Keep stray or feral cats warm and dry with ideas for building a DIY outdoor shelter

Stray and feral cats can often find it difficult to find warm and safe places to sleep, especially during the cold winter months.

What is a stray or feral cat?

Feral cats are cats who have not been socialised to humans as kittens. They are considered wild animals who would find living in a domestic home stressful. They live outdoors, usually in colonies with other feral cats. But they will often seek shelter somewhere quiet and under cover when it’s cold or raining.

Stray cats are cats who have once lived in a domestic home but are either lost or abandoned. They may struggle with living outdoors and will want to find shelter during bad weather.

If you have found a cat, take a look at our guide to find out how to tell if a cat is feral or stray, and what do to next to help them.

Once you have taken the steps in our guide, you could also create an outdoor shelter for them to use if they want to.

Outdoor cat shelter ideas

To provide the cat shelter from the wind, rain and cold, you can use:

• an outbuilding, for example shed, greenhouse, playhouse
• a cat carrier
• a recycling bin
• a storage box
• a large plastic pipe
• an unused rabbit hutch
• an unused dog kennel

A plastic shelter is preferable to wood because it can be cleaned more effectively to keep it hygienic.

Keeping an outdoor cat shelter warm

• Smaller shelters will keep the heat in better than larger ones
• Have two entry points if possible, so the cat can’t be trapped inside. Ideally make sure they are not directly across from each other as this will create a draft
• Cover the shelter using something like bin bags, tarp or roofing felt to keep it dry and draught free. Make sure you don't cover the entry points
• Insulate the shelter using straw, shredded newspaper, blankets or towels. You could also line the inside of the shelter with Styrofoam or cardboard. Layers will create more insulation. For example, you could put a recycling bin inside a larger storage box
• Change any interior insulation regularly to make sure it isn’t wet or frozen. Keep the shelter clean

Where to put an outdoor cat shelter

• Place the shelter somewhere that is familiar to the cat, ideally in a quiet area that is as out of sight as possible
• If dogs are nearby, ensure the shelter is somewhere they can’t access
• Face the shelter doorway away from the wind, for example facing a wall
• The shelter needs to be protected from the weather, for example under a bush or overhanging roof
• Keep the shelter off the ground, for example on wood pallets or bricks. Keep it level so the shelter doesn’t wobble
• If the shelter has only one entry/exit point, place it somewhere the cat can escape quickly and easily. This will help them feel more secure
• Don’t pick the cat up and put them inside the shelter or otherwise force them inside. Let them explore it at their own pace. They’ll use it if they need to!