Editor’s Note: This is a follow-up post to last month’s post “Building winter shelters for community cats“, submitted by Project MEOW, the West Philly-based volunteer-run cat rescue organization.

Last month I wrote about the importance of winter shelters for outdoor cats. Now, with winter upon us full force, let’s take an in-depth look at making your own shelter out of Rubbermaid containers. Rubbermaid is the best brand of tote to use, as the plastic does not crack in freezing temperatures. Raising the shelter a few inches off the ground by placing it on bricks or a pallet will prevent rainwater or snow from getting into the shelter, as well as keeping the cold ground from soaking up all the heat building up inside. 

To build your own shelter, you will need these materials:
• A 30 gallon tub
• A 20 gallon tub
• A flowerpot (6-8″ diameter)
• A thin sheet of styrofoam for insulation
• A boxcutter
• A hairdryer, to heat and soften the plastic before you cut it.

Start by tracing the flower pot on the end of the 30-gallon tub to create a stencil for the opening of your shelter. A hole of about six inches in diameter should be big enough to let cats through while discouraging dogs or raccoons. You can then use the hairdryer to soften up the plastic for a few minutes and then cut out the circular shape.

Next, cut the styrofoam down so it fits in the bottom of the tub. Place it inside and put the smaller tub on top, inside the 30-gallon tub. You can now use the hole you already cut to mark out a second hole in the 20-gallon tub so the cats can get into the insulated smaller container. Heat and cut out this hole, and then grab the flowerpot you originally used to trace the hole and cut the bottom out. Slide this in between the two containers and you now have a little tunnel entrance into the inner chamber!

Pack straw (and be sure it is straw, not hay) in between the two containers and put some in the inner container as well. You can now put both the lids back on the totes and voilà! You have a warm and safe shelter for your outdoor cats!

While you want the shelter to be discreet and hidden to give the cats some privacy, make sure it’s somewhere where you can get to it easily to bring it in for the summer, to help an injured cat, or to clean it.

The video this guide was based on can be found here.

If DIY projects aren’t your thing, you can also buy a readymade cat shelter with varying levels of features. Two examples can be found here and here, and there are many more online.

– Allyson Church, Project MEOW volunteer