Things You'll Need
- Straw
- Bricks
- Styrofoam
- Outdoor-rated heating pad
- Mylar reflective blanket
- SnuggleSafe Thermal Disc
Instructions
Use straw as bedding. Straw is warmer than blankets and stays dry. Cats can get sick from sleeping on wet bedding.
Place some bricks under the doghouse. The cats will be warmer if their shelter is off the ground.
Put a piece of Styrofoam on the floor of the doghouse to provide additional insulation. If possible, line the sides and top of the doghouse with Styrofoam, too. It will trap the cats̵7; body heat and warm the structure. Several layers of newspaper can also provide additional insulation.
Add an outdoor-rated electric heating pad, if there̵7;s an outlet nearby.
Line the walls of the doghouse with a Mylar reflective blanket. The blanket will reflect the cats̵7; body heat back into the shelter. Most camping stores sell Mylar blankets.
Wrap a SnuggleSafe thermal disc in a cloth and put it in the doghouse. Most pet supply stores sell the discs. When heated in a microwave oven for five to seven minutes, they stay warm for several hours.
Place building materials, such as a stack of bricks, about 12 inches from the entrance to the doghouse to block the wind and blowing snow. Make sure the materials you use are too heavy to blow away in a gust of wind.