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17. Storm Preparation & RecoveryFeral and stray cats are especially vulnerable when severe storms like hurricanes orblizzards strike. High winds, torrential rains, floods or other hazardous conditions canput your cats’ lives at risk. To reduce the dangers, you’ll need to prepare beforehand andthen also take action immediately after the storm has passed. Before the stormWell before any bad weather arrives, thefirst step is to catalogue your cats. Compilea list, including descriptions and photos,even if you’re already very familiar with thecolony. After the storm, this could helpdetermine if any cats are missing and, ifthere are, assist in preparing alerts or flyersto help find them.At the colony site, what can be mostimportant is protecting the cats’ shelter sothey can safely ride out the storm. If theshelters and feeding station are located in alow-lying area prone to flooding, relocatethem to higher ground within the cats’photo: Marialuz Menacho(Staten Island, NY, after Hurricane Sandy)territory, if at all possible. Also raise both shelters and feeding stations off the ground,whether you relocate them or not. Wooden shipping pallets are ideal for this purpose.Cinder blocks will work as well. Raise them high enough to prevent ground water orsnow from reaching up to the doorways.If the cats are sheltered and fed inside a permanent structure, like a shed or garage,make sure there are secure, elevated places inside the structure where they can climb andperch, like shelves or heavy furniture. In case of extreme flooding inside the structure orany other emergency condition that might develop, leave the cats a way to get outsidebesides their normal ground-level entryway, like a slightly open window.High winds present another potential hazard. Tie shelters and feeding stations topermanent structures, like a fence, to anchor them or else wedge them tightly into asecure place. Feral cat shelters are often light and need to be weighed down. But in highwinds, heavy objects can be dislodged and create a danger, so be careful about placinganything on top of the shelters. Tying the shelters and feeding stations down is safer.Likewise, check the general area for loose objects which could become airborne andremove them.To keep rain or snow from driving in, position shelters so their doorways are facing awall or similar solid structure and not open space. One idea, if not already implemented,is to face the entrances of two shelters towards one another, no more than a foot apart.Flaps over the doorways, if the cats are already used to them, will also keep precipitationout (see “Doorway flaps” in Chapter 6).147