Home > NYC Eartips > Fall/Winter 2009 > Gimme Shelter: Feral Cat Winter Shelters to Build or Buy

Gimme Shelter: Feral Cat Winter Shelters to Build or Buy

by Valerie Sicignano, NYC Feral Cat Initiative

Shelter from the elements is a crucial part of proper colony care. If permission, space, and finances allow, you can install man-made shelter(s) to provide refuge for your colony. You should build or buy and install your shelters before the weather turns cold. Several shelter-building designs are available free online. One of the easiest shelters to build is the Urban Cat League shelter.

In NYC, Queens resident Ashot Karamian is known as the architect of feral cat winter shelters, and to date, he has built more than 800 shelters for area residents! He has trained an apprentice, Reinier Samsingh, who took over the shelter-building operation for Ashot this fall. He will soon be offering feeding stations and drop traps as well. To our knowledge, Reiner is the only source of shelters for sale in New York City. For information about purchasing a shelter from Reinier, visit the All About Spay/Neuter or Urban Cat League website.

If you live in the Northeast or other area with cold winters, you need to make sure your shelter has proper insulation on the top, sides, and floor. The material you use to insulate the floor of the shelter should reflect back, and not absorb, the cats' body heat. One material that reflects body heat is straw (not to be confused with hay). Straw is difficult to find within the city, but you can try a garden supply store or horse stable. Or, you can order catnip-laced straw by mail from FeralVilla. Don't use newspaper or towels to provide insulation, because they absorb heat away from a cat's body and retain moisture if they get wet from rain or snow brought in by the cats. Make sure your shelter is in a location protected from flooding and high winds. You can elevate the shelter above the ground by placing it securely on bricks. The shelter should be waterproof and, if possible, camouflaged so that it blends into its environment and doesn't draw attention to your cat colony.

In October, the NYCFCI hosted a shelter-building workshop in Queens in honor of National Feral Cat Day and New York Week for the Animals. Some attendees participated in a shelter-building demonstration, and actually built their own shelters. Others simply observed the demonstration and purchased ready-made shelters at a discount.

If you wish to build or purchase a winter shelter, we suggest you check out these resources:

NYC Feral Cat Initiative  •  c/o Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals  •  244 Fifth Avenue, Suite R290  •  New York, NY 10001  •  (212) 330-0033  •  info@NYCFeralCat.org