Searching For Feral Cats After Snow Storm

 The weather was bitter cold with snow and temperatures dipping to 22 below zero. Two feral cats were in my heated shed but four feral cats could not be accounted for. We have been searching for the cats for the last week but at this point, we fear that they have been frozen or hunted by the coyote predators in the woods.

I checked under neighbors' houses, in the woods at thicket and groundhog dens.  My husband removed the snow from all the sewer openings.  Another neighbor went door to door to ask everyone to check their garages as the feral cats could have gone inside when the doors were open.

Cleared the snow from the sewer opening

Today was the first day that the temperature went about 20 degrees and the snow has started to melt.  Two of our neighbor's cats came to visit, but the feral cats that live in the woods are take shelter in the sewer were not seen anywhere in our neighborhood.

My one neighbor was very upset at the thought of losing the cats. We have cared for them since 2008 and they are animals that we all love.   

For now, I am still searching for feral cats.  I haven't given up hope.  These are the cats that we are searching for after the snow.  There is a coyote in the area and I think the cat may be hiding and not willing to venture out. So tomorrow we are going to search every cave, thicket den, and groundhog den that we can find on the south side of the home.

 

Keeping Feral Cats Water from Freezing

This week our weather is extreme and the temperature has gone down to 22 degrees below zero. Even on bitterly cold winter days, we take care of the feral and stray cats... it's caretaking as usual except when the temperature is extreme we have a  hard time at preventing their water from freezing.  After trial and error, I did learn that heavy rubber livestock feed bowls are the best choice for keeping feral cats' water from freezing.

Thin plastic like Tupperware or metal is not a good choice for outdoor cats during winter, the metal holds the cold and the water freezes very quickly. I was going outdoors to check the cat's water every two hours. I would take along 2 gallons of hot water to melt the ice in the bowl then I would fill the bowl with room temperature water. 

When the roads opened up we went to the Tractor Supply store and bought the heavy black 100 % rubber 2-gallon bowl. I filled it with room-temperature water because it doesn't freeze as quickly as hot water.  Look for the heavy rubber bowl in the livestock section.  Know that there is a strong rubber smell and that the smell fades over time.

When the outdoor temperature was 10 degrees the water that was on the south side of the house and in the sun did not freeze. However, the bowl was fully frozen within 4 hours when the sunset and temperature went to 4 degrees.  The sun warms the rubber which prevents the water from freezing.

Note: The cats were able to break the shallow ice on the top and get the water below.  

Know that the water in this rubber bowl still freezes but not as quickly as plastic or metal.

 

I check the rubber bowl every 4 to 6  hours during the daylight and my husband makes sure the bowl is ice-free at 1OPM. If the ice is thin on top we will break it up and add cold water to the bowl.

No worries when removing the ice from the rubber bowl, it's easy to remove and the rubber does not crack.

NOTE: The best water source for feral or stray cats would be running water as in a garden pond with a waterfall, moving water does not freeze but if your weather is extreme and temps below zero all water will freeze. I have seen the feral cats break up the thin ice in the garden pond with a waterfall to get to the water below.

Also, electrically heated water bowls are a good way to prevent the feral stray cat's water from freezing.  

No Winter Shelter for Pet Cat is Animal Abuse

 

Our area is bitterly cold with temps dipping to 15 below zero and night with a high in the single digits during the day. Throughout the week there have been winter weather alerts on the news, and at the animal shelter to bring outdoor animals indoors or to provide an insulated shelter with a heated pad or self-warming pad and straw bedding. But in spite of all the warnings people in my neighborhood put their pet cats out even though there is no winter shelter. 

No insulated shelter for an indoor at night / outdoor during the day cat when weather is extreme is animal abuse in my opinion.

Yesterday when the windchill was 15 below zero I heard a sorrowful meow and followed the sound until I found a black cat sitting in the snow covered leaves. It didn’t run for me and I picked up the cat and brought it indoors. The tips of the cats ears and the bottom of its paws were ice-cold / freezing.

Cold cat laying on the bed. He seems happier

I brought the cat indoors to my heated mudroom and the cat laid on the pet bed next to the heat vent. The mudroom is close to the side entrance and if the cat wanted to go outdoors into the bitter cold it had many opportunities. The cat stayed put only leaving the bed by the heat vent to eat, drink or use the litter box.

I wonder what would have happened to this cat had I not searched for it. Would it have frozen to death like the family of dogs did in the doghouse in St. Louis, MO?

Apparently this cat belongs to one of my neighbors who put the cat out daily at 6 AM then allows the cat back into the house at 6 PM. This pet owner does not feel a shelter is necessary because the cat has fur, and that cats have survived harsh weather for thousands of years.

I will agree that feral cats will survive the harsh winter better than a domesticated house cat and that is because the feral cat has adapted to their surroundings and knows where to go for shelter.

A feral cat in a groundhog den

When people do not heed the advice of experts concerning weather alerts and safety measures for their pets that are outdoors without a winter shelter then I think these pet owners are animal abusers.

Cats Cuddle When they are Cold

 

Cats are finicky and overall they do not like other cats but when it’s cold an amazing thing occurs. Cats will cuddle with each other, they will even cuddle with cats they don’t get along with.

This photo is of three of my rescued cats.  Oliver is in the center and he is the special needs kitty,  Frankie is the oldest at age 15 and he is to the right of Oliver. Frankie is temperamental, wanting his own space and not into togetherness.  I suppose it's due to his old age. But as you can see that doesn't seem to matter because cuddling makes a cat feel cozy and warm.

Cats like to cuddle when they feel cold

I have observed this phenomenon with my indoor cats and with the stray and feral cats that take shelter in my shed. 

The indoor cats could be bickering with each other one minute and the next minute they are cuddling with each other on the dog bed that is located next to the heat vent. My guess is they are cold and know to come together for warmth.

Frankie and Hairy cuddling on the dog's bed

On another day these two don't get along, but today was cold so they cuddled 

Stray cats will be fighting one day over who is sleeping in the cat house in the shed. Then the next morning I will find the two cats that were hissing at each other are sleeping together. This is why I say that cats cuddle when they are cold. I guess their instinct tells them to do this.

Warm and Cozy Sherpa Blanket for Cats

 

While shopping online at HSN I found a Warm and Cozy Quilted Plush Sherpa Blanket and thought it would be perfect for the feral and stray cats that seek my shed as a winter shelter.

In the shed, I have insulated with straw cat houses but saw that many of the cats do not like to hang out in the houses and prefer to lie on the floor or on top of a box. I decided to use the heavy Sherpa blanket as bedding for the cats.

The blanket and the self-warming pad are to the cats liking.

The floor in the shed is cold so I used two large storage containers that I pushed together as a platform for the cat bed. Since I ordered the full / queen size I did fold the blanket and rolled the one side so cats could cuddle on the side of the warm blanket.

The Sherpa blanket at HSN.com is the highest quality and is really warm

The shed is cool to cold even though I have the oil-filled space heater set at 41 degrees. The shed never freezes and is a whole lot warmer than outdoors but it still feels cool to cold. Because of the average temperature inside the shed, I decided to set self-warming cat pads on top of the Sherpa blanket. These cat pads have a Mylar reflective pad inside of them and your cat's body regulates the warmth of the blanket.

Sherpa blankets are the cat Meow!

I will say that I am glad I bought the Warm & Cozy Quilted Plush Sherpa Blanket at HSN.com because it is quality-made, and warm and it enables the cats to lie in the shed without feeling cold.

Note I do not recommend using a blanket outside or in a shed or garage that does not have heat.  Blankets tend to make the cat feel colder.  However, a blanket that is used with a self-warming pad then you could add to the cat house and also add some straw. 

View my related blog and shop for fleece blankets for pets here

About Feral / Stray Cats in Winter

 

Tonight’s low was eleven degrees and the weather advisory report said that the temperature outdoors felt like negative seven. This means that cats that live in your home need to stay indoors and stray/feral cats will need to find a shelter where they can be warm.

Finding shelter is not as easy as people think. Too many people think the cat has fur it is fine. That is the furthest thing from the truth. Cat will suffer when there is a winter advisory. Cats can die from the cold and even if the cat lives outdoors permanently they will suffer from hypothermia or frostbite or both.

Caring for the feral cat during a snowstorm

“Symptoms of Hypothermia

As body temperature continues to decrease, heart rate and breathing will slow down. Without treatment, affected cats will go into a coma and death becomes likely."

“ Stray cats do not have to freeze to death in winter as long as people care about them they can survive the cold.

To provide the stray cats with the shelter/ insulated cat house we bought a bale of straw at the Tractor Store (ask for it at the cashier as they keep the bales in the warehouse at the back of the store) We used the straw to fill the cat houses that are outdoors and the ones inside our shed. As long as the cat houses are not drafty and have a hefty layer of straw the cats will stay warm even on a frigid cold day or night in winter.

Straw on top of mylar reflective blanket

Another way to provide shelter for a stray or feral cat in winter

If you have a garage then leave it open a crack so the stay cat can enter. Once inside offer the cat a self-warming cat house or a cat house with a heated pad. Even a self-warming cat bed on the floor will help the cat to be more comfortable on a bitterly cold night.

Cat lying on self-warming pet pad in the garage

One of my cat-loving friends dug a two-foot deep hole under his enclosed and covered deck then encircled that hole with paving stone before filling it with straw. The stray cat that he took care of burrowed into 3 feet of straw. My neighbor also installed a Mylar reflective blanket underneath his deck to help generate heat for the cat.

The staff at our local Humane Society received a donation of Styrofoam coolers and they added a hefty layer of straw and cut two openings for the cat. (entrance and side escape) These cooler shelters provide insulation that will keep the kitty inside warm and cozy on a cold winter's day. They are not expensive to buy and easy to make.

Know if you intend on making the Styrofoam shelter for stray/feral cats in winter then make sure you fill it with wheat straw and not a blend with hay. Hay is edible, is moist, and will get moldy. Also, set a self-warming Mylar reflective cat pad on the bottom before covering it with the straw.

Set this shelter in an area where it is flush against a wall (wind block) and is hidden. A good place would be under or behind shrubs. Another good place would be on a covered porch or deck. Note that this Styrofoam shelter is light in weight and can easily be airlifted or knocked over. Prevent this by setting brick or a stone on top of the house.

A wooden cat house with Mylar reflective blanket inside and straw. This cat house was a donation from a neighbor.

Note if you have a dog house and you bring the dog in at night. Make sure that the house is not drafty. Use a chalking gun to seal any cracks in the floorboards or sideboards. Make sure the roof is not leaking. Insulate the house with Mylar self-heated blanket for cats. Cover the floor with this blanket then add a hefty layer of wheat straw. Add straw so that it's pushed up on the sides, and covers the floor. This will keep your dog warm during the cold days and at night stray cats will use the house for a winter shelter.

Shop for Mylar reflective blankets for cats at amazon and at chewy.com