How to help keep stray animals warm in the extreme cold

BILLINGS, Mont. – As temperatures continue to drop in the Treasure State and the cold weather pushes people indoors, there sometimes aren’t a lot of options for some of our furry friends. 

Animals without homes have nowhere to go when winter arrives—-unless someone creates safe and warm shelters for them. 

Animal shelters and rescues across the country are unable to save every animal who needs help. But the humane society says handmade shelters can help cats get through some of their hardest months of the year. 

“This weather is hard on everybody, humans and animals. People often think food is the critical thing about winter care – and it is important – but really when a polar plunge comes like this, we are really talking about wind protection, we are talking about dry bedding, preferably straw or even old army wool blankets that will still have some insulation when they get wet,” said Dave Pauli of the Humane Society of the United States.  

The Humane Society provides step-by-step instructions online for how to build a cat shelter—

• Start with a tub, cooler, or crate that holds around 30-40 gallons.
• Next, place a second tub inside of the first that is roughly 10 gallons smaller than your first container.
  • Size matters too, according to the human society – who say that these shelters are meant to trap in cats body heat, and if the shelter is too large it is unable to do so.
• Create matching entrances in both bins and tape off rough edging.
• Between the bins—put sheets of insulation—like styrofoam 0r mylar and pack any remaining open space with straw.
• Finally, pack the open area inside the small bin with more straw to give a warm and secure place for cats to burrow into during cold temperatures.
  • Hay, towels, and other kinds of bedding are not recommended – as the humane society says these materials will retain moisture and keep the animals inside the shelter cold.

After sealing the lid securely, the shelter is ready to set and forget and can keep kitties warm all winter – as long as the straw inside stays dry and clean.