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I'm in AZ still, thus it is only near freezing at night, as was last night. But though cold for here, I can't imagine what ND, MT & ID, etc. & the kitties (those homeless ) & what if anything, anyone there can do to help? Just putting this out to see if anyone has ideas to help folks, there dealing w/ this harsh cold, & those cats living outside -- w/ no places to hide for shelter & warmth. It really concerns me, though can't do alot from AZ.
It's been pretty cold here in NJ, although nowhere near as cold as the states you mentioned. The temp was in the single digits the other night and during the day we had wind gusts in the 40-50 mph range. I worry about my ferals a lot in the cold. I have igloo-style doghouses that they stay in, and I put a lot of fleece blankets in them, as well as multiple heated-up Snuggle Safe Disks. But I know it's not enough and they are cold out there. Darn it, I wish they would come in the house! But they won't. They have been eating a lot to stay warm, and I have to give them fresh water in the middle of the day, because it freezes so quickly.
I bought some mylar "space blankets", but I can't decide what is the best way to use them for the cats. I know if they step on it and it makes a crinkly sound, it will spook them and then they might stay out of the slightly-warmer igloo and hide under my shed.
Luckily, tomorrow it is supposed to be in the 50s. Very strange, but good for the cats.
It's been pretty cold here in NJ, although nowhere near as cold as the states you mentioned. The temp was in the single digits the other night and during the day we had wind gusts in the 40-50 mph range. I worry about my ferals a lot in the cold. I have igloo-style doghouses that they stay in, and I put a lot of fleece blankets in them, as well as multiple heated-up Snuggle Safe Disks. But I know it's not enough and they are cold out there. Darn it, I wish they would come in the house! But they won't. They have been eating a lot to stay warm, and I have to give them fresh water in the middle of the day, because it freezes so quickly.
I bought some mylar "space blankets", but I can't decide what is the best way to use them for the cats. I know if they step on it and it makes a crinkly sound, it will spook them and then they might stay out of the slightly-warmer igloo and hide under my shed.
Luckily, tomorrow it is supposed to be in the 50s. Very strange, but good for the cats.
Thx Lor, as here in AZ our days in 50s feels cold. I'm originally from back east thus know your winters. They are erratic as days can change from 50-60s to 20-30s next day. But here I do use blankets for ferals, & try keeping food & h2o out, but constant battle as many ferals compete. I've see one for a long time I'd like to catch but he's a tom &, I think, as my g/f says, likes outside best. He is a huge black cat & I love him & he responds when I see him to, "Blackie", yes I know -- how original? lol
Ok, well hope folks have ideas we all can use to do something for these needy kitties in the cold.
"Blackie"? LOL We have a "Spotty" feral cat. How original is that? Spotty is almost 14 years old and still hates me. Hisses every time he sees me. Yes, evil woman putting out the food. Must hiss at her...
I have had to change my feral feeding routine because of competition from skunks and possums. We had a rabid skunk here a little over a year ago, and I have no desire to feed the skunks. And possums eat everything in sight! (They are cute, though.) So I feed the ferals in the morning and early evening, before the sun sets. Then I take the bowls inside at dark. The ferals have adapted, and figured out the correct times to come out and wait patiently for my back door to open. In the morning, they hop out of their little igloos, stretch luxuriously and sit in front of my shed as if to say, "Come on, it's cold and we're hungry!".
I'm in SE Wisconsin and it's bitterly cold here. We too have a "Blackie" feral cat. I have a feeding station, but his home base/sleeping area is somewhere else. I check for paw prints daily in the snow, and keep the food bowl full.
He was neutered two weeks ago and has made himself scarce since then, but he's been spotted around the neighborhood by others.
We only moved here recently. One of our house cats got out almost as soon as we got here. She refused to come back in so we started leaving food in the mud room. Saturday night the temperatures hit 29 below zero. Yesterday she was meowing to come back in the house. She now seems content to watch the outdoors from the window.
But my point of this cats can survive cold temperature as long as they have shelter to get into.
It hit 28 below zero where I live. We have a feral cat support group in our area and we help each other make shelters. The simple solution is lots of straw bales in sheltered places, and fortunately there's plenty of straw and hay available here! People also make individual cat shelters out of foam coolers.
I let the semi-ferals that came with this property I bought last year, who I feed/spay/neuter, into my basement at night. Those who come when I call have a nice warm sleep, while those who don't come seem to do ok out in the barns and hay shed. I also leave my garage door open a smidge and have an old couch out there with several sleeping bags on it.
"Blackie"? LOL We have a "Spotty" feral cat. How original is that? Spotty is almost 14 years old and still hates me. Hisses every time he sees me. Yes, evil woman putting out the food. Must hiss at her...
I have had to change my feral feeding routine because of competition from skunks and possums. We had a rabid skunk here a little over a year ago, and I have no desire to feed the skunks. And possums eat everything in sight! (They are cute, though.) So I feed the ferals in the morning and early evening, before the sun sets. Then I take the bowls inside at dark. The ferals have adapted, and figured out the correct times to come out and wait patiently for my back door to open. In the morning, they hop out of their little igloos, stretch luxuriously and sit in front of my shed as if to say, "Come on, it's cold and we're hungry!".
Awe,,,,,he doesn't hate you. Just scared. I had a hissy one, he even bit me because i pet him w/o permission. In fact he made himself really clear to not do that. He GROWLED. And mine that I have in now hissed at me I was like you don't mean it and pet him he was like yeah I didn't mean it lol. But he still hisses at new people. It just means stay away because I scared!
I'm in AZ still, thus it is only near freezing at night, as was last night. But though cold for here, I can't imagine what ND, MT & ID, etc. & the kitties (those homeless ) & what if anything, anyone there can do to help? Just putting this out to see if anyone has ideas to help folks, there dealing w/ this harsh cold, & those cats living outside -- w/ no places to hide for shelter & warmth. It really concerns me, though can't do alot from AZ.
Up until recently I lived in ND for about 8 years. We moved to MN in June of this year. Lived in rural areas in both states. Found that while there are many feral cats it seems many adapt well as barn cats. I do discourage people from dropping cats off at farms in anticipation they will become "Barn Cats" the reality is more often then not the existing dominant cats will kill the newcomers.
Getting back to topic I have found that as long as a cat has shelter to escape from the wind they tolerate the temperatures quite well. One of our current house cats was a former barn cat. Although she was friendly and affectionate she was not interested in coming into the house. Took a year to entice her to come in. When we moved here in June the first chance she had she scooted out the door. I began just setting her food out in the mud room--problem was a skunk decided to share with her---that's another thread. Anyhow Saturday night we had 29 below Zero temps. Yesterday she come mewing at the door. Now she is back in the house and content to watch the snow from a window.
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) & what if anything, anyone there can do to help? Just putting this out to see if anyone has ideas to help folks, there dealing w/ this harsh cold, & those cats living outside -- w/ no places to hide for shelter & warmth. It really concerns me, though can't do alot from AZ.
Spotty is almost 14 years old and still hates me. Hisses every time he sees me. Yes, evil woman putting out the food. Must hiss at her...
