Outdoor cat shelter?

lilmissmup

My darling little boy likes the rain, he will run out in it and refuse to come in but sometimes, at night (he likes to go out around 2-3am and not come in until we get up though i don't think he leaves the garden most times!) he gets soaked as we have no bushes or anything to protect him.

Whilst looking out my back bedroom window one day i saw my neighbour had a small dog kennel in her garden (has 2 cats).

I am thinking about getting him a shelter but just worried he won't bother with it, anyone else got something like it thats used?

FreebieRocker

When we moved into our house there was already a dog kennel there and our cats use that as a shelter so maybe yours would too?

lilmissmup

Thanks just worried will spend £40 - £50 and it will be wasted.

Forgot to mention I have no cat flap as rent otherwise wouldn't be an issue.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-TOP-QUALITY-OUTDOOR-CAT-SHELTER-HOUSE-KENNEL_W0QQitemZ220416100365QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Pet_Supplies_Cats?hash=item220416100365&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683|66%3A4|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A200

Found this on eBay so far.

Rikki

My sister used to have a small kennel for the cat when he was outside. He was happy to use it.

chocdonuty

could you try an old box/crate just to see if he will use it, if you leave a blanket inside you can easily tell if he's been inside, if he does then you can buy a more efficent one They do proper cat shelters on ebay and petsathome but i'm sure a standard kennel will do the same job or even a wendy house lol.

Kimberley

Here is mine






My Bengals love it outside. I need to get more equipment for them outside though.

Jemima09

Kimberley - I am so jealous!! I take it your cat doesn't go outside beyond that enclosure? No panicking when they've not come home!!

To the OP - I don't suppose you have a shed in your garden? When I was younger my parents had a cat, but were not allowed to install a cat flap to the house. As they liked to put the cat out while they were at work in the day, they put a cat flap on the door of the shed instead (which was our own) and put a plastic laundry bowl full of cushions/jumpers inside.

No idea whether he ever used it or not (as if we were in the house he'd just cry outside the door till we let him in). But I think it reassured my parents that he had somewhere to go should he be stuck out in the rain/at night.

Kimberley

Jemima09 wrote: »

Kimberley - I am so jealous!! I take it your cat doesn't go outside beyond that enclosure? No panicking when they've not come home!!

He does go on the grass on a harness and I have taken him to the park late when no dogs are around on a harness, but yes I know where he is and know he cannot get hit by a car or taken. He is a Bengal and these cats do not have road sense or a sense of danger and therefore would be more at risk then a moggy.

It didn't cost much to build and didn't take long to erect either.

Jemima09

Kimberley wrote: »

He does go on the grass on a harness and I have taken him to the park late when no dogs are around on a harness, but yes I know where he is and know he cannot get hit by a car or taken. He is a Bengal and these cats do not have road sense or a sense of danger and therefore would be more at risk then a moggy.

It didn't cost much to build and didn't take long to erect either.

I imagine Bengals are slightly more at risk of being pinched as well? My friend had two stolen.
Mine are all moggies, and have to be outdoors otherwise they drive me nuts Thankfully my place doesn't go directly onto the main road, and there's not much over the road anyway. They mostly go and visit my neighbour.

I think it's a really good idea! And you've done it so nicely.

I did try the harness once, as my cat had an injury and was supposed to be housebound (but she hates it..). I managed to get her outdoors, where she flung herself to the floor and refused to move! :rolleyes:

YorkiePud_3

Hi there,

When my little cat first found me, I was worried that if she wasn't here for a certain time she wouldn't be able to sleep in the conservatory (she didn't mind being shut in there overnight then let out again in the morning) ... so I bought her a Mr Snugs cat kennel .. just over £30 but it is the best £30 you will EVER spend!

They are made of a certain special molded plastic (that makes them sound flimsy, but they aren't, I promise!! *L* they are very heavy and sturdy) ... plus, because of the special plastic, they don't harbour any wildlife, so you won't get any spiders or creepy crawlies in them!
They are warm in winter and cool in summer and they will never rot.

This is the link where I got mine, although I know there are other places you can get them from too:
http://www.lamp-post.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=OC0001

I got the green one and I got some of that copper tape you put round plant pots to stop slugs climbing up them ... know which I mean? Anyway, I stuck some of that on all around it about 2 inches up from the floor and even though there've been slugs everywhere in the garden, they have NEVER gone on that or into it!

I cut a nice thick piece of carpet up to go inside and it has been perfect .... errm, well, till she decided to live in the conservatory full time and I ended up building a cat run onto it for her ... ha ha ha!!

I've left the Mr Snugs outside though and when we had that heavy snow, there were little pawprints going to it, so it's nice to think some other moggy might have a bit of shelter if it needs it *S*

Kimberley

Your right about them being stolen, I had a silver Bengal go missing