How to Build an Emergency Cat Shelter
When a bad storm or sudden cold snap is arriving soon and time is of the essence, use the design described here to quickly build an adequate temporary shelter. You'll need a cardboard box (cardboard is actually good insulation), duct tape, shredded newspaper, a pair of scissors and either a plastic drop cloth that's 3 millimeters thick (a common item in the paint department at Home Depot or a hardware store) or contractor trash bags at least 3 millimeters thick. To assemble:
Take the cardboard box and tape all the seams shut with duct tape.
Wrap the box completely with the drop cloth or trash bags, cutting the plastic as necessary while making as few seams as possible. Secure onto the box with duct tape, liberally and tightly wrapping the tape around the sides of the box and sealing any seams in the plastic. This will make the shelter waterproof.
Cut a doorway in one of the shorter sides of the box approximately 6 inches by 6 inches, leaving the bottom of the doorway a few inches above the bottom of the box to prevent flooding. Use duct tape to secure the loose plastic around the opening onto the cardboard.
(4) Place shredded newspaper inside the box, filling it up to the bottom of the doorway in front and a little higher towards the back. The cats will gain added warmth by burrowing into the newspaper.
For added insulation and warmth, start by placing a slightly smaller cardboard box inside a larger one. Fill the gaps between them with rolled-up newspaper. You can also lay newspaper on the floor between the two boxes and between the two tops. Then proceed with steps 1 through 4, above, being sure to cut the doorway through both boxes.
For more solutions, see Neighborhood Cats’ Feral Cat Winter Shelter page.
