TNR Handbook - Neighborhood Cats

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The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook When completed, the interior space of the shelter measures 18” W x 20” L x 12” H. Three or four cats can fit comfortably inside, but even with only two cats, there is relatively little air space and the two-inch Styrofoam is excellent insulation. In an experiment one cold winter night, a volunteer taped a thermometer to the interior roof of one of these shelters. The outdoor temperature was 11 degrees Fahrenheit. After two cats had been inside for an hour, the thermometer inside the shelter read 56 degrees Fahrenheit. The shelter in the experiment had a plastic flap over the door. Flaps help keep cold air out and warm air in. Flaps should not be added, however, until after the cats are used to going in and out. They can be attached with duct tape above the doorway or, more permanently, with the plastic nuts and bolts used to attach toilet seats. To use the bolts, cut holes in the flap and drill holes in the Styrofoam above the doorway. If you don’t add flaps for any reason, the shelter will still be very effective. Once out on the site, the shelters should be weighed down – they are strong but light. A large rock or heavy board can be placed on top. If a pair of shelters is being used, place them about a foot or two apart with the front doors facing each other. Bridge the gap between them by resting a board two feet wide and at least a few feet long on the roofs of the two shelters. Then weigh down the board. This arrangement cuts down on wind getting inside the shelters and offers more protection from rain. The covered area between the shelters can be a good place to put food or water. The shelters should be painted to match their surroundings, using grey, green or Indian red latex deck paint. Draw the cats inside the shelters by placing catnip or tasty treats inside. Bowls of food can be placed in the interiors, but never water. • The Rubbermaid Storage Bin with Styrofoam This shelter was designed by CSM Stray Foundation of Kew Gardens, Queens and costs about the same as the Neighborhood Cats feral cat winter shelter. Purchase a large Rubbermaid storage bin (a.k.a. storage tote) with a removable lid. It’s important the brand is Rubbermaid or otherwise the plastic walls may crack in frigid temperatures. You’ll also need an eight foot by two foot sheet of one-inch thick hard Styrofoam, a yardstick, a boxcutter and straw, shredded newspaper or other insulating material. Then assemble as follows: 1. Cut a doorway six inches by six inches in one of the long sides of the bin towards the corner. To prevent flooding, cut the opening so that the bottom of the doorway is several inches above the ground. 2. Line the floor of the bin with a piece of Styrofoam, using the yardstick and box cutter to cut out the piece. You don’t need an exact fit, but as close as you can. 3. In similar fashion, line each of the four interior walls of the bin with a piece of the Styrofoam. Again, perfect cuts are not necessary. Leave a gap of three inches between the top of these Styrofoam “wall pieces” and the upper lip of the bin. 4. Cut out a doorway in the Styrofoam interior wall in line with where the doorway has been cut out already in the storage bin. 29
The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook 5. Stuff the bottom of the bin with straw or other insulating material to hold the Styrofoam wall pieces in place. 6. Cut out a Styrofoam “roof” to rest on top of the Styrofoam wall pieces. 7. Cover the bin with its lid. This shelter is easy to clean by taking off the lid and the Styrofoam roof. It’s also lightweight and may need to be weighed down. A flap over the doorway is optional. • Meat packing Styrofoam crates The basic material is a Styrofoam packing crate or box, the kind which restaurants and grocery stores often receive their fish and meat in (the Styrofoam keeps the product cold or frozen). If you ask around, you’ll likely find a place that will donate them to you. They come in all sizes, from only enough space for one cat to enough room for three or four. To turn them into winter shelters: 1. Using silicone glue, glue the lid onto the top of the crate. 2. Turn the crate upside down so that what was the roof now becomes the floor. 3. If the crate is large enough to hold a few cats, cut a 6” x 6” doorway in one of the long sides towards the corner. If the crate is small and will only hold one cat, then cut the doorway out from one of the short sides. In either case, cut open the doorway several inches above the ground to prevent flooding. 4. Paint the exterior to match surroundings with latex deck paint. 5. Stuff the interior with insulating material. For photos and more ideas for winterizing a Styrofoam packing crate, go to the feral cat winter shelter page of Animalkind, an organization based in Hudson, NY: www.all-creatures.org/ak/feral-shelter.html • Igloo coolers We haven’t tried this one out yet because Igloo coolers can be costly, but it sounds like it would work as long as the plastic doesn’t crack while cutting open a doorway. Buy a large Igloo cooler, making sure it’s big enough inside for at least a cat or two. Then use a jig saw to cut out a 6” x 6” doorway in one of the long sides towards the corner, using a drill to make a starting hole. (Make the doorway in one of the short sides if the cooler is only large enough to hold one cat.) Cut the doorway so the bottom is several inches off the ground to prevent flooding. Then that’s it! The cooler is already well insulated and has minimal air space, plus the lid makes for easy cleaning. (If you try this, drop us a note and let us know how it went). 30
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Page 3 and 4: Contents The Neighborhood Cats TNR
Page 7 and 8: Foreword The Neighborhood Cats TNR
Page 35: 6. Winter Shelter The Neighborhood
Page 45 and 46: 8. Trapping The Neighborhood Cats T
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Page 63 and 64: • Hard-to-catch cats The Neighbor
Page 69 and 70: • Directions for use by Laura Bur
Page 73 and 74: 10. Caring for Cats in Traps The Ne
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The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook
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13. Return to the Colony The Neighb
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14. Relocation & Sanctuaries • Re
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16. Feral Cat Resources Neighborhoo
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TNR Handbook - Neighborhood Cats

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