Story and photos by Sharon Bishop-Baldwin
Some of the harshest winter weather may still be weeks or even months away. But there’s no time like the present for animal lovers to start preparing to help community cats, feral cats and even native wildlife stay safe and comfortable in the cold, windy, wet days that await us.
As a self-proclaimed crazy cat lady and state-licensed wildlife rehabilitator, I have spent years pondering how to help the critters who live outdoors year-round survive Mother Nature’s extremes.
Sure, it does my heart good to know that I’ve rescued (more than) my fair share of forlorn felines, cats that now look out the patio doors on yucky days with nary a memory of that hard-knock life, but I can’t forget the ones just outside the door — the ones we trapped and had spayed or neutered, sought medical care for on occasion, and put food out for daily.
And then there are the other creatures of the night, the raccoons and opossums. These wild ones, typically thought of as woodland animals, are actually quite at home in our suburban backyards. I understand that they’re meant to live outdoors, and animal experts advise against feeding them. But that doesn’t mean I can’t lend a hand when the weather turns truly brutal. As it turns out, doing so can be pretty simple. It comes down to water, food and shelter.
One of the simplest ways to provide fresh water even when the mercury dips below freezing is with a heated water bowl. These can cost as little as $12 and hold anywhere from a few ounces to a couple of gallons. They should have a chew-resistant, metal coil-wrapped cord. The bowls don’t keep the water warm; they just keep it from freezing.
Another option is simply to check water bowls several times a day. Dump out the frozen chunks and refill with warm water. It won’t last long, but it gives critters a little more time to get a drink before it freezes again. Metal, stone or concrete vessels will freeze much faster than plastic bowls. Try to set the bowl on something other than the concrete patio, such as a thick towel or a pile of straw. Lastly, place the bowl out of the wind, rain and snow.
One more thought about water: birds don’t love deep vessels, but shallow bowls tend to freeze quickly. If birds are your concern, it’s probably best to invest in a bird bath heater. They are surprisingly affordable, with some costing as little as $6.
Food is often easier to provide than water, but the key is keeping it dry. Make sure kibble doesn’t get buried under snow or packed with ice, so animals can actually eat it when they need it most. Don’t worry if that means moving the food from where you typically feed your community cats; they’ll find it. As for birds, think less about seed and more about fat. A variety of premade suet cakes are available, and there are recipes to make your own.
Shelter can be one of the hardest things to provide, but it doesn’t have to be complicated.
A popular meme on social media about caring for feral cats during the winter involves a shelter made simply from a large Rubbermaid tub (brand matters; lesser tubs can crack), a smaller tub or foam cooler, and some straw (not hay, which absorbs moisture) to place between the two as insulation. A 6-inch hole through both tubs on one end allows access. You can cover the tub for extra waterproofing or warmth. If possible, elevate it slightly to keep the cold ground farther from the animal. Place the tub out of the wind and snow or rain.
And don’t be surprised to find more than cats in your shelters. Opossums, in particular, seem to think these efficiency apartments are truly the cat’s meow.
I have several of these shelters and am thrilled that the critters use them. The problem was that I had more critters than shelters. That’s where “the bunkhouse” came in.
As wildlife rehabilitators, we routinely found ourselves with several cat crates stored on the screened-in back porch. So it wasn’t really a surprise when the cats started using the crates as shelter.
It was easy to fill them with straw for insulation, set them on old outdoor furniture pillows to keep them off the concrete, place them with their backs against the north wall, and spread old blankets over and behind them to help hold in warmth. It was more of a stretch to build a plywood “lean-to” over them to help keep out the rain, snow and wind, but we did it.
I have seen an array of building plans for elaborate shelters and even premade shelters, but the bunkhouse works well, and it delights me to no end to look out there on any given night and see a cat in one crate and an opossum in another.
Not everyone wants to or can go to these lengths to help outdoor animals in harsh weather, but if you’re so inclined, even small efforts can make a big difference for our furry and feathered friends when the weather turns nasty.
