Re: Winter Shelter for Ferals

In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
 "Robin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> I am taking care of three feral kittens (7 months+).  I've gotten two out of
> the three spayed/neutered.....the third is pretty crafty!     Of course, I
> am worried about the coming winter and I'd like to know what others have
> done to protect their ferals.  I live in the city, so it's very important
> that the shelter not be conspicuous to passers-by who might not appreciate
> what I am trying to do for these cats.  I found a site with a styrofoam
> shelter that seems do-able.  I am not handy enough to build the one on the
> feral cat page.  I look forward to your responses!  Robin

What I did was get a big insulated plastic doghouse, put in waterproof 
bedding on top of a grill (my extra oven shelf) over drainage holes 
(experience from snow tracked in in the past), and added an 
indoor/outdoor heated kennel pad toward the back.  The cord from the pad 
goes out one end of one of the ventilation slots and plugs into one of 
the outside outlets on my house.  The "dog" house is tucked away next to 
my composter, and an old wheel-less wheelbarrow is leaned over the 
doorway to provide baffling from the wind.  (There's also a two-part 
clear vinyl swinging door on the doorway to the house.)

I know they're using it because I've seen a couple of them come out of 
the baffle entrance/exit when I bring the food out in the morning.

My next plan for them is a good-sized covered area for feeding in the 
winter, large enough for them all to get undercover while they chow 
down.  I'm filling some tall plastic buckets with soil for container 
gardening next year, but I'm going to use them now as supports for some 
kind of flat roof.  The whole set-up will probably edge up to my raised 
herb bed, so it'll be open only along one long side.  I can't decide 
what to use for a roof on it.  Plywood?  I'd prefer something that lets 
more light in.  Any ideas?

Priscilla