ways to warm a cathouse?

[myxpykalix]

I've been elected to make a cathouse for a neighborhood stray for the winter and wondered if anyone has any suggestions other then styrofoam insulation of a way to keep the insides warm or for that matter to generate any kind of heat.

I have a solar hot air heater for my shed i built and i was thinking about a small version only that won't do anything in the nighttime. I have a small solar cell that would run a fan. Something like a way to heat up some rocks that would retain heat for a longer time.

[Mike Kelly]

If the house is insulated you could try a light bulb.
My Dad did this years ago with shed to keep the frost out.

Mike

[gene]

What about a heating pad installed under the flooring

[MogulTx]

I was thinking of something completely different :p

[billp]

http://www.hammacher.com/Product/Default.aspx?sku=79345&refsku=82989&xsp=1&promo=xsells

[cowboy1296]

Scared me for a sec i was about to call the vice division.

[zeykr]

Let the cat in your house.

[billp]

Ken,
You have management potential.....

[myxpykalix]

Already got one crazy pussy-cat in the house, i don't want to adopt another stray but the grandkids want me to do something. I have an area under the roof where i have my wood under some tarps where i might build a small "cathouse".

the simple answer is a heating pad on a timer for evening. A better idea would be a waterbed heater. I had one laying around but threw it away years ago.

[richard_saylor]

I made a cat house/bed for a stray 6 years ago. I heated it with a water resistant heating pad and it worked great. The cat now lives indoors.

[bob_dodd]

Jack I have 2 cats living in a 1/4" plywood box with 2" stryofoam inslation all around with a 25 watt bulb , it stays about 70 deg in there this time of year , when colder change bulb to 40 watt

[gene]

He looks mad that the light is keeping him awake

[myxpykalix]

bob,
I see you live in New Jersey...even when it gets below freezing and a opening it stays warm in there?

I went shopping thinking it might be cheaper to just buy something small...
NOT! The cheapest thing i saw was one of those "igloo" plastic dog houses for $180.00!:eek:

I have a sheet of .5 or .75 plywood in the shop and i think i have some 2" foam i can cut up for insulation and I can draw up a box and make a house tomorrow after I go vote tuesday for a change.:eek:

[donek]

Already got one crazy pussy-cat in the house, i don't want to adopt another stray but the grandkids want me to do something. I have an area under the roof where i have my wood under some tarps where i might build a small "cathouse".

the simple answer is a heating pad on a timer for evening. A better idea would be a waterbed heater. I had one laying around but threw it away years ago.

I use to buy waterbed heaters from the thrift store for a few bucks. In reality cats have been surviving without the assistance of man or electricity for... well a really long time.

A box with a well hidden entrance that turns once or twice will provide all the protection necessary. Add a towel or old blanket and he/she'll nest just fine.

[myxpykalix]

In reality cats have been surviving without the assistance of man or electricity for... well a really long time.

Sean,
I know that, and you know that,:) lol but when you have small grandkids looking out the screendoor at this cat shivering and them crying because they think he's freezing, then all logical discussion doesn't mean much:eek:

And it is either make him something outside, or bring him inside (like ken suggested) and I don't want to do that. So you can appreciate the emotinal eggshells i'm walking on here...:D

[gundog]

Ken,
You have management potential.....

Give the cat away now that is management outsourcing.

[myxpykalix]

or when he freezes use him as a pushstick...:rolleyes:

[donek]

In reality cats have been surviving without the assistance of man or electricity for... well a really long time.

Sean,
I know that, and you know that,:) lol but when you have small grandkids looking out the screendoor at this cat shivering and them crying because they think he's freezing, then all logical discussion doesn't mean much:eek:

And it is either make him something outside, or bring him inside (like ken suggested) and I don't want to do that. So you can appreciate the emotinal eggshells i'm walking on here...:D

I understand your difficulties. My wife is the same. She's rescued more cats than I want to remember. This one
http://donek.smugmug.com/Nature/Animals/Cats/i-65TtSJQ/0/L/DSC_0014-L.jpg
showed up almost starved to death and wormed her way into a bed in the shop. Knowing that I was the one who didn't want her there, she dropped a mouse at my feet the very next day. She never forgot that my wife saved her life.

[steve_g]

or when he freezes use him as a pushstick


OH GOOD!!! finally, a use for cats.

When I was contracting, my work van had a bumper sticker that read "Missing your cat? Check under my tires." (It was a present from my dog)

SG