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Cheap build of heated outdoor cat house for young cats not allowed in the house?

Dec 18, 2009 by dncholas | Posted in Cats

I live with my dad and he's a knucklehead and won't allow his own cat's kittens to come into the house and stopped letting his own cat in the house. He's very self centered and inconsiderate but what I need is a cheap way to make an outdoor cat house for the cats so they can stay warm during these winter nights and feel very sorry for them and wish the mom cat didn't have my dad as it's owner but all I can do is try to make things nice for the two young cats and the mom cat. He has a cat kennel to transport previous kittens and I could remove the door on it but my problem is what can I use for the heating element that won't overheat the cats or catch on fire. I was thinking about some kind of heating pad and could try and hide the power cord somehow but need ideas. If you care at all about neglected cute kittens then please help me with ideas. Also I'd like to wire this up on the side of the front porch and heat it without him knowing because then he'll complain about electricity. Trust me I know he is what he is but I'm temporarily stuck here laid off and can't wait to leave. Help me help the cute kitties :0 I want to also add that there kind of wild and wouldn't make good pets at this point and also the local pound is so overrun with cats I'm afraid they might be put to sleep so not an option. When I get my new place I plan on taking them with me. Thanks
EDIT: I like the ideas and also your appreciation for animals. I'm kind of a rugged guy and a truck driver (laid off) but I have a serious weakness for animals and just sad. It's freezing temps right now and snowing hard. I do have a large plastic container flipped on it's side and the top aimed at wall with a blanket to block wind but I think a heated enclosed cat house is what they deserve. Hopefully I get a job next week and going for 2nd interview and will take them all with me and spare them my dad's inconsideration and treatment. Thanks again
Not here to bash my dad and you don't know who he is anyways but he literally refuses to feed them even when I buy the cat food, and I cook so when I make me a meal I always make a plate of meat and cheese for the cats and he complains saying he hopes they all just leave and it's my fault they are here but crazy because the mom cat lived in the house for years and he's too cheap to get fixed. What a guy huh?

I've made cheap winter shelters for stray and feral cats from plastic and rubber storage boxes. This article has lots of advice on how to do this.

http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/HOW_TO_F ERAL_CAT_WINTER_SHELTER

Layers of loose straw makes the best bedding material because they can snuggle into it to keep warm. Mylar (emergency foil) blankets are good too because they reflect the cat's own body heat back at them. Folded newspapers or ordinary blankets are not so good because they become damp or in very cold weather will freeze.

You can also make wheat filled heat pads which can be heated in either a microwave or conventional oven. They retain their heat for several hours and can be useful if the temperatures drop to freezing conditions. This article explains how to make them.

http://www.messybeast.com/heatpad.htm

You could even buy some rubber hot water bottles and put those inside the shelter.

Don't know if you have problems with their food or water freezing over, but if so this article might be helpful for future reference.

http://www.petfinder.com/how-to-help-pet s/prevent-freezing-water.html

Bless you for caring about these cats. Wish there were more people with your compassion.

How to Build a Heated Cat House

How to bod a heated cat house for about $100.

Outside Cat House - An Outdoor Cat Shelter for Cats

Descend upon cedardoghouse.com to buy a high quality outside cat house for your pet or an outdoor cat shelter and insulated cat houses for more than one ...

insulated and heated cat house 1

part 1 of 3 part moving picture. design, and build an insulated and heated cat house, for "loverboy", our new semi-feral outdoor pool

K&H Outdoor Heated Kitty Pad

by Orihime Inoue

K&H Outdoor Heated Kitty Pad
From K&H Manufacturing

The Outdoor Heated Kitty Pad is an essential source of warmth for any cat that spends time out doors. Its internal thermostat keeps the surface nice and warm even in the coldest of temperatures. Place in a shed, garage, barn or anywhere your outdoor kitties spend time. It's made of rugged ABS plastic and an optional fleece cover can be used for even more feline pleasing comfort. Free fleece cover included. Recommended for indoor and outdoor use. UL listed.
Amazon Sales Rank: #1149 in Pet Products Size: Small Brand: K&H Manufacturing Model: KH-3093 Released on: 2007-06-21 Dimensions: 3.60 pounds

my cat is always sleeping on it My cat is around 10 years old and only weighs 9 pounds. So, he is always in search of warm places. I think he has heat vision cause he can find warmth anywhere. I felt bad that he kept laying on top of the stereo to stay warm, so I got him this heated kitty pad. I got the outdoor version because he likes to chew on power cords. But, I use it in indoors. He sleeps on it for hours a day and seems to love it. The pad is a harder plastic material and I was expecting it to feel more like a padded seat. But, I put a soft t-shirt onit and it doesn't seem to bother him. Also, if you have the space, get the largest size of the several sizes they have available. I think the one I chose was too small for even a small cat. He can't really stetch out as much as I think he'd like to. Also, 102 degrees sounds really hot to me, but it is actually a comfortable temperature. Overall- my cat loves it and I'm glad I got it. Just get the biggest size they have available and plan on using a thin padding or getting Revival's padding so that it is softer but also transfers heat. Great for outdoor cats and ferals This heated kitty pad makes a great addition to a winter shelter for outdoor cats. I believe in keeping cats indoors, but if you love cats, you may find yourself dealing with someone else's outdoor cat, or maybe even ferals. I looked at a similar product at PetsMart but it was marked for indoor use only. The heating element of this kitty "pad" is inside an air-tight black casing that feels like thick plastic. The cord is 5 1/2 feet long, insulated and covered with a steel coil so that you don't have to worry about a critter chewing through it. The pad is big enough for one cat and luckily, it fit perfectly inside of the small igloo I set up on my back deck. The instructions say do not immerse in water, so the pad shouldn't be used in an open area, though I think it would do ok on a covered deck that stayed dry most of the time...and it makes sense to try to provide shelter against the elements for the cat's sake, anyway, so if you're providing a good, dry shelter for the cat, then the pad should be ok, too. I placed my igloo under a patio table, which I then covered with a waterproof tarp (using patio chairs covered in shower curtain liners as entryways), so the pad isn't exposed to any moisture at all. The kitty has used the igloo and the heating pad many days this winter - well worth the investment. By the way, if you order directly through the manufacturer's catalog, they make the heating pads in semi-circles specially sized to fit igloos...but this small cat pad fit in my igloo just fine. Great Peace of Mind for Your Outdoor Cats I purchased this pad for use in an outdoor feral cat house. I use it in combination with a thermocube so it turns on at 35 degrees and off at 45 degrees. I keep the pad, cord, and thermocube completely inside the cat house and run an outdoor extension cord to an outdoor outlet. This has worked perfectly and is so much easier than the microwaved heating disks that only last for a few hours and don't keep a mild consistent heat. Our outdoor kitty seems to love this arrangement too!

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