Cold weather is here, and community cats need a warm place to sleep. You can build a high-quality shelter for almost $0 using recycled materials! Here is the step-by-step guide to building the shelter shown in the photo.
🛠️ THE MATERIALS
Styrofoam Shipping Cooler: (Thick walled is best!)
Where to get them: Ask local pet stores or fresh seafood markets if they have discarded shipping coolers. Checking their disposal areas or "dumpster diving" are great ways to find them for free!
Insulation: STRAW (Not hay! Hay absorbs moisture and freezes; straw repels moisture).
Covering: Black EPDM pond liner (Best for heat absorption/durability) OR Heavy-duty Black Contractor Bags (Great budget option!).
Base: 2x4 scrap wood or bricks.
Weights: Landscaping pavers or heavy bricks.
Duct Tape.
📝 INSTRUCTIONS
PREP THE BASE Place your wooden boards or bricks on the ground. Make sure they are flat and level. This elevates the shelter off the frozen ground, which is crucial for keeping the interior warm.
PREPARE THE COOLER
Cut a 6-inch entrance hole on one of the long sides (towards the corner, not the center, to reduce drafts).
Fill the bottom loosely with straw for bedding.
Put the lid on tight and seal the entire seam where the lid meets the box with duct tape to keep wind out.
Use duct tape to reinforce the edges of the entrance hole so the styrofoam doesn't crumble or scratch the cat.
WRAP & COVER
Cover the top and 3 sides (leaving the front open) with your black plastic or EPDM liner.
Why black plastic? It helps waterproof the box and absorbs heat from the sun during the day! ☀️
Budget Tip: If you can't afford pond liner, thick black contractor trash bags work great.
WEIGHT IT DOWN
Place a heavy landscaping paver directly on top of the shelter. This holds the plastic in place and keeps the shelter from blowing away.
Extend the plastic flaps to the ground on the sides and weight them down with extra bricks/pavers.
LOCATION Place the shelter in a spot protected from the wind if possible.
♻️ SHARE THIS POST to help others keep kitties warm this winter! Hashtags: #CommunityCats #WinterShelter #DIY #CatRescue #TNR
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