Help Stray Animals! Easy 10-Minute DIY Shelter
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 ก.ย. 2024
- Make an animal shelter from a basic plastic tote in minutes! This will provide shelter to stray and lost animals and protect them from the outdoor elements, including the extreme cold. Help save an animal today!
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Plz take note that for all out side housing, a back door is needed. Cut on opposite side as your front door. This allows cats to escape predators.
I agree! thank u so much! :)
I read that cutting on opposite side will cause a "draft", I am guessing that means wind, and will turn the cat house cold.
So maybe cut perpendicular?
It will cause a draft where ever you cut the hole if it’s opposite of the first hole. Even if it is perpendicular.
What about cutting a hole in the top?
A hole on top may work, you would need some type of roof over that, but hey, might work out just fine.
This was a great DIY Tutorial. I would just add a funnel through the entrance for keeping out rain & snow. This helps tremendously.
Or plastic flaps with magnets.
how do u install the funnel?
My husband and I have been making cat shelters like this for years! Thank you for helping to keep kitties warm in the winter or bad weather.
For all outside housing a back door is a MUST. Cats need an escape route to get away from predators!!
Wouldn't that make it impossible to keep it from freezing? Cross flow venilation if two hatches are cut into it, no matter what. With one hole cut in, that draft isn't an issue and it will retain body heat from the cat. With two holes, that isn't the case.
I put a plastic flap on the door of mine to help with wind and It’s good to set the shelter on something that raises it off the ground maybe 6 inches so if it snows they can still get in or out, and it’s good to put some weight on the roof too so it don’t blow around
I buy some plastic pallets to put these on....wood pallets would work also
I use plastic pallets to set the shelters on, to raise it off the ground, I guess wood pallets would work also
Great idea my late wife used some old plastic coolers and did the same thing just another idea. Plus she used this idea for a momma dog to have her puppies in private. Keep up the great videos
Kenny Mysak sorry for your loss! she sounds like she was a wonderful person. ❤️
This is so helpful, especially now that we're going to be hit with 20 below weather here in Ohio. Thank you for this.
I acually have a stray cat in my shed, I put a heater a bed and kitty litter!!! She was pregnant she had her kittens and I found them all a home. Buy now it's just her. But it's super warm in there bc of the heater. But I would love to do this and put her bed inside to keep her extra warm. I live in ohio so its flippin cold lol
Very kind of you 💜
My stray cat who's lived in the garage for around 5 yrs won't go into a bed like that. Ps she doesn't let me touch her or come into the house as she's frightened of our big dog. Sad
So cool to see you guys make this. I've actually assembled something similar as we were finding baby rabbits in our backyard, and they kept passing away as the mother would not come back. Since then, they've used these shelters a few times... God bless you guys, and Dirty Jersey out!!!!
Great idea. I’ve done similar for hedgehogs. Very satisfying when you see them enter in Autumn and reappear in the Spring having given them a nice warm home. Love you guys. 😊
Years ago I saw a stray cat hanging around our firewood shed in the middle of a cold winter. I made something similar for him, set it up high on the woodpile, and left him some food. He loved it and lived in that box for several years. A word of caution. One day when my wife went out to feed the cat there was a nasty tempered possum in it instead of the cat. Scared my her to death.
Sellarmusic this is why most entrances should follow 6” diameter no larger. Adult possums can’t fit due to their round big bottoms. Also never leave food in or around their sleeping area. This has worked for me & the feral cats I care for.
SAMMY’S WORLD I’m planing to do a shelter for a cat that lives around my house, but I was having this conflict about other animals taking advantage of the shelter, because where I live there are a lot of possums and different animals. So I’m going to try your advice of the 6” diameter of the entrance, I really hope it works because possums can be pretty aggressive towards cat.
@@sararomgar7678 hey i have the same issue so i'm wondering if it worked out for you
I love Bird. Hedgehog. Wikd animals needs helps too.
A possum can get through a 6 inch hole. Why wouldn’t they be able to?
She's got such a beautiful smile. Reminds me of Linda Hamilton when she was younger
Wow, she does look alot like Linda Hamilton!
Not only great builders but also compassionate...you guys are awesome!. I send Love
I've been watching a lot of these lately to make a winter cat feral shelter and I'm finding this one the simplest and easiest.
Brilliant and timely! Thanx for inspiring us to make a difference! HP:)
This is a great idea! I will make one because I have a stray cat that shows up everyday for a meal. It will not let me come near it. I bought it a hugh bag of Kit Kaboodle. Eats every bite each day. Thanks for showing me how to build it a nice home. God bless you always!
Micheal GOD BLESS CHECK YOUR FOOD KIT Kaboodle for coloring look all meat PURINA ONE IS ALL MEAT ...AT LEAST FIRST INGREDIENT
Great video! I live at the OBX and we've got feeding stations and shelters for the feral kitties and this is a great quick idea
Beautiful. Thank you. It's -5 outside, I always feed these three small cats with their mother. And I know they are going to need this.
Absolutely amazing. I live in a part of CO where there’s a sad abundance of stray cats. I will definitely be making a few of these. Thank you.
Do TNR!!!
You can search it up and it’s free!
Just one thing to keep in mind; the tote is generally made of a plastic that doesn’t do well in sunshine. So best find a shaded area. Otherwise this is an awesome idea...despite the fact that Henry wasn’t impressed! 🐾🐾 Cheers.
What a great idea! Will be making a couple of these. Any animal will be so thankful to be out of the winter wind and frigid cold temperatures. Cheers and hugs ❤🇨🇦
Great idea! And very timely with the winter blast the next few days. Bring your pets inside !!!
I cried all through this video thinking of being able to help animals in this way.
THANK YOU!!!!!!
can also add clear plastic shower curtain liner/med weight and cover whole container bin with rocks to hold liner down...leaving slight opened area away from "front door hole" so as not to allow cold directly inside.... or staple gun plastic freezer flaps over "front door" hole ....hard to hide smthg like this in a town/city...
Another very cheap option is to make a shelter out of shrink wrap surrounding an improvised cage and wood pallet floor.
You guys are awesome! Thanks for making this!
Excellent idea!.👌
Here in Texas we've had decent temperatures so far but still there is lots of stray animals in the City I leave,. So this is such an awesome creative way to help stray animals stay protected from bad weather... like what we usually get here,..heavy rains like every year!
I have a family of 5 racoon, 2 opossums, 2 ground how's and a ton of rabbits all using the space underneath our deck so I wanted to keep them warm.
That's awesome! Sounds like your own little zoo...
Repurposing items is great. Some ingenious items are created out of what they were originally intended for. I have used totes for nesting boxes for my chickens, but have never used the insulation from a foam ice box. I just need to insulate the insulation to keep the hens from pecking at it.
Great vid. I might do a couple of these before winter hits here in Canada 🇨🇦 we have a few feral cats 🐈⬛ in our area. I worry about them in cold weather
I recommend cutting a hole on the backside also. This way if the stray feels she needs to exit quickly she has that option and is not trapped in the event of a predator that tries to get her.
Thank you for showing this to me. We have several cats around our house eating our cat food so I know they probably need a safe place to lay down this is awesome!
AWESOME!!! Love animals.
I love your channel and this video is very timely for me right now!
Thanks! Yeah they sure come in handy this time of year!
I searched DIY cat houses and this was the first one the popped up and it's perfect!! I just had a neighbor move a couple of weeks ago and abandon several cats, a couple that I believe were used to being indoors. I can't find anyone to foster these cats and I don't want to take them to the shelter and risk euthanization. I'm going to make them a little shelter since we're only hitting highs in the 20s right now. Hopefully, I can find foster homes for them soon!!
Nasty people. The cats need to be inside. Not used to outdoor survival and need loving.
I've made all kinds of shelters and used tubs, etc. I haven't found foam ice chests large enough. I encase the whole tub in black heavy duty construction trash bags and make a roof overhang with cardboard to shelter the opening from rain and snow.
Entrance to small for the dog. Also I would say try and turn the shelter towards a wall or soething so the wind can't get in and put the shelter up on bricks or soething similar, that will keep it even warmer. For summer keep out of the sun.
I just bought a heating pad (specifically for pets) for 3 kittens that are living under my house. They don't know cold yet. Tomorrow, I'm going to get a tote and build them a house. I want it big enough for them to grow into and to fit their food and water bowls. I'm excited.
Maybe put the food and water in separate place to not encourage predictors. Thanks for caring about them. Maybe u could find a group to provide reasonable neuter and spay to avoid having more mouths to feed. Blessings to u.
@@phylliskretlow6597 there is a place here that spays and neuters at about $75 for male and $85-$90 for female. The problems are that,
A: They have to be scheduled for 7am and i can't guarantee that they will be here when it's time.
B: Im on disability so, nearly every penny is accounted for. It will take months for me to save up enough for one, let alone 3+ cats.
The good thing for them is that, during the winter, i have a sun room with a gas heater in there and i set up quilts, pillows with the heating pad, fresh dry food and water and security. I leave the sliding door open just enough for them to fit so they can go outside to use the bathroom and exercise. Believe me when I say that, for outside cats, they are SPOILED ROTTEN.
Thank you ! We received a box of steaks as a Christmas present. They came in a Styrofoam cooler. I thought just throwing it away was a waste then was hit with the idea of a shelter for a stray cat. I didn't know how to use it best but now I do. Again, thank you !
Perfect!
Awesome. Can you guys now do a decent size dog house? All your videos make it so easy for a guy like me to build.
What a great and simple idea! I’m looking for ideas for our outdoor cats as it gets colder.
Its 30 below here , I have 2 stray cats outside, until I can get animal rescue to come over , I'll build this
Not a bad set up, anyone can do this. Weather for strays or their own pets this is brilliant so simple and you can add to it as you see fit. Thank you
A little cutie with a big heart
Very nice, cheap, easy and fast. 👍🏼🌞🐈😺
ppl act like its okay but if it were a dog they could not stand to see it but cats are ignored and everyone thinks they can find food yeah if only if they could eat grass...
I recommend putting some tape.. thick tape around the cut hole.
I did that ant the tape peeled off the next day. Added more and it peeled off too!
I'm so glad I found your video. My grandson just replaced his TV. It was delivered in a huge box surrounded by styrofoam. I was waiting to take it to the dumpster. Woohoo I'll keep it for a kitty fortress and cut to size. I'll spare the landfill a bit longer. 😸😽❤️🙏💕
Спасибо вам добрые люди.Живите долго и счастливо.🙏☝️😁🌹🌹🌷🌹🌷🌹
Needs an another hole in case of predators. Also, you can flip the lid upside down and place more straw on top of that.
Heat the plastic with a heat gun or hairdryer. It makes it so much easier to cut.
Will be recreating but without insulation for the summer and for rainy days!! Thank you!
Not sure where to find straw in my area, this may sound silly, but could I use straw-like rabbit bedding as a substitute?
Straw is best because it doesnt hold moisture. Make sure you change the bedding frequently if you do decide to use something else, as it may mold or become wet and be more cold for the animal
Lowes
Love it! Thank you for sharing.😻😻😻
Just FYI, things like these really need 2 holes. If a predator comes into the only exit, the animal inside can be trapped and often killed. A second exit will prevent this.
God bless you guys.
Thank you!
On mine i add an overhang over the entrance to keep out rain. It helps keep the inside dry. Or you can add a tunnel at a slight slant. Thank you to all those who help our feline friends.
Love the diy, but think maybe adding a little straw on top of the cooler could prevent the cold air from entering from that side.
Only other suggestion is to put another hole on the opposite side of the rear wall. They can still get away from the cold, but will have an escape route in case of a predator 😉
That was I was thinking like what if I fox or some shit squeezes in there… I’m making two holes in the one I’m making today, maybe I’ll tape the stirofoam sides to inside of the container bc it looks to small. Good video none the less
Henry thinks that's a trip to the vet 😊
Thank you for this video! I may be overthinking it, but is there a safe way to treat the outdoor house for fleas, since feral cats usually won't let you get close enough to treat them?
You could probably sprinkle flea powder on top of the straw. That way they would be laying on top of the flea powder.
check out Demetrius Earth
Is the cooler necessary for warm months? We're in TX and it gets hot here and I have a stray pregnant cat I am trying to get a shelter ready for and wasn't sure if the cooler was absolutely necessary now.
Can you guys PLEASE show us how to build a double dog kennel? kind of like a credenza but with a divider i nthe middle?
help!!!! what’s best to use in place in of straw? i can’t find it anywhere local! not even a tractor supply store.
@@earthfan9567 oooh, good idea. thank you!
GREAT JOB GIRL ! BLESSINGS ! Cynthia NY
Thank you!
Stuff the straw into an old pillowcase to make a less scratchy bed.
Could also use rolled foil backed insulation between cooler and tote.
Great ideas!
The pillowcase could potentially get wet though
Why isn’t there straw on top since heat rises?
Cooler out for summer? I’m in Boston, in the city, it will be so hot in July and August, so a ways off. Also, straw isn’t accessible to me. Any other options?
But the animal will cut it self when he goes in becuase the hole is sharp
I was worried about the same thing. I would put some thick tape around that
Ya thats what i did
Maybe sand / round the edges a bit with a fine sandpaper
Well, it's only a 10 minute DIY if you, for some very odd reason, happen to have all of these materials lying around... 😬
It's freezing cold in NYC, and I want to try and bring some kind of shelter to a few feral cats I usually feed.
But it's very much a last minute thing... Not only that, but I have no car, and no budget, so I was hoping for something very simplistic (like cardboard boxes), though I know they are far from ideal.
I hope one day I can do more. 😔
I would love to know the recommended size of the rubber container and the size of styrofoam container. It fit so well in this video. Perfect!
I honestly don't remember. I'd recommend just going to a hardware store or equivalent where they sell both so you can make sure the styrofoam cooler fits inside the plastic container
Amazing idea. Going to cut two holes for my outdoor-indoor cat Boba!
Would you be able to use blankets instead of straw? Or would the mom not like it
👏👏👏....
Make Two Holes One For Escape Route!👍👍
The blue plastic will be sharp , please add duct tape around it to prevent the cats from harming themselves . Also add a back door so that the cats can escape from predators. Great idea otherwise.
A back door might help them feel more secure but it would need a careful design to avoid having the wind blow right through. Might want to have a design that can trap kitties for spaying and neutering.
def doing this. so smart w the cooler
Is 10:40 pm in nyc and I'm online trying to find I dyi home for this stray cat that I have been feeding who has spent days crying at my window. She eats entire can of catfood at one sitting and eats and giant bowl of dry catfood in minutes. This shelter is perfect except I don't have hay on hand. She crushed the cardboard shelter I built over the weekend bc she sat on top of it bc I used a thick mat to cover the shelter for warmth and it was cozy. I look forward to making this shelter tomorrow morning after getting hay* from home depot if they have it. Thanks. 😊🐈☀️ * I'll find a substitute for hay if its not available.
Straw not hay 👌
They need a lot more food just maintained their body heat during cold weather. I think straw if better than hay thanks for caring.
Interesting video and I would like to build several for outdoors kitties.
BUT I can find the totes at Wallmart But cannot find Styrofoam coolers.
I would really appreciate information on where to find the Styrofoam coolers and what size you recommend for cats about 15 pounds.
I would like to have them built before a freezing cold which is supposed to come through in a couple of days in North Mississippi.
Thank you
Oh shoot, we found our styrofoam coolers at a hardware store here along with the totes. We found it was easier that way to make sure the cooler fit in the tote. I'm unfortunately not too familiar with options in Mississippi, sorry! Thanks so much for making these for the kitties!
Excellent video! Thank you.
Its very hot in my country and a stray cat gave birth to two kittens, will this keep them cool?
I will build this bcz It can rain in August
It may be too hot for that. Maybe have something more open air with a roof to provide shade and protection from the rain? Thanks for being concerned with your neighborhood strays!
This is awesome but how do i introduce the cats to shelter? I see nothing about how to do this. They are staying in bushes right now away from the house
You could place some food next to or in the shelter to help lure them. They may be cautious of anything new at first, good luck!
I built one and the stray cat won’t have anything to do with it. I tried putting cat nip in it.
Great ideas.
Thanks for this.
Shouldn't there be two openings in case a predator comes in the cat won't be trapped?
or just get a 48qt or larger cooler, The 48 qt ones are only $25 at Walmart... I agree with the comment below, there needs to
be an escape door on the opposite side of the main door...
This is a good idea but most stay cats hang in a group an are far to large to have any use of that box she made.i would to the same but use spray foam to keep the space as large as possible
Would spray foam stick to the walls of a container like that made of plastic ? If so I’m doing that today… temps already in 30s at night here
Sure with enough cure time it would certainly work good luck my friend
ID like to like an update
@@Njfishingmaniac at the very least I would try to spray foam the space that's Hollo between the plastic tote and the Styrofoam cooler.
@@acecaldwell4701 yeah but that doesn’t increase the size inside the styrofoam cooler, I need size Ace, size. Got some hefty cats here lol. Maybe cut four sides of the cooler, and like gorilla glue them to the walls of the tote and just shoot some foam in the corners or something im not sure. I’ll probably spend the same amount on an outdoor unheated house and straw then dealing with the hassle of ryobi blades plastic totes foam coolers foam flaps
and my time lol
I will be making one. Thanks
Hi I live in Miami Florida. I’m concerned about the well being of the kittens. With hot weather in the upper 85f >.
Is that same type shelter recommended with insulation in my type of hot 🥵 humid weather? Will it get so hot inside? Thanks
Hi, thanks for your concern about kittens in your area! I probably wouldn't recommend this setup as it will retain heat. Instead, you could use something that provides shade in an open-air setting. If you can also provide water these should give the kittens some relief from the heat.
You forgot the second hole
Great video. I need to buy the materials
Sounds like a plan!
@@TheRehabLife what size bin and cooler did you buy?
Thank you I’m trying this!!!
Henry looked at it and said, "No way you're getting me inside there!". I think the box is good for a cat possibly but even henry was too big.
❤like it, it was good 👍 👌
I want to do this but my mom does not want cats around and my dad has cat allergies how inconsiderate they will let animals die cause my mom does not want cats eating the plants in the yard and my dads got all allergies
You can put it in some hiden place not necessarily near your house and bring a food for them there so they will get used to that place.
The cats don’t damage the Styrofoam?
careful after using it though, the next neighbor could be bugs, snakes, hog, or possum
If you have a hot glue gun, heating up the tip and using that to cut the hole would be easier.
Thank you for this!
20 thumbs up! Heart Warming !
Thanks have feral cat just birth kitten outside leave top off in day and night close it up does that sound ok