Hope someone can help, or has better suggestions.
There’s an open square concrete nook under the stairs by my house, about 4’ on all sides and 3’ off the ground.
We leave food in there daily for the poor feral cats.
With the cold weather and snow, I’m thinking about insulating this nook. I put cardboard down, but the large opening and concrete sides/ceiling make this a cold and windy spot.
What do you think about about trying to line it with styrofoam insulation?
Home Depot has “Owens Corning FOAMULAR 250 2 in. x 48 in. x 8 ft. R-10 Scored Squared Edge Insulation Sheathing”. Would this be safe for the cats to be on top of, especially if they scratch it? I wouldn’t want them sickened.
Can you think of better material to wedge in on the walls and ceiling? There is no way to attach anything, since the concrete walls and ceiling are old and flaking.
IANA vet or anything but I don’t think it would hurt them. Can you cover the opening with some sort of wind break that wouldn’t spook them. Altho’ I guess food would motivate them.
If you’re worried about the Styrofoam add a layer of cardboard on top of it. And a piece of burlap sacking or an old blanket might be appreciated.
I did try using heavy plastic sheeting (cut into strips like they put on the openings of car repair shops), but I couldn’t find a way to secure it to the (slightly crumbling) bricks. I tried duct tape, even Gorilla tape, but it wouldn’t hold.
I have two really nice cat houses in my backyard, made from giant totes and filled with straw, but the only creatures who use them are the darn possums!
I think this is a good idea. You can change out the bedding if you need to, and it will be comfortable and warm. Also, if you put a board (or boards) across the opening and leave them a small opening, then I think they’ll still go in.
A strategically placed freestanding board or even a lawn chair might help.
It’s a shame they won’t go in the cat houses. Are you sure it’s cats you’re feeding and not possums?
How about one of those tension curtain rods and some cloth curtains? You could probably get all of those at a thrift store, and all you’d have to do is cut the curtains to size.
Cats like old woolen/fuzzy blankets/coats/jumpers, right? That can cover the bare Styrofoam. To attach stuff to brick, you could try some type of masonry screw or anchor, not duct tape.
On a serious note, anything able to be scratched up, will get scratched up. I say nay to cardboard, insulating material, and styrofoam.
As DPRK says, you should try masonry screws to attach some kind of curtain, perhaps in strips. Rig it so you can change the curtain without removing all the screws.
The tension rod idea is also really good and requires less installation.
Lining the floor with some hay etc. sounds good, but aren’t you inviting them to use it as a litter box? What about carpet remnants cut to fit?
Returning to the walls (and ceiling), I’m not sure that insulation is going to do much. Concrete is already a pretty good insulator and if there’s no heat source in this niche I don’t know what you could do to make it more insulated–except for a door/curtain, which would help retain the cats’ body heat and keep out wintry blasts.
The more I think about it the more I think a curtain is the right idea. Animals are scared by change–just ask my dog when we move the furniture to vacuum. If you rig a curtain that can be wide open to start, the closed little by little, you may have better end results.
We had a feral cat living in our shed one winter. When temps started dropping below zero, my husband took a large cardboard box and stood it on its side. He then lined it with styrofoam and put an old fuzzy rug on the bottom and topped that with old blankets. He partially closed the flaps on the box. The cat used the box all winter.
Home Depot sells that same foam in 2ft x 2ft sections. Depending on how much of the 4ft x 8ft sheet you need, the smaller squares might be easier and cheaper.
You should be able to attach the insulation with some construction adhesive like DAP or another brand. It will off-gas a bit, but will dissipate quickly and shouldn’t harm the animals. Install it in the morning and by evening it should be okay.
You could even use sticks of wood cut to length and wedge the styrofoam into place against the top, bottom and sides. The back wall might be difficult though.
Thanks for all the great responses. Never thought about a curtain on a tension rod for the front - really clever!
I hesitate to use any fabric/towels on the bottom, since it would freeze solid if it became wet (that’s why I used straw in the catboxes that the darn cats won’t use).
But, I never thought about carpet remnants - and I think it would work on top of smaller squares of insulation.
Again, thanks for the help - off to spend money at Home Depot!
(and seriously, this will help to save some lives. One of the felines is MamaCat, who against all odds appears to be pregnant yet again. Unable to catch and spay, all we can do is hope to make a warm, safe nook for her to give birth. She already will jump in to eat, but it’s so cold…)
Styrofoam should work just fine. They aren’t very likely to scratch it up. (And if they do, so what – it can be replaced cheaply enough.) You could always use 1/4 inch plywood above the foam – that will keep it flat, & protect it, and still be insulated for warmth.
Covering the floor with hay or wood shavings (not sawdust) is probably better than something cloth – as you said, cloth will accumulate moisture and then it won’t keep them warm. Shredded paper works OK, but needs to be replaced often.
Is it actually 4 feet high inside? If so, that’s too big – they don’t have enough body warmth to keep that space warm. Cut the height in half and put a ceiling of 1-2 layers of styrofoam above it. And how big is the opening? 4 feet is way too wide. Put a sheet of styrofoam covering that whole opening, and cut 6" square holes for doorways – one on each side – feral cats want an escape route. Covering those doorways with a flap of curtain cloth will cut down on wind. Or a plastic flap will work. Extra attractive if it’s transparent. Might need to provide some kind of a wooden ramp to get to these doorways, if they are 3 feet off the ground. (Especially when the kittens come.)
Also, consider using extra pieces of styrofoam to make individual ‘bedrooms’ inside the space. Something small, like 12-18 inches square. Those are small enough that a single cat will keep it warm inside.
You shouldn’t have a problem with cats using this space as a litter box – cats won’t do that in their sleeping area. But providing a nearby space with a couple bags of sand will be more attractive.
Also, if your tote cat shelters aren’t being used, there’s something wrong with them.
Are they n an open, exposed place? Cats prefer them sheltered, near a back fence or garage wall. Try moving them around. And do they have 2 openings? Feral cats often don’t feel safe to sleep in a space without an emergency exit. Or maybe the possums got there first, and now these shelters don’t smell safe to cats. Washing them out and putting in fresh bedding might cure that.
Nobody’s mentioned it yet, but what about one of those pads that heat up. I ordered one through Amazon I think and I bought a long extension cord, and as I type a stray is relaxing under my deck in his heated condo. I put the pad inside a M to L cat carrier and covered it with old towels, rug remnants, and a tarp for insulation and to keep it dry. So far so good.
