As the winter turns colder, it’s time to invest in some inexpensive real estate to keep your community’s cats safe.
While recent winter storms seem to have elicited some of the most snowfall in recent memory, Cincinnati has a recurring history of rough wintery weather.
Due to these frigid conditions, Ohio-based cat welfare nonprofit Give Them Ten has released a step-by-step manual on how to build a winter shelter for cats that don’t have warm homes to stay in during cold nights.
The organization describes the project as a great way to spend time with family while also helping cats in need.
Building the shelter requires two large plastic bins (one 18-gallon, another 30-gallon), some straw material, duct tape, a PVC pipe and basic hardware tools.
To build the shelter, place the medium bin inside the large one. Then, you will cut a 6-inch circle on the side of the large and medium bin to only allow cats (rather than racoons or similar outside animals) inside. The bins should then be filled with insulation material to keep warmth inside, like straw, shredded newspaper or packing pellets. Then, you will duct tape a short PVC pipe with 6-inch diameter into the holes of the bin. Fill any opening with the insulation material. Finally, once completed, close the bins with their lids.
Once finished, place the shelter in a dry, flat area. To encourage cat use, Ten Movement advises leaving catnip at the shelter’s entrance.
Watch how to make the shelter in the video below:
The shelter instructions were released as part of Give Them Ten’s “Mild Kingdom” campaign to promote community cat awareness.
Cats running loose in your neighborhood often are without guardians and typically are searching for food scraps and shelter. The cats are in jeopardy during the winter because they do not have adequate shelter to withstand the cold. Without proper shelter, cats can die from hypothermia, frostbite and other cold-related illnesses.
For more information on the shelter, visit the Give Them Ten website.
This article appears in Feb 1-28, 2021.
