New year - more winter - last year in 2021 we started to use our "heattrak snow mats" to warm the underside of the feral cat feeding station and the water bowl. It worked so well in 2021 except for the increased electric cost we experienced. So we added a 2nd set of solar panels in Jan 2022. We are now going into Winter 2022 with over 2,000 Kwh credit from the solar panels. The matts will be more than paid for for the electric costs.
It has been cold for about 2 weeks her in NYS. off and on. I put my game cameras out to watch the igloo cat houses - the cats are coming up to them but not going inside. I have decided to remove the 5 inch reducer and take the 6 inch coller and turn it into the cooler - there by covering the cut out more. I reset my camera out to see what happens next - I'll be putting cat nip into the holes to entice the feral cats to go in.
@@wearyourmask4now without the reducer - it is a 6 inch hole - and it works well now. I did not want to go above 6 inches - since I did not want larger animals to use them - causing the cats to not be able to use them. SIX(6) diameter has worked for us over the 2021-2022 winter season. and they just went out for 2022-2023 and the cats are now using them again. GL
2023-09Sept24 - we just put out the 4(four) cat shelters in preparation of the cold season - on Long Island in NYS we have temps starting below 50 degrees now. Temp wet down to 49 degrees - and looking at the shelters on the 25th - they were all used.
So I constructed these Igloo coolers with 5 inch holes - I have 3 that I made and 3 that I purchased locally that are made out of Styrofoam and black bags - the 3 feral cats prefer the non igloo cat houses - even tho we put cat nip in all the entrances of the 6 - the cats prefer the non igloo coolers - so I took one of the 5 inch holes off an igloo cooler making it 6 inches - I'll go thru the winter now with these 6 to determine what they will use by watching the footprints in the snow.
Ideally you want two openings so the cat can escape being trapped by a predator or bully cat. Put the second opening on an adjacent wall of the box rather than the opposite wall to avoid creating a draft way.
Hi Robert, the enclosure is to small for a 2nd hole - we have non igloo cat houses for the last 12 years with 1 hole raised off ground - with no issue for the cats - in our backyard.
Thank you. They need all the help they can get.😢😢
Add an awning over the opening to keep the rain from going in the opening
New year - more winter - last year in 2021 we started to use our "heattrak snow mats" to warm the underside of the feral cat feeding station and the water bowl. It worked so well in 2021 except for the increased electric cost we experienced. So we added a 2nd set of solar panels in Jan 2022. We are now going into Winter 2022 with over 2,000 Kwh credit from the solar panels. The matts will be more than paid for for the electric costs.
It has been cold for about 2 weeks her in NYS. off and on. I put my game cameras out to watch the igloo cat houses - the cats are coming up to them but not going inside. I have decided to remove the 5 inch reducer and take the 6 inch coller and turn it into the cooler - there by covering the cut out more. I reset my camera out to see what happens next - I'll be putting cat nip into the holes to entice the feral cats to go in.
James, the 6” hole might be easier for them to get in/out of, let us know!
@@wearyourmask4now without the reducer - it is a 6 inch hole - and it works well now. I did not want to go above 6 inches - since I did not want larger animals to use them - causing the cats to not be able to use them. SIX(6) diameter has worked for us over the 2021-2022 winter season. and they just went out for 2022-2023 and the cats are now using them again. GL
2023-09Sept24 - we just put out the 4(four) cat shelters in preparation of the cold season - on Long Island in NYS we have temps starting below 50 degrees now. Temp wet down to 49 degrees - and looking at the shelters on the 25th - they were all used.
Food might entice them into them.
cat nip and then they use them regularly.
So I constructed these Igloo coolers with 5 inch holes - I have 3 that I made and 3 that I purchased locally that are made out of Styrofoam and black bags - the 3 feral cats prefer the non igloo cat houses - even tho we put cat nip in all the entrances of the 6 - the cats prefer the non igloo coolers - so I took one of the 5 inch holes off an igloo cooler making it 6 inches - I'll go thru the winter now with these 6 to determine what they will use by watching the footprints in the snow.
Ideally you want two openings so the cat can escape being trapped by a predator or bully cat. Put the second opening on an adjacent wall of the box rather than the opposite wall to avoid creating a draft way.
Hi Robert, the enclosure is to small for a 2nd hole - we have non igloo cat houses for the last 12 years with 1 hole raised off ground - with no issue for the cats - in our backyard.
Not necessary.