Shelter & Feeding Stations

Safe and Sheltered

Every cat deserves a warm home, a family to love, a bed to sleep in, and toys to play with. But as we well know, we live in a world where that’s not always possible. You can still help homeless kitties by building a shelter for those who go without.

By building a cat colony refuge, you will help keep community cats safe from predators and outdoor elements. When the weather gets unbearably cold, rainy, or hot, your shelter will offer them much-needed reprieve, promote their health, and give them a secure place to go. You will also be able to more easily monitor their well-being.

Ideally, the shelter should be located in a place that you have frequent access to; however, it should not be visible to the public. This is a key component when it comes to choosing the right area so that community cats can feel safe coming and going. By hiding the shelter, you will be gifting them with a sense of protection.

Many retailers offer ready-made outdoor cat shelters, such as Target, Lowes and Amazon.

Click here for a video that shows you how to make a simple cat shelter.

Here’s another short video that shows you how to make a super easy non-insulted shelter (perfect for warmer climates).

If you’re able to feed a cat colony consistently, make sure to visit the shelter on a regular schedule. This will train the kitties to show up at the same time every day or week, making it easier for you to track their whereabouts and identify when new cats have joined the colony. Plus, this constancy will become useful when you’re ready to set up traps and catch even the savviest of cats.

Lastly, be sure to maintain and clean up your shelter, especially if you’re also a feeder.  By keeping the area clean and trouble-free, you’ll be acting respectfully towards your community. Most importantly, this will ensure your ability to continue helping community cats.

There are many options when it comes to feral cat housing. Websites like Neighborhood Cats  provide straightforward how-to tutorials for building your own safe haven.