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In regions with cold winters, as in NYC, feral cats need a little extra help with shelter and water to stay healthy and comfortable in the winter. Photo by Meredith Weiss Preparing Your Colony for Winter by Lois McClurg, NYC Feral Cat Initiative Winter Shelters Feral cats can survive in just about any climate — with a little help from their friends. Providing warm, dry winter shelter is an essential part of colony caretaking. You can go high-end or down-and-dirty — something is better than nothing! Simple shelters can be made from polystyrene (Styrofoam) boxes, used by supermarkets, fish stores, butchers, sushi restaurants, and hospitals. Check with those businesses in your area, or you might find them on the street in very good shape. All you need is a sharp utility knife to cut a 5" to 6" hole off-center, paint it, weigh down the box with a brick, and stuff it with straw. You can make the Neighborhood Cats shelter if you are handy. There are individuals who make and sell shelters locally, ranging in price from $12 to $75. Visit our Feral Cat Colony Care web page for more information on the various types of shelters to buy or build. Straw Straw is our recommended insulation for feral cat winter shelters. It can be found at garden supply stores, horse barns, and some craft stores. Be careful not to get hay, as hay contains moisture. You can purchase straw in bales, which will be enough for at least a dozen shelters, so you may want to combine your purchase with those of friends.
If you're handy, you can build your own winter cat shelters. Otherwise you can purchase ready-made shelters. Photo by Vincent Guarneri C G Feeds 2355 Arthur Kill Road, Staten Island (718) 356-0220 Chelsea Garden Center 580 11th Avenue (at 44th Street), Manhattan (212) 727-7100 (call in advance) Aqueduct Barn Queens (917) 991-4068 (leave message) Jamaica Bay Riding Academy 7000 Shore Parkway, Brooklyn (718) 531-8949 (call in advance) Triple Star Horse Feed 2 Elzey Avenue, Elmont, NY (516) 775-3333 You can also look for straw at craft stores, such as Michael's and AC Moore. If you have a reliable source for straw, we would love to know about it. Please e-mail lois@NYCFeralCat.org with information. Water Fresh water for your colonies is important throughout the year. Neighborhood Cats provides some ideas on how to prevent water from freezing. For more information about shelters and winter colony management, visit our Feral Cat Colony Care web page. About the Author After moving to New York in 2005, Lois McClurg was overwhelmed by the number of homeless cats who struggled to survive on the streets of her new Brooklyn neighborhood. After discovering Neighborhood Cats, Lois quickly became a proactive ambassador for Trap-Neuter-Return, assisting, managing, and informing dozens of fellow private caretakers and organizations on the planning and implementation of their TNR projects, as well as managing five colonies herself. Prior to devoting herself full-time to animal causes, Lois' 15-year professional career was in the marketing world, most recently as a production manager with American Express. Lois and her husband George share their home with their rescued cats, Clio, Budley, and Stewart. |
