01/23/2026
‼️‼️ MAKE SURE YOUR SHELTERS ARE READY ‼️‼️
Temperatures are dropping into the negatives over the next couple days with windchill.
🥶 COLD WEATHER & OUTDOOR CATS SHELTERS 🥶
A simple homemade shelter can mean the difference between life and death!! There are a lot of options of cat shelters out there, but even just a large Rubbermaid-type tote or styrofoam cooler stuffed with STRAW can really help keep them warm.
🚨 STRAW ONLY!! NEVER USE BLANKETS OR HAY!! 🚨
🐈 Overstuff with straw. Just don't fill too much so kitty can't burrow in.
🐈 Put in an area out of direct wind.
🐈 Do not put food or water inside.....cats don't like to eat where they sleep.
🐈 Put tote off the ground if possible, on boards or even a pallet.
🐈 Check the straw periodically to make sure it doesn’t get wet. If moisture does get in, change with fresh straw.
NEVER USE BLANKETS
… or any other type of fabric, unless it is a pet specific heating pad. Fabric holds moisture, which in cold temperatures can lead to hypothermia and death. Even if no snow or rain get directly in the shelter, the cat will get wet outside and bring that moisture into the shelter with it. The results can be detrimental to the cat. Please use straw only!
STRAW vs HAY
Straw will reflect body heat back to a cat and actually repels moisture. Straw is tough, thick, dry leftover stalks from crops. It's lightweight and golden in color. Straw has a hollow center which makes for great insulation (just like double pane windows).
Hay is green and heavy. Hay is typically used to feed animals, like horses. It absorbs moisture, making it damp, cold and uncomfortable for cats, and has the potential to get moldy.
How to remember the difference:
🔹 Straw is for sleeps, hay is for eats.
🔹 Straw is for strays, hay is for horses.
