Shelters for Feral and Outside Cats

by Karen Rose Smith

Several years ago, we cared for a yellow tabby stray who came into our yard and seemed to want to stay.  We named him Lancelot because the first time we spotted him, he was protecting a kitten. We got him care and found out he had FIV.  He lasted through the summer. When he first began staying on our property, I wanted a protected place for him to nestle and we bought an igloo.  The following year another yellow tabby came to us.  We named him Sunnybud.  He stayed for three years until his FIV took him.  In the meantime we added more than one shelter for cats who needed cover over the winter.  At times, we had three cats staying warmer.  The thing about cats is that, unless they are bonded--mother and kitties, brother and sister--they each like their own space. They can be territorial. This summer I spruced up this shelter when I cleaned it out. We have turquoise planters and I had leftover paint from a reno project. Cedar Shelter

Some of the shelters have heat pads made for the outdoors.  In those that don't, we use straw.  Blankets and rugs will mildew and stay cold and wet.  In winter, we've found the cats prefer the shelters with the heat pads. No surprise there. The photo I led with is an igloo with straw bales around it to insulate it even more both winter and summer.  Sunnybud preferred being farther away from the house until he began to stay in our patio sunroom. The igloo is equipped with a heat pad.

There are many websites on the internet that have DIY instructions on how to make an inexpensive cat shelter.  ( Link for info on a DIY Shelters ) YouTube also has many DIY clips on building outside shelters.  Some of them use styrofoam coolers and others use store-bought coolers often used for picnic soft drinks. I found these on Etsy and they are called cat pods. These include a heat pad. ( Link to Extreme Weather Heat Pad )( Link for Outside Feral Cat Shelters )

Link to Heated Cat Pod Tower

Before Sunnybud left us, he introduced a brother and sister duo to our property. My husband named them Bonnie (a dark Tortie) and Clyde (a yellow tabby.) They have been more of a challenge than any others.  It's taken three years to socialize them to a certain extent. They come inside our basement now every afternoon to eat and cuddle up until morning. Then they go out again unless we keep them in for rain or freezing cold. Our basement is their apartment with cat beds and my plant grow heat pad that they use too.  But we still can't touch Bonnie.  I can pet Clyde unless I move my hand too fast or stand up!  We're working on it.  But before we even attempted to feed them inside the basement, they had to become comfortable with our property.  These two had been caught in a TNR program because both their ears were clipped.  I imagine they had a traumatic experience which is the cause of their apprehension around humans.  We added another shelter with a heat pad when they arrived.  I catnipped it and they began using it.  It was a patiently slow process.

This is a feral shelter we have under our deck. Clyde often uses the roof to survey his domain.  He and Bonnie can go inside and then crawl into a loft space that is insulated for warmth. Bonnie and Clyde both stay on our property now both day and night. Feralvilla Shelter

A fellow writer found stray cats on her property. I've often looked at these tubes and she told me the stray cats are using the shelter.  ( Link for Info on the Tube Shelter )

I'm an animal person, especially cats.  We have five inside rescues.  I can't handle seeing felines suffer in the winter.  Hence, the shelters.

Lancelot

Me and Sunnybud

Bonnie and Clyde

Younger Sunnybud

Sunnybud

Sunnybud and Halo before we brought her in.

The #Kittens Turn Two by Karen Rose Smith

Two summers ago on a hot summer afternoon, my husband received a call on his cell phone from a friend who had just found six kittens under her parents' front porch.  She was calling for advice on how to handle the kittens.  She had rescued two of the litter but it took another day before she could coax the others close enough to scoop them up and take them to safety.  She took the six kittens home and sheltered them in her basement, despite the fact that she was allergic to cats.  She also helped her father capture the mother cat to have her spayed.

Then began the arduous task of finding forever homes for the kittens.  My friend appeared quite smitten with one of the first rescues--a black longish-hair sweetie she had named Freya.  The other standout in the litter was the second rescue--a long-haired gray and white male.  Her young son named him Mr. Hat.

My husband's first big mistake was telling me about the phone call.  His second mistake was taking me to visit the kittens.  I hadn't exactly voiced my thoughts out loud, but I was planning to adopt Freya.  But as I sat in my friend's living room cuddling the little black bundle, my husband seemed taken with Mr. Hat.  By the time we left, we had agreed to take both of the kittens.  After all, they had just been taken from their mother, so how could we separate these two who seemed to have formed a bond?

The past two years have been filled with snarls of disapproval from our three senior cats, hours of playful banter with each other, and much laughter as we watched the antics of the newest members of our furry family.  The kittens have grown into beautiful felines.  Zander (formerly Mr. Hat) is striking in his demeanor and has become my best buddy.  Freya is a unique character who loves to be snuggled on her own terms.   They both have become cherished members of our family and are a constant presence on my social media pages.  And quite possibly they will join Zoie Joy, Paddington and Halo as "characters" in one of my mysteries.
   

Zander

Freya

Zoie Joy and Zander

Freya

Freya

Zander

MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES on Amazon

MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES on Barnes and Noble

Winter Feral Cat Shelters--#Cats This Week by Karen Rose Smith

It's that time of year to think about shelters for outside stray cats.  We've been feeding a feral stray sibling pair since fall of 2015.  They came running into our yard with their ears clipped so I knew they had been neutered and spayed.  When they began coming regularly, I decided to attempt to socialize them.  Hubby dubbed them Bonnie and Clyde because they ran together.  

The socialization process has been exceedingly slow.  After a year, they came regularly for wet food twice a day.  Clyde stayed around our property most of the time.  But Bonnie was flighty and went off on her own to be reunited with him at times during the day.  I don't know where she went.  We tried confining them in the basement one night when Clyde's paw seemed to be hurting, but they ran out like the devil was chasing them the next day and didn't return for a few more days.  They were even wary about eating.  The thing about ferals is that they want to retain their independence.  

Now, two years later, Clyde especially will rub against my legs at mealtime. He also enjoys a daily massage, but still streaks away at the slightest quick movement.  Bonnie still resists even the slightest attempt to pet her. They have been coming into our basement each evening and spending the night. But they are usually ready to leave in the morning and explore their outside world. We've taken care of strays before.  It's not easy to "let go" and give them freedom but that's how they are happiest.  

Another frequent visitor that we dubbed Scruffy has used our outside shelters for several winters. Out trail cameras have also captured images of other wintertime visitors. 

My husband and I are try to give our outside visitors options.  Hopefully they'll choose one or two. 

We have a patio sunroom that we keep open throughout the year. For winter, we put a shelter and a heated bed inside in one area, a heated pad in another. 

ExtremeWeatherHeatPad 

I lay thermal heat pads on the furniture in the sunroom.  





Outside over the years we've added different types of shelters. Those closest to the house have low wattage heat pads inside. Among them are an igloo and cedar shelters.  If you'd like to consider making a shelter yourself from a cooler, here is a link.  

DIY Shelter

FerralVillaShelter

Ally Cat Allies has pages of prebuilt and DIY shelters to examine, many with instructions. 

AlleyCatAlliesShelters

One caution about multi cat shelters. Feral and stray cats don't usually like to share.  Our sibling pair might be an exception.  But roaming loners like their own spot to stay safe, rather than sharing a shelter.  And sometimes a stray would prefer to have the whole property to himself or herself.

We use straw bales as buffers and protection for the shelters against the elements.  Since the flowers are gone and plants don't provide much cover, the bales are also useful on the patio to break the wind. 

Straw is the preferred bedding if the shelter doesn't have a heat pad. Hay, used as animal feed, gets soggy. Straw is sturdier than hay, usually a golden color. Moisture rolls off of it rather than sinking in. Towels and carpet become damp and mildew.  Cats can nest in straw and it keeps them warm with their body heat. 

Also important in winter are heated water bowls. We notice the strays drink more water in winter than summer because it's harder to find a water supply.  Here is one option we use but many kinds and brands are available.

Heated Bowl

Keeping these stray fur babies safe is a challenge. Hopefully they'll take advantage of our hospitality.

******************

Coming in November 2017

Available October 17

Now Available for Pre-Order

Ah, wintertime in Rust Creek Falls! It's the perfect time of year to snuggle up by the fireplace and indulge in some juicy gossip. Speaking of snuggling, did you hear that Eli Dalton and Hadley Strickland were forced to spend the night together in an abandoned barn during our recent snowstorm?  

While it may have been a horse in distress that brought the lovely veterinarian out to the Circle D, we're betting handsome, steady Eli will draw her back. We believe the rancher could melt fair Hadley's frozen heart—if she can find the courage to reveal her past. So hang the holly, dear readers, and remember that this is the season for miracles. Could a holiday proposal soon be in the works?

THE MAVERICK'S SNOWBOUND CHRISTMAS on Amazon

THE MAVERICK'S SNOWBOUND CHRISTMAS on Barnes and Noble

***************

Click on the link below to read an additional blog entry by Karen

every Thursday on the Cozy Chicks blog

Cozy Chicks Blog

****************

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. This award-winning and bestselling author will have her 100th novel released in 2018.  At present she is working on two mystery series for Kensington Books--Caprice De Luca Home Staging cozies and Daisy's Tea Garden mysteries. From time to time, she also writes romance for Harlequin Special Edition.

Karen and Paddy

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks and does watercolor paintings rather than gardens.  And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 

*****************

Sign Up for Karen's newsletter!

******************

Karen's Facebook Author Page

Karen Rose Smith's romance website 

Karen Rose Smith's mystery website 

Karen on Twitter

©2017 Karen Rose Smith

Cleaning With #Felines--#Cats This Week by Karen Rose Smith

Cleaning isn't my--or anyone's else's--favorite thing to do. Throw two kittens into the mix and cleaning becomes even more of a chore...or just plain fun and games.

This week, I chose to just make a situation that could have been frustrating and irritating into a fun and game session. It took a bit longer to finish my chores and eventually Freya and Zander had to be moved to a different room...but the kittens provided some laughs and I actually had fun sweeping the kitchen floor!

Below are photos of our cleaning adventures.

Freya likes to jump onto the open lid of the dishwasher
and supervise while I am emptying the clean dishes.

Freya and Zander chase the broom while hubby
sweeps the kitchen floor. The fun and games came
to a halt when they sent the pile of dirt flying
across the floor. 

 

Zander seems to prefer chasing the broom through the air.
That way he doesn't have to worry about the pile of dirt!

Freya was enchanted with the Swiffer sweeper and
chased it across the floor as I mopped. But then she
figured out how to pull the cloth off of the mop
and she was evicted to another room. 

Zander soon grew tired of  the broom and sweeper
and retreated to the bed for an afternoon nap.
He seems to be thinking, "Cleaning is hard work...
I don't know why these humans bother doing it!"
You know, he may have a point there.

****************

Coming in November 2017

Available October 17

Now Available for Pre-Order

Ah, wintertime in Rust Creek Falls! It's the perfect time of year to snuggle up by the fireplace and indulge in some juicy gossip. Speaking of snuggling, did you hear that Eli Dalton and Hadley Strickland were forced to spend the night together in an abandoned barn during our recent snowstorm?  

While it may have been a horse in distress that brought the lovely veterinarian out to the Circle D, we're betting handsome, steady Eli will draw her back. We believe the rancher could melt fair Hadley's frozen heart—if she can find the courage to reveal her past. So hang the holly, dear readers, and remember that this is the season for miracles. Could a holiday proposal soon be in the works?

THE MAVERICK'S SNOWBOUND CHRISTMAS on Amazon

THE MAVERICK'S SNOWBOUND CHRISTMAS on Barnes and Noble

***************

Click on the link below to read an additional blog entry by Karen

every Thursday on the Cozy Chicks blog

Cozy Chicks Blog

****************

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. This award-winning and bestselling author will have her 100th novel released in 2018.  At present she is working on two mystery series for Kensington Books--Caprice De Luca Home Staging cozies and Daisy's Tea Garden mysteries. From time to time, she also writes romance for Harlequin Special Edition.

Karen and Paddy

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks and does watercolor paintings rather than gardens.  And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 

*****************

Sign Up for Karen's newsletter!

******************

Karen's Facebook Author Page

Karen Rose Smith's romance website 

Karen Rose Smith's mystery website 

Karen on Twitter

©2017 Karen Rose Smith

Building a #Feline Family--#Cats This Week by Karen Rose Smith

Adding a new cat or kittens is only the beginning of building a happy feline family. Cats are creatures of habit and anything new can easily disrupt their world. Physical things, like the noise created by the garbage trucks or thunderstorms, pass and normal returns relatively quickly. However, more permanent things--like two new kittens!--can upset the daily routine of an entire household.

We have cats ranging in age from three to sixteen years old. We thought we had carefully thought out the logistics of adding Freya and Zander, our two rescued kittens, to our feline family. Because of the great age differences between the cats, we knew we would have to keep the kittens separated and introduce them slowly, using screens at doorways and closing bedroom doors so our senior cat, who is blind, would have respite from kitten antics.

The screens worked for about a week, then Zander discovered that he could easily climb over the barrier and explore the world beyond. That week did provide a little protection for Paddy, Halo and Zoie Joy. However they were not as ready to have their world invaded as the kittens were to explore it...and them.

But we decided to let them handle the situation on their own...with careful surveillance, of course. There were hisses and growls and swats. But slowly the kittens learned their boundaries around the older cats. They soon realized that their older sisters were not quite as accepting of them as they were willing to be of their elders. Slowly over the course of the last two weeks, with boundaries learned, the felines are all navigating the downstairs. The kittens sometimes take a circuitous route around the older cats and there are occasionally still hisses and growls if they overstep their bounds.

But we have had times with four cats napping together on the bed and feeding times with adults eating next to kittens. We don't have a close-knit feline family yet, but hopefully with time and patience (both people and feline patience) we will once again find that balance that makes us one big happy feline family. My felines have taught me that with patience and tolerance can come acceptance, camaraderie and comfort.  

****************

Coming in November 2017

Available October 17

Now Available for Pre-Order

Ah, wintertime in Rust Creek Falls! It's the perfect time of year to snuggle up by the fireplace and indulge in some juicy gossip. Speaking of snuggling, did you hear that Eli Dalton and Hadley Strickland were forced to spend the night together in an abandoned barn during our recent snowstorm?  

While it may have been a horse in distress that brought the lovely veterinarian out to the Circle D, we're betting handsome, steady Eli will draw her back. We believe the rancher could melt fair Hadley's frozen heart—if she can find the courage to reveal her past. So hang the holly, dear readers, and remember that this is the season for miracles. Could a holiday proposal soon be in the works?

THE MAVERICK'S SNOWBOUND CHRISTMAS on Amazon

THE MAVERICK'S SNOWBOUND CHRISTMAS on Barnes and Noble

***************

Click on the link below to read an additional blog entry by Karen

every Thursday on the Cozy Chicks blog

Cozy Chicks Blog

****************

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. This award-winning and bestselling author will have her 100th novel released in 2018.  At present she is working on two mystery series for Kensington Books--Caprice De Luca Home Staging cozies and Daisy's Tea Garden mysteries. From time to time, she also writes romance for Harlequin Special Edition.

Karen and Paddy

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks and does watercolor paintings rather than gardens.  And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 

*****************

Sign Up for Karen's newsletter!

******************

Karen's Facebook Author Page

Karen Rose Smith's romance website 

Karen Rose Smith's mystery website 

Karen on Twitter

©2017 Karen Rose Smith