Winter's Here, How Can You Help Outside Cats?

Some animals (specifically cats), prefer to live outside even in the winter. Yes, you heard that correctly, even in the winter. Most outdoor animals have tactics and preparations they do in order to survive the winter and to some degree so do cats. That being said, during the harsher months where temperatures plummet, there are things you can do to help outdoor cats survive the winter that aren’t difficult and require minimal amounts of effort.

Now some may argue that because stray and feral cats are the main source of the over population crisis why would we help them survive? Well one, because it’s inhumane to allow animals to suffer in any case, but also some of these animals are TNR (trap neuter release) and usually are indicated by a tip of their ear sliced (not enough to hurt the cat and it is done during the spay/neuter procedure). This means that they can not repopulate anyways so they don’t contribute to the crisis as neither a stray nor a feral cat. TNR involves more than simply organizing the spay/neuter procedure for a cat too. It also means seeing to it that the cats (and their colonies) receive fresh water, food, and necessary veterinary services, such as vaccinations and emergency treatments. Also, another reason why to help them where we can is that they are a form of pest control. Some feral cats are specifically used as barn cats where they are hunters to keep various animals out of the barn such as moles, mice etc.

So, what can you do to help?

1. Providing fresh food and water

Providing food and water – in the winter, strays have less options for food (as do many animals) so they may not only freeze to death, they can also starve to death which both causes the animal to suffer.

1. Putting out food where you know that cats are. Please be sure to put the food on paper (not ceramic or metal) as those materials will cause the food to freeze at lower temperatures. Please consider feeding the cats twice daily to help them conserve energy. Some may believe that hard food is better in the winter for cats as it is less likely to freeze. Although that may be true, hard food takes up more energy for the cats to digest it, so it’s as if they cancel each other out a bit.

2. Putting out water – this may seem counterintuitive with there being snow that melts into water, but snow is not clean nor refreshing for the cats. If you are able to, using water fountains instead of water dishes will help the water not freeze and allow the cats access to fresh water.

If you are unable to use a water fountain, you can also use a plastic bowl and place the water inside a small shelter for them. By putting them inside the shelter, it protects it from the wind chill and may put off the freezing water.

The best way to protect food and water from freezing, while offering cats a safe space for nourishment, is to create a feeding station. Building an insulated feeding station helps preserve food and water and gives cats a protected sanctuary to eat and drink.

2. Provide Shelter

The most important thing you can do for cats during the winter months is to provide some sort of shelter to protect them from the wind and snow. There are a plethora of options of shelters and range from diy and cheap to buying shelters online or in person. A lot of local rescues may be handing out makeshift shelters they made too so if you are in need and are not able to obtain one any other way, please try and reach out. Or better yet, volunteer to make some with them!

Ranging from emergency last minute makeshift shelters, to prepared wooden shelters. Please check out this link for shelter ideas.Regardless of what type of shelter you decide on, there are certain specifications you should follow. The main one is to always always always use straw as it cannot freeze. Some may think a warm comfy cozy blanket is the best route, but unfortunately that’s the worst route you can take. It is the most likely to freeze whereas straw does not and allows the cat to curl up and keep warm. In addition to this, you should try and create a shelter that has minimum amounts of free space when the cat is inside it. By doing this, it allows the cats natural body heat to easily fill the space to assist them further on staying warm and cozy through the winter months.

https://www.neighborhoodcats.org/how-to-tnr/colony-care/feral-cat-winter-shelter