did the cats. Sadly, Gene only ever called him cat. Not out of malice mind you, but, Gene is a simple Black and White type of man. Needless to say, I got some food. I feed that poor skinny old girl every day. When Gene comes maybe she gets fed twice a day. But, it's starting to get cold. I know cat lives under another neighbors house in a crawl space. But I feel like I need to build her a cat house just to give her tge best chance of surviving the coming winter. She was there when I brought food today. I actually petted her. He'll, may have to put a cat box in my shop... Did I mention I'm allergic to cats? Haha o ce again, thanks for the info. I'll be heading to Lowes tomorrow. Got a screen shot if the container.... take care

I take care of a 4 ferals behind my home & this idea is amazing! Thank you so much for this! I’ve been trying to build little tent shelters out on my deck but in the really cold winters, I always worry that they’re not warm enough…this just solved my problem. Bless you!💛💛💛

great idea my baby was born ferral and choose us to be part of her family nd lives in the house now but there are several other ferral cats living around here this styrofoam box thing is a awesome idea thanks for such a great great idea

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for helping feral cats! And thank you for watching our video. Please hit the subscribe button for more!

I used a styroroma beer cooler for a feral cat one winter. Initially, he wouldn't go in it. I figured out he had no depth perception in a white container. i lined the inside with newspaper using elmers glue and he immediately took up residence. I hung a towel over the entrance with a brick to keep out drafts. Later I had to cut small slits in the top to let out moisture so it didn't condensate inside. He survived a Denver winter in that.

Thank you. I don't see politicians on either side of the aisle dealing with this huge huge issue. I've traveled this country a lot. I've seen Feral colonies at McDonald's in Santa Rosa New Mexico, Arizona, Texas. I see our volunteers getting absolute fabulous arrangements and deals with veterinarians at a much more efficient rate than other charities. We have volunteers, overhead is almost nothing. Where is the political leadership here? Not only feral cats, but the way we treat animals in the meat industry as well. The path towards evolution is empathy.

@MichiganPetAlliance

5 ай бұрын

Education is a powerful tool! Sometimes educating city officials about animal issues can be a win-win both for the people who want to help them, as well as the animals. Maybe your organization can partner with other groups in your area to discuss this issue with your local officials. Thank you for watching and please hit the subscribe button for more!

Thanks for posting this. I'm concerned about the feral cat who hangs around my barn. She can't be near my house cats because she's aggressive with them. (That's her in my profile picture, we call her Drusilla)She's an excellent mouser and I plan to repay her hard work with a cozy shelter 🐈‍⬛

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for helping the ferals! And thank you for watching our video. Please hit the subscribe button for more.

You can use heavy-duty wide velcro strips to keep the cat shelter lids in place because the rain & snow can weaken the packaging tape. I repurposed an old metal dog crate and turned it into a cat shelter. When the weather gets really bad, I bring in all my kitties into the basement's utility room with litter boxes.

Too bad my work-I work for the State I live in won't let me put shelters and Utah gets pretty cold, they don't like that I feed the feral cats there. The two I feed have been there at least 4 years, I noticed when "the flu" hit and most people at our office worked from home the cats were out one of their food sources-going through the garbage cans that's when I started to feed them.

@drewmcclintock7034

Жыл бұрын

They are storage totes which happen to have a hole cut in them, and somehow the cats got in there. That is all you have to tell the state, if you tell them anything

Thank you SO much for your advise, expertise and tutelage 🙏🏼😘 !! This video has, and will continue to, help SO many cats in need 🥇 You are an Animal Companion for SURE 🏆!!!

I just got through making a shelter for my outside kitty that showed up last year just about this time. His name is Houdini. i lined the container with fleece and faced the opening towards the wall away from the prevailing winds. It has not gotten wet inside and the opening is off the ground. It was a litter box that I took the insides out. I made something like this one year. Turn the container upside down so it is resting on the top and weight it with a paver. Oh.. I put a heating blanket in it and he stayed NICE and warm.

@MichiganPetAlliance

8 ай бұрын

Thank you for helping Houdini stay warm and safe!

I am in Michigan. I have been feeding several cats and am going to try this. Thanks

This is an amazing video....what a great way to help the cats that don't have a home. I bet other versions wld work for homeless dogs too! Thank you for showing this.🐾🐈‍⬛🐾🐕💕

Great video. Thanks on behalf of the feral cats. 😊❤😻😻😻

You and your friends are so kind for looking after those poor homeless pussy cats, thank you. I wish there were some stray cats that would come here. All the best from England.

A few months back we had a cat show up to our home. He hung around so we decided to feed him. Then we took him and got his shots and neutered. He is a very good cat. He follows us around the yard and goes for walks with us on our dead end road, so there is no traffic per say for him to be hit. I have some chairs outside and when I sit in one of them he will jump in the other and sit me for hours. he also loves having his head scratched. We were never cat people but this young boy has changed that. Even the dogs like him and if my Granddaughter were not allergic to cats he would be inside.

This is precious and I can't thank you enough for this.

This is such a great video. I'm going to put one in the neighborhood park. Before the rain comes. Really I hope no one ruins it. Thank you for sharing this. Stay Blessed everyone 🌻

I made of of these shelters for two rescued cats, I suspect were feral. I also bought an omlet catio for them, to protect them from predators. They were outside most of the summer, But, now, they are very bossy and spoilt, and have decided they much prefer to live inside, albeit it took more than six months for them to calm down and become civiilized. Now, they come and sleep on my lap. Originally, my plan was to keep them long enough to have both of them spayed, and get their vaccinations. They are very bonded to eachother, and I couldn't bring myself to find them a good home, when they already decided they have one.....lol They still have the catio so they can go outside during summer months, they have the shelter as well as a commercially made cat house, they like both.

Thank you for posting this information and may God bless you, your families, & MPA organization. 👍

@MichiganPetAlliance

7 ай бұрын

Thank you for your kind words.

I am a disabled single girl stuck in a small apartment & in a complex that had/has a stray cat colony. I've spent a few years trying my best to get them spayed/neutered & rehomed, feeding them on my porch & fighting the apathetic manager every year to have even just one single cat shelter box by my porch. 2 months ago, I brought in an injured mama kitty that was pregnant & she gave birth to 6 kittens the next night! I've been run into the ground physically & financially & don't know how much longer I can do it. The shelter here in BARRY COUNTY is & always has refused to take cats or even kittens, and I don't know anyone with a farm they can live on. It wouldn't be nearly as bad to have mama & kittens if I hadn't had a really old, huge neutered male I took in last winter when he was sick & couldn't leave my porch. Now I'm stuck with him in my bedroom while the kittens tear around my now destroyed living space. It really sucks that when we rescue these poor babies, we're backed into a corner, either kick them back out or become cat ladies & risk eviction... 😥

@MichiganPetAlliance

7 ай бұрын

Thank you for everything you are doing to help community cats! If the Barry County Animal Shelter is unable to provide resources, you can try to reach out to Barry County Humane Society (www.barrycountyhumane.org), Community Cats United (www.communitycatsunited.org) and Feral Kitty Trappers (www.feralkittytrapperstnr.org) for additional resources.

@gigiwoodlawn2142

6 ай бұрын

You might also have some luck with rescues outside of your area. Some rescues that may have more funds may help financially with spay/neuter.

@MichiganPetAlliance

6 ай бұрын

Great tip!@@gigiwoodlawn2142

Thank you for the great job you are doing for this homeless cats 👍

@alvashoemaker8536

Жыл бұрын

…I AGREE…! ❤️❤️👍🏼👣👠

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching our video. Please hit the subscribe button for more!

Thank you for caring cats 🙏😍💖🌺🐾🐾🐱

I bought containers with lids from the goodwill shop. You have to check often but you can get them for $7 or so by getting a second hand container for nest making. My husband built one that he elevated and put a trouble light in it when it gets cold. The cat loves her nest.

My god bless you sweetie . Great things you do caring for the animals.

@MichiganPetAlliance

7 ай бұрын

Thank you for your kind remarks ❤

For me, it's not a problem building insulated shelters, although we don't have the winters that you have to deal with here in the Pacific Northwest. My issue is that I have resident possums living in two of them that I placed in areas that feral cats seem to use for shelter. Possums, raccoons, rabbits, and feral cats, all use the same areas to hunt and survive. It even becomes difficult to feed a feral cat when something else is likely to come along and get it.

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Yes, that is always a possibility.

Thank you for the info. I care for 10 feral/abandoned cats at the garden ceter behind the Walmart here. I will build 6 of these to help these guys for this upcoming winter.

@MichiganPetAlliance

8 ай бұрын

Thank you for helping feral cats!

@user-cd9sm1mb6f

8 ай бұрын

@@MichiganPetAlliance Anytime!!!! These guys are the highlight of my day. They didn't choose this life, we did this to them. Not you and I per say but people in general. I try to make up for that, 6 will come to me and play and let me pet them. The other 4 only come close when I have temptations. But all 10 know they are loved!

Thank God there are good people who care.

I used plywood boxes, with quilt batting plus a towel inside, and a heavy plastic flap over the opening. But my boxes were either in the porch or garage, and most of the one side was open. The problem was of course the sude door had to be open. Even my indoor cats loved these boxes! Glad to know straw is better, and about these Styrofoam boxes. I did think about using my extra plastic compost bin like an igloo with straw over thick Styrofoam inside. Thank you for helping feral cats 💖💕

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for helping feral cats! And thank you for watching our video. Please hit the subscribe button for more!

That will provide a warm shelter during the winter for sure. I would just like to add that there should be two holes on opposite sides of the shelter in case the cat needs to escape away from an intruder/predator.

@MichiganPetAlliance

7 ай бұрын

Thank you for your comment. Our subject matter expert Jenny talks about adding a second hole at around 5:55 in the video. Cats have an excellent sense of hearing and sleep quite close to the hole. They will be out of the tote very quickly should they become startled.

Grateful people like you exist.

Michigan needs to take control of this problem!!! No laws protecting cats is wrong they should be required to be fixed by law due to the overwhelming population of poor freezing cats!!! I moved to Iosco county and have rescued multiple cats in three years! Thank goodness the humane society has helped me. I got the kittens adopted and two moms . I personally kept four of them my sister took one. We are super worried about this winter !!!

Put clear plastic flaps over the opening to keep body heat in, cold wind & rain out. Similar to the flaps on enclosed kitty litter boxes. I put one or two slits part of the way up, then tape across top.

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for helping feral cats! And thank you for watching our video. Please hit the subscribe button for more!

Thankfully I don't have any ferals or strays in my immediate area anymore.I think people are more apt to spay and neuter than in the past. May make one for a friend who does have one. She was caught with her kittens, they got adopted and she got released after being spayed. I remember in the blizzard of 78 my brother noticed a cat outside. We had an old cat house wood with carpet. It was for indoors but my brother put it out and faced the hole toward the house and the cat sheltered there the whole storm.

you might want to a few bricks on top of them , to keep them from possibly blowing over in high winds . you could also take a bungee cord or a strap and run it over the top and stake each end in the ground with tent stakes . and if you put a coat of paint on them , especially the styrofoam ones they will last longer in the sun

When i was a kid, i would make fun of cat ladies. Now as a single working male only having my cat panda, im so very grateful there are "crazy" cat ladies out there that helped me find him and keep him warm when he ran away in the middle of winter. ❤

Terrific and simple tips aiding and comforting feral cat's harsh survival. I made similar and put them in my garden shed (door slightly ajar). They loved them and i was able to put their food and water out of rain and wind, near them in the shed also. The only drawback is polystyrene is very light. I put piece of plywood or any wood on the roof and then 2 heavy housebricks for stability. Thanks for video.

Thank you for helping out these Feral cats,bless you

What a kind lady .

Thank you so much for this information!! In the country I have many cats that are dropped (how nasty humans are!). I have 2 rescued cats already so this is a great idea.

Keep up the great work and thank you not just for the instructions but for the inspiration as well.

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching our video and for your kind words. Please hit the subscribe button for more!

The upside of using dark colors is it helps heat the home. White reflects heat and is no bueno. If the tote, or whatever you're using, is lighter colored, just grab a can of dark green (preferred for camouflage) or black spray paint and give it a once over on the outside. And it's good to see you keeping the holes up higher. Most videos I see only have them a few inches off the ground. They're cats, they have zero problem clambering up a few more inches. And those extra inches make it harder for anything else to get in. Keep the holes toward the top of the tote. Also line the holes with Gorilla tape too, or make sure to sand the plastic down as it can be sharp or abrasive - better to line it with Gorilla tape. If you want to be really good, use foam pipe insulation on the hole. It's cheap and available at any hardware store. It's also good to cover the hole with some burlap - or heavy piece of plastic - slit down the middle. Can be taped with Gorilla tape, not duct tape - Gorilla tape is meant for outdoors. Do not affix to the shelter until the cat has moved in though. Thanks for MPA's hard work!

@MichiganPetAlliance

8 ай бұрын

Thank you for the recommendations!

Although, I’m team dog, watching such a simple way to keep homeless cats from freezing in the winter intrigued me. Interestingly enough, a recent KZread video showed that prehistoric people wore shoes with straw in them. When the recreaters duplicated the shoes they found the shoes kept their feet warm while walking in the snow. Your lovely, informative video is what KZread is all about. Thank you for sharing such life saving instructions.

Also especially on the plastic totes I like to put a little overhang or cover over the top of the hole to help keep water and like that out of the tote and also I like to poke a small hole directly below the hole so in case some water would get in there it has a way to run out I think that's a good idea I'm not 100% sure

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for your ideas. If you create an overhang over the shelter entrance, please be sure when there is accumulating snow or ice that the weight does not cause the overhang to collapse and block the entrance to the tote. Poking a small hole for any drainage purposes would be fine.

@atrain818

Жыл бұрын

@@MichiganPetAlliance we just use a little wash cloth and screw it in above the hole. Cut a slit from the bottom to about 3/4s of the way up. It blocks the wind a little. The cats go right in and right out thru the cloth door like it's not even there.

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

@@atrain818 This is a great idea!

Thanks for this idea. I feed 5 feral cats: momma and 4 kittens. They live under a wooden shed that protected them from the extremely cold temperature that we had in Lexington KY last week. Subscribed.

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and please hit the subscribe button for more!

I watched another video and the veterinarian said to blow dry the inside of the plastic container. The heat made cutting the hole like a hot knife through butter. It took less than a minute to cut. I made two. I love this video thank you. 🙏🏾

@MichiganPetAlliance

8 ай бұрын

Great idea! Thank you for sharing.

My husband fed a feral cat population in our city (we're in South Africa) for over 25 years - he travelled every evening a long way to do it and never missed a day - considerable expense. As wonderful as this is it's no use if the cats are not eventually sterilized as they keep breeding and you land up with 100s of starving cats. Some people are irresponsible and sometimes abandon these poor creatures and that's how these feral populations start.

@MichiganPetAlliance

7 ай бұрын

We applaud your husband for his dedication and we agree 100%! TNR (trap-neuter-return) is the humane way to control the cat population.

Yay! I did well. Now I need to get the straw!

@MichiganPetAlliance

6 ай бұрын

Great work!

This was SO incredibly helpful. I am feeding a little feral kitty who I think was dumped or left behind when someone moved out of my complex this past summer. He is super shy and cautious but is now letting me get within three feet of him while he eats. I can't adopt him as I have a middle-aged female cat who would not tolerate another, having been abused by other cats in a home with 11 others. I am desperate to save this outdoor baby - I am not confident I can catch him in a safe drop trap let alone coax him indoors before the snow flies here in Michigan. Now I will make him a shelter, since nights are getting colder and concurrently work on getting him to a cat refuge ASAP. You made this so easy...I feel like I can do this for him and do it right...thank you!

I did the same thing. Now I have 6 fixed ferals cats outside with one visitor stray cat, and 4 domesticated xferal cats inside. My ferals love us, and are very friendly with us bc they trust us. They have a beautiful multi large cat house with hound dog heater system inside, and during freezing cold days they come in our back room, and yes they are all litter box trained. We never see any signs of mice which is a huge plus.

Thank you ! I’m about to refresh mine ❤

Jenny I want to thank you for this video. Ive been making houses for years out of the pink and blue foam from lowes and figuired my hospital labs would tell me they cant help me with those boxes. Well they said yes and that several of the girls working at that lab have done the same. Amazing i'm not the only crazy cat lover. So glad I watched your video it was very well made. Also I made some new friends to boot!

@MichiganPetAlliance

7 ай бұрын

That's wonderful news! So glad we could help you and your community cats!

@furtadofan

7 ай бұрын

I’m always afraid to ask.

Thanks so much.

I don't know why I never thought of this before. This is pure genius! Thank you.

so glad you mentioned the correct packing for inside, straw the best! im lucky enough come winter, i put their houses in my greenhouse for them to winter over, a cat door in the regular door and they are protected from wind and snow.

Thank you!

Bless your heart for help[ng these cats. You are a good woman to build these cat shelters. They are all alone in this world and it's good you are there. Wish I could hug your neck but I will just say Thank You !!!!!

Thank you 🙏

Great information and thank you for helping the fur babies. 😾😼♥️♥️♥️

Literally making these this next weekend! I’m super excited, thank you so much for the instructional video.

@MichiganPetAlliance

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for helping feral cats! And thank you for watching our video. Please hit the subscribe button for more!

Your truly a wonderful gal! Thank you for doing this for all the fur babies god bless you