TOP PICKS for Cat Houses

When it comes to shopping for cat houses for the winter season I tend to shop offseason because the selection is better and prices are lower. 

I will shop in town before I shop online and will look for quality made houses that are not drafty. Many pet houses look great and you think they are made well but you really need to check them out because not all cat houses are made well.

My husband and shopped locally for an outdoor cat house. We went to Walmart, Pet Smart and did not find quality outdoor houses. What we found was flimsy wood houses with drafty floors or plastic houses that really were intended for a dog. Since the selection in town was poor I shopped online at Chewy Pet Supplies. It did not take long as I found a few cat houses that were suitable for outdoor feral and stray cats.

Here are my top picks for outdoor cat houses. 

I recommend these houses because they provide the cat with their own space and the houses were insulated to keep the cat cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Plus they were waterproof. The houses offered year-round comfort and safety for the outdoor cats.

I really like the New Age Pet ecoFlex outdoor cat house at Chewy .com.  This is a well-made cat house and the interior is roomy enough for two stray or feral cats. Unlike other cat houses, this one comes with a front door and a side door so if there are any predators the kitty can get away from the side door.  The interior of this cat house is roomy enough for two cats.

Putting the cat house together was easy.  The front door flap is a good grad plastic but I did leave off the front one because the feral cats by me are turned off by door covering. 

Since this cat house does not come with a heating pad I opted to cover the walls and floor with K&H self-heated cat pads.  The pads made the cat house more cozy and warm.  In addition to the cat pads, I did add some wheat straw.

straw keeps outdoor cats warm

This cat house is low to the ground so I set it up on some cement blocks. By lifting it the water runoff from a hard rain will not get into the house and neither will snow.

The ecoFlex outdoor cat house but do think that the roof needs an overhang to help divert the sun from making the cat house hot in the summer and also help in keeping snow and rain out of the house.

We also bought a Trixie outdoor cat house that was made of wood. This is a small house for a cat under 8 pounds.   A larger cat would not be comfortable in this house.

But in spite of the small interior space, this Trixie cat house got good customer reviews. So we bought this house for the feral and stray cats that we take care of.

This Trixie cat house is drafty. A chalking gun was used to seal the gaps. Then we applied a water seal to the outside of the house. Since this cat house is not insulated we used a mylar blanket to insulate the cat house. 

The blanket was cut to size and glued the ends for a snug fit on the ceiling
and side walls of the Trixie cat house. Next we added a thick layer of
wheat straw and set this house in our shed.

The house comes with a plastic door covering but I removed due 
to the cats in my area being fearful of door coverings. Overall the cat that
has made this house her home seems to really like this cat house.

If you were to use this house outdoors I would recommend that you set 
this cat house on a covered porch or deck. It is also a good idea 
to keep it close to the side of your house because it provides wind 
break.  I read a customer review on Chewy.com that said the Trixie cat house 
did not hold up in the rain. It would be a good idea to use this cat house 
on your covered porch, garage or basement.

Helping Baby Kitten to Pee or Poop

When it comes to caring for baby kittens that are rescued you must feed, keep them warm and teach them to pee or poop. Newborn or baby kittens do not go to the bathroom on their own, so if you are the foster kitten mom then caring for them means helping them to go to the bathroom

A mother cat will stimulate the kittens by grooming them, so the best way to replace the roughness of a cats tongue is to use a soft washcloth that is dampened with warm water.  Use a new cloth, and designate this washcloth for kitten use only

After you bottle feed the baby kitten, set the kitten on a towel or small blanket. The kitten should be on their back. Then use a soft cotton cloth that is dampened with warm water and gently massage in a circular motion the kitten’s anus and urinary areas. If the kitten is wiggly you may have to hold him in one hand and use the other hand to stimulate the kitten.

A circular motion with the damp cloth will stimulate the area and enable your kitten to go pee or poop. Wipe the kitten clean with the damp cloth and then put the kitten into their warm box so that they do not get a chill.

When your kitten is older (2-3 weeks) and going to the bathroom on their own you will be able to teach them how to use a litter box. I recommend that you buy a litter box with a covering and natural litter like Feline Pine. There are many natural litters available, choose one that you like.

Learn more about helping your kitten pee or poop by viewing this video