Hi again, people! I've kind of been donated a cat. I've been feeding him for the past year. His owners live on my street,but he won't go home. The lady asked me today if I'd look after him as they are moving houses and he is an "outside cat" and refuses to be caught. I said I can't have him in as the dogs would go potty. He wouldn't come in anyway, I would have loved it if he would. She said that's fine if you could just watch him. I said I wouldn't see him go hungry,and she seemed happy with that.
Now I need ideas. I will have to make him a windproof bed in my entry for over winter. Any ideas? Wood might be best, my entry is under cover but the wind howls through. I will find a way but I just wondered if you clever people have any ideas? I have a cat too,as well as the dogs. Thanks for any ideas. xxx
Dear Colliepam, in response to your question re: sheltering your "donated" cat, this was our experience with a feral cat that we had begun feeding. (Once you feed them they're yours, of course!!). We have an unheated and screened porch which has a flap in the bottom portion of the door, and he would use that entry to come and go. We placed a number of blankets and old quilts on a chair and he would burrow under them at night.
Colliepam,
If you or a friend are handy with simple tools, you could build a wood house for the cat, where the entrance door comes in to an L-shaped alcove, before going into the sleeping area. Line the sleep area with an old blanket or some thick towels. To help block the wind from getting to the inside, screw/nail/staple a piece of heavy canvas or use a piece of carpeting over the outside opening as a wind-break. If a wooden structure is more than you can make, you could use a sturdy cardboard box that is big enough to glue or sew to the inside walls and floor, a thick towel, quilt batting, or piece of carpet--anything for insulation.
Bless your heart for helping out. There are several places on the internet that can give you suggestions for making a winter home for outdoor cats. Many organizations that help feed feral colonies have good experience with this. We had an outdoor stray cat that adopted us and we had to make him this sort of shelter. We used a styrofoam box with a fitted lid, the type that is used to ship food that needs to be kept cold, like meats, because they are made to be very well insulated. We lined it with blankets and some old wool sweaters that I was going to donate anyway.We cut a small opening in the side but not down too low so snow or water couldn't leak in.
'Stray' cats can be very finicky about going inside almost anything so I hope this one will actually go inside something you make for him.
I hope you find a way to accommodate your new baby as it can be a true 'worry' if you think they are not warm.
Thanks for caring for one of these 'otherwise' lost babies.
This is a page about finding homes for stray cats. Stray kitties would benefit greatly from being given a loving home.
This is a page about repelling neighborhood cats. Neighborhood cats can quickly become a nuisance, when they decide that your yard and gardens are their personal toilet.
Mom has an indoor/outdoor cat. Recently a hungry stray has been hanging around and we have left food out for him. Now, he comes by all the time and that would be OK, but he started to attack mom's cat when she's outside. She won't go out when she sees that he is out there. Should I stop feeding him so he goes back across the street where I think he came from?
By Terry O.
We have a year old spayed cat. She is an indoor cat at night. We've been finding lately that when we air our house out, we've got stray ginger cats coming in. They are spraying through our house, eating our cat's food. They're also fighting with our neighbor's cat, and we've all had enough.
By Sue H.
Can you put screens on your windows. I did when a few bats flew into my bedroom one night to say hi.
I have a bad cat problem in the town I live in and just discovered there are some living under my trailer. They are peeing, pooping, and spraying under there. I would block it off, but I have like 5 feet of snow and ice all around my trailer. They are also spraying my back door and all of these smells are starting to come in. Any ideas on how to stop it all would be so nice. Thank you in advance.
By Kala S.
If you own a female cat who lives in your trailer, get her spayed. Male cats can smell the fermones she gives off, even if she never goes outside. Clear out the space under your trailer and give it a good cleaning. Spray everything down with an enzymatic cleaner to get rid of the smell or the cats will come back. Moth Balls under the trailer might help discourage them from coming back.
I let my cat out for her daily wander, but she keeps getting bullied by other cats. They are coming almost to our door. She is desexed. What can I do?
By Sharon V.
I hope you can help. First things first I like cats and dogs, but where I live I seem to attract the tom cats. They leave their calling smell (strong pee?). What's the best thing or way to try and stop this?
By tony mack from Liverpool, UK
Try putting moth balls around your yard. The cats don't like the smell and should stay away. It worked for me, hope it works for you.
My son and daughter-in-law just purchased a house and the cats around their house seem to think that it is their own litter box. Is there something that can be put out to repel them, without harming them.
By Jerry Kay from Greenwood, DE
This link supplies helpful ideas to discourage cats from urinating in yard.
parents.berkeley.edu/
Put moth balls all round the yard or spray it with water & pine oil or sprinkle hot pepper sauce all round it, good luck.
