Cats live outdoors everywhere, and you may have a colony of feral cats under your nose and not realize it.
Help keep our feral feline friends safe from the cold and other dangers with an easy outdoor cat shelter.
What you'll need: A large plastic tub (about 30 gallons) and a smaller plastic tub (about 20 gallons), a box cutter, an eight-foot by two-foot sheet of one-inch thick hard Styrofoam, a yardstick and some straw. Make sure that the small bin fits completely inside the large bin with the lids securely closed on both bins.
1. Use the box cutter to cut a doorway (about six inches square) in one of the long sides of the large bin near the corner. The opening should be several inches above the ground.
2. With the yardstick as a guide, cut a piece of Styrofoam to line the bottom of the bin. Perfection isn't necessary, but a close fit provides better insulation.
3. Cut four more pieces of Styrofoam to line the four interior walls of the bin, leaving a gap of three inches between the top of the Styrofoam walls and the lip of the bin.
4. Cut out a door in the Styrofoam inside the door you cut in the bin.
5. Place the second smaller bin inside the larger bin — the fit should be close. Cut a door in the smaller bin to allow access from the outside — use a marker to trace a guide from the existing holes.
6. Place a layer of straw in the interior bin and cover with the lid.
7. Cut a Styrofoam "roof" to rest on top of the Styrofoam wall pieces and place the lid on top of the large bin.
8. Remove the lids to clean the shelter and replace straw. Weigh down the shelter with a rock or weight on the lid if necessary.