It Followed Me Home… Can We Keep It?
Are there a few cats in your neighbourhood that are a little less fortunate than your pampered felines at home?
Do you often worry after the well-being of all those poor souls? Lost and disheveled, wandering half-wild, hungry and cold. Is your spouse or children continuously collecting derelict kittens to bring home with pleading eyes? Do you wish to rescue and adopt (and sometimes do) every wandering cat you see?
If only you could build some sort of huge cat sanctuary!..
I definitely sometimes feel like I can relate to all those things. I think we have all been in that situation at least once with a stray cat. One that was looking for its forever home. After all, cats are often lovely creatures and deserve comfort and happiness just like everything else on this planet.
Unfortunately, already an owner of multiple cats, I know that I can’t accommodate any more rescues in the household then I already have. I also know from experience that taking in strays can be risky for your cats health as well as yours. If the cat hasn’t been acclimated to living in a home, it can also mean a stressful period of adjustment. All that being said there is still something you can do. You can still make a real difference in a stray cats life. It’s not quite a giant cat sanctuary, but it will do the trick, and it won’t cost a fortune either!
DIY Outdoor Cat Shelter
Simple and cheap. This DIY cat shelter will keep one or two cats, or perhaps a mother and kittens, warm, dry, and protected in outdoor conditions. Keep in mind that these are not only good for strays but are great for your own cats as-well. Remember that cats, despite their fur coats, still will become cold and uncomfortable at the same temperature as the average person will. So it’s always nice for them to have a place to hang out and be comfy!
There are several different designs for this particular cat shelter. They all work on the same basic idea of insulating a Rubbermaid bin and filling it with straw bedding. Regardless I encourage you to research the different styles. All of them have their own particular strengths and weaknesses. I find its nice to have a few ideas to work with when you gather your materials.
If your on a really tight budget, but still want to save the world one kitty at a time most of the materials can be salvaged if necessary. A warm dry place to be safe will make a huge impact for any cat who’s searching for their forever home.
Watch this video from the Ontario SPCA for all the details on how to build the most effective cat shelter.
