Introduction: Cat Houses for Our Feral Friends

Warm and safe homes for the winter for your outside pet or feral friends.

Step 1: This Is a Quick Instructable to Make a Winter House for Your Outside Pets or for Your Feral Friends.

I will admit it that I am the crazy cat person in our neighborhood. I will feed all who show up and also take them to our local animal society to get them fixed and just help out as I can...

In Florida it gets cold and yes it will freeze here in North Florida so I make some little houses to protect the cats from what weather we do experience.

These are quick and to make two will cost you approx. $20 for the pair.

Step 2:

Step 3: Items You Will Need.

For the houses I use just a semi clear storage tub with lid and a pet bed or thermal mat. I use a tub that the cats can see out of so nothing can sneak up on them.

The storage tub will cost you around $6.00 new or you can usually find them at a garage sale or my favorite pet local humane thrift store for a couple of dollars.

The pet bed I found at a local discount store for under $6.00, once again you can find them cheaper at the local thrift stores. Unfortunately the temperature was dropping and I wanted to get them done, so I spent $24.00 for everything for two houses.

Step 4: Creating the Opening

  1. For this I used a regular pocket knife and a torch. This is my glass blowing torch and reaches well over 2000 degrees, but anything to heat your knife will work.
    • Remember to do this outdoors or with good ventilation as the fumes will be most likely toxic or at least smelly.
  2. Start by marking or having an idea of the size of opening for your animal.
  3. Heat you knife and score the line. The plastic will melt and you will have your line to follow. You will have to reheat your knife many times to cut through the plastic. The plastic will also stick to the knife, so I heated up the blade and wiped it off on a piece of wood.
  4. I made a square shape and made sure not to cut through the lip of the tub so the lid will still clip securely.
  5. Once the square was removed, I just made the opening more rounded as some of the cat have a belly. Make sure to heat the knife and melt any sharp areas in the opening.
  6. Finally take the knife and shave off the melted pieces on the outside and inside.

Step 5: The Finishing Touch

Once the opening is made.

  1. place the lid on the ground and place the bed on the lid.
  2. take the tub and place over the bed and lid making sure that it clips and is secure.

You house is now complete.

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Step 6: Home Sweet Home

Place your home for your feline where it is sunny, out of the wind and where they bed down and it will only take a couple of minutes for someone to take up residency.

On the cold night they will cuddle up with each other inside and their body will keep these homes warm and cozy for the night.

I have made these for several years and have seen as many as five cats curled up together.

This is my first instructable and hopefully not my last. Please vote for me if you like this and think my cause is good.

Thanks so much.

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