How to help stray cats in winter ?

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PIXIE : When Claire and Momo woke up yesterday morning, the garden was quite white. Indeed, after several days of polar temperatures (-10 C / 14 F), it had snowed.
snowy garden
Only Zorro seems to enjoy this white, cold, and wet thing. His fur thickened, more than mine, and he’s eating more since November : he gained approximately 1 kg. He’s thus well protected by his fur and his additional fat, and can come to warm himself when he wants inside.
garden patrol in the snow
I don’t like cold, and I don’t like snow. I am sure that the majority of stray cats either.
I do not like snow

How to help stray cats in winter ?

Here are some simple actions you can do :

  • Build a shelter for them (video below).
  • Place the shelter in a quiet and a little hidden place.
  • Heighten the shelter from the ground to isolate it from the cold and from the humidity.
  • Direct the entry according to the wind so that it’s protected.
  • Verify regularly that snow does not block the entry.
  • Verify regularly that the inside is clean ; renew the soiled straw.
  • Leave some water and food at disposal in a place where it does not freeze.

Are there stray cats near you ?
If yes, how do you do to help them in winter ?

21 thoughts on “How to help stray cats in winter ?

  1. Summer

    These are great tips! It does not get that cold here in winter (although I think it is plenty cold!), so the homeless cats (and humans) tend to gravitate to our area.

  2. easyweimaraner

    thanks for sharing great tips and a great idea how to build a small shelter for our purr-friends who have no home…. I hope there are a lot of good people who help our friends in need in winter…

  3. Ellen Pilch

    Excellent post. There are no strays near us because every time I have found one, I kept him/her. We do have an old dog house outside with hay in it and a burlap over the door just in case. We had -5F today so I feel bad for any creature out in that.

  4. da tabbies o trout towne

    awesum post two day pixie N zorro N thanx for sharin de viddee oh ~~~ & dood…ya iz WAY braver than uz…..we iz knot a loud out doorz but even if we were we iz knot sure we wood brave de snowz ~ ♥♥♥

  5. Colehaus Cats

    That is one brave Zorro! We have feral shelters here that are used regularly especially since we’re having real winter weather this year (snow and ice). One very important part of having a shelter for outdoor cats is to use straw, NOT HAY, lots of straw, and don’t put blankets in the shelter. Blankets get wet, stay wet, and will cause the straw to mildew and the cat to get cold which defeats the whole shelter idea.

  6. Sammy

    We have a heated and waterproof cat house AND a homemade from a rubber tub house with a warm lining and easy access too……..we haven’t had a stray by this winter that we know of but most of the ones around here stop for a few hours and a quick nap then move on before we’re up! At least we know we’re providing shelter if anyone NEEDS it!

    Hugs, Angel Sammy and Mom Pam

  7. Mickey's Musings

    We got lots of snow this weekend too.
    We have not seen any stray cats for quite some time.
    It is hard to think that cats have to live outdoors without care.
    Fortunately, we do have groups that look after strays.
    Zorro is brave. We have never gone out in snow(we never get to go out)
    Purrs Georgia,Julie and JJ

  8. Robin

    The temperatures here are very similar to what you have there right now! It tends to stay that cold all winter long here. No one wants to be outside when it is this cold. Manna and Dexter are making sure to get in a lot of cuddling with me to stay warm. These ideas for helping feral cats are great! Thank you for getting them out to everyone.

  9. M. K. Clinton

    There is an area close to our home that has a colony of feral cats. Thankfully, a group takes care of them and you can see several of these type houses up in the woods.

  10. BeadedTail

    We don’t usually get that cold here but we worry about animals outside so these are great tips! We wish all outdoor animals had warm places for shelter.

  11. Raven

    It looks very pretty, but cold there.
    It doesn’t get as cold here (just around freezing), but it can get very rainy and windy. When our feral cat Squatty lived here, we made him a big bed of straw in a protected area against the house.

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