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Whatever type of shelter you use, if the roof is flat and strong enough,place a piece of plywood on top for added protection from the elements.The board should extend 12 inches beyond the front of the shelter and be ofequal or slightly greater width. The extended roof will help shield thedoorway and create a protected “dining area” where the cats can be fed inpoor weather. For maximum protection, position two shelters with theirdoorways facing one another and use one piece of plywood to cover bothroofs and bridge the gap between them. Doorway flapsDoorway 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 of the shelter. They can be cutfrom a rubber or vinyl mat or a thick piece of clear plastic – something thick enough toblock the cold, but flexible enough for the cats to be able to pull it open on their way in orpush it forward on their way out.Attach the flap above the doorway either with duct tape or, for a more permanentsolution, with plastic nuts and bolts like those used to attach toilet seats to the bowl. Forplastic nuts and bolts, drill two holes in the shelter above the doorway and cutcorresponding holes in the flap. Then push the bolts through the flap and shelter wall andscrew on the nuts. Insulating materialsPutting insulating materials inside the shelter will increase comfort and warmth forthe cats. But they should only be used if the shelters can be periodically checked to see ifthe materials have gotten damp or too dirty and need to be replaced. If regular checkupsare not possible, leave the interiors bare.Only insulating materials which the cats can burrow into should be used. Commonhousehold items which the cats will only lie on top of, like blankets, towels or flatnewspaper, will do more harm than good. These items, when they are underneath a cat,draw body heat out and actually make the cat colder.Straw is the best insulating material to use. Hay is not good because it is damp tostart with, prone to mold or rot, and may cause an allergic reaction and nasal sores insome cats. Shredded newspaper will also work as long as it’s shredded enough to allowthe cats to burrow into it. Ellen Perry Berkeley’s book, Maverick Cats, offers aninnovative idea - loosely fill a cotton pillowcase with Styrofoam peanuts, the kind used topack fragile items for shipping. Then put the stuffed pillowcase inside the shelter. Thepillowcase will conform to the cat’s body and wrap her in the heat-capturing peanuts.(Berkeley, E.P., Maverick Cats (2001) New England Press.)One exception to the rule of not putting anything in the shelter that the cats can onlylie on top of is the “Mysterious Purr Pad” by Fleximat. The polyester pad absorbs andretains body heat, so it warms a cat from below and can be safely placed on the floor of awinter shelter. The item is often available at PetSmart (www.petsmart.com) and Petco(www.petco.com). An online search will find other retailers as well.49