Is there any safe way to heat a garage for a feral cat?

Question

There is this feral cat who moved onto my back porch in April. I started feeding him in May. He started interacting with me in July. Winter is coming, and I am allergic to cats. I was wondering if there is any safe way to heat a detached garage that has no electricity. Obviously, I can't use a kerosene heater because the cat will probably knock it over, goodbye garage, goodbye cat. I guess I'm getting attached to the cat, in spite of the fact that I break out and itch every time I pet him. I should probably just give him to a cat shelter committed to finding cats home and not euthanizing them.

Answer 1

If you don't want to bring him indoors, I like the4 previous poster's idea about creating a warmer spot on the back porch. This is why. Garages are very dangerous places for *any* animal. Just take a moment and thing of all of the toxic things you store in your garage. Then consider the possibility of the pet crawling up into your car engine some day when you are in a hurry to get somewhere.

Please, don't keep him in the garage. : ) If the porch is already his semi-permanent home, just make it as cozy as possible.

BTW, a no kill shelter is not likely to accept a feral cat and any shelter that will take him is likely to kill him. People don't readily adopt feral cats. Outdoor cats typically live only 4-5 years, so you may as well make him comfy for just a little while.

Answer 2

Yay! A feral cat question!! I'm a feral tamer/handler. I own one feral cat, who's taken 5 months to adjust to becoming a princess in our house of 4 male cats. So yes, thats 5 indoor cats LOL!! Anyway, to answer your question, I would advise you not to adopt a feral cat. Mainly because of allergies and your puppy. Feral cats really shouldn't be re-adopted out to other people because they have a tendancy, and ususally follow that tendancy to go back to their original outdoor home. No matter the distance. Another thing to realize, is that feral cats can be extremely dangerous to handle, and be near. And then trying to deal with a feral cat thats been handled, bad idea. The best place for feral cats that can not return to their out side colonies are feral farms. There are not to many, but feral farms are places where feral cats live in a fenced in area, and can not leave the perimiter of the farm. This is what our TNR program does with un-returnable ferals. Other people will home these ferals, so don't feel guilty. I just don't think you have the best placement for a feral cat. No offense! Good Luck with what ever you decide!

Answer 3

There is the possibility of buying a small dogloo so that the cat will have a protected place to stay out of wind, rain and snow storms. If you can keep the cat's "home" sheltered on a porch that would be good too. Straw is an excellent insulator from cold and you can put soft blankets and such on top of it.

I hope you can get this guy neutered so that he will not be in danger of picking up FIV or leukemia from fighting with other cats.

If the cat is well fed he will be able to handle the extreme temperatures. If the weather is really bad some nights you should be able to house him in a bathroom where there is no furniture to pick up the allergens.

Answer 4

I once heated a large outside doghouse with a couple of 100 w reflector bulbs (it was well insulated with rigid foam insulation).

Both bulbs were mounted in an outdoor fixture of the type that allows the bulbs to be aimed for security coverage.

I put a timer in the circuit, and set it to do a dusk to dawn cycle.

I also used a dimmer downstream of the timer just to reduce the visible light (the heating effect of dimmed incandescents remains fairly constant), and to try to lengthen the lifespan of the bulbs.

So instead of heating the whole garage, you might run an extension and point a reflector bulb at the cat's bed. It doesn't need to be 72 degrees if the cat has a good coat, just keeping it above freezing or maybe 40 degrees should be fine for the cat.

Answer 5

You can make him a sleeping box with three old towels in it for him to cuddle down into. We have one in our back yard that faces away from the wind and the cats use it out there. I got one of those larbe plastic tubs with the snap top lid (blue, but they come in gray and other colors) which are knee high. We cut a 10" hole in the end about 4" above the ground level. Put a box inside that fills up the whole area, and cram newspapers under it and around the three sides, to add to the heat reflection , put the towels into the box (which has a hole cut in the side to match the hole in the tub.). We also stick an inch or two inches of foam under the towels to reflect heat. It gets pretty cozy inside.

You'd be making a box within a box, with newspaper between the two layers, basically. Stick it under or between the bushes, facing away from the wind so snow doesn't go inside. Bet you'll have the cat in there every cold night. We get some cold Wisconsin winters here and the local strays use the sleeping box during any time of the day.

I'd very highly recommend getting one of those heated dog water dishes for $25 and plug it in outside. We have cats walking a straight line 2 blocks (you can see their tracks in the snow) to get to it, tank up with as much as they can drink, then head for 'home' again--it's often the sole water source in the area. We go through about a gallon of water every two or three days. I keep a food source (dry food) out and available for the strays year round.

Answer 6

This cat has survived this long without heat, so if you provide him with a place in the garage that has some shelter for him he should be OK. He will grow a thick coat of fur when it gets cooler and will be able to withstand temperatures well below freezing so long as you feed him and give him water to drink.

If you want to make sure he's warm enough you could take a cardboard box large enough for him to turn around in that has a top on it and cut a hole large enough for him to go in and out easily. Then go to a cloth shop and buy some cushion foam about 2 inches thick or if you have some old cushions you could use them. Cut the foam to fit in the bottom of the box and cover it with an old towel. This will help reflect his body heat back towards him. If you want you could put foam on the sides as well if you live where it gets really cold in winter. This sort of shelter combined with his fur and body heat should keep him quite comfortable so long as it doesn't get below zero. If it gets colder than that, I suppose you could try putting a hot water bottle out there for him, but then you'd probably have a reaction and get sick yourself. Good luck.

Answer 7

Here you go. Stop at a home depot (or some type) and purchase a outdoor heat lamp. Go with the simple light weight aluminum version with a clip hanger to fasten it to something overhead of where you want heat. Put it in a corner of the garage (low about 2 or 3 feet above the floor) with sometype of enclosure around the lamp (like walls). You want to try to trap the heat that's given from the heat lamp as much as you can without burning the place down. I still live in the country and have used this method for a cat (the last couple of years) just as you. good luck

Answer 8

well outside of looking past your attachment to the kitty and giving her/him to someone that is not allergic and can provide a warm home.. you can use an electrical heater which comes low and small and cannot be kicked over. this too is a fire hazard though so the next thing I would suggest is making a little hut in a box or crate and buy straw (not hay--that has bugs) but straw from your local farm or nursery and put that in to the crate or box to insulate it so that it is warm and toasty. put the box to the closest part near your house, maybe by the door going into the garage. remember to give fresh water several times a day too as it will freeze...good luck!

Answer 9

Just keep him in the garage and provide lots of bedding (blankets, towels, sheets, whatever). Since he is feral, he is used to the cold. Cats have their coat and it gets thicker during winter. You don't need to heat it or anything. He'll just enjoy the shelter. If you're really concerned about the cold, try just putting a space heater in there that you plug in.

Sorry, I forgot you didn't have electricity. Try plugging one into an extension cord from your house. They are water proof. I don't know where you live, but if it snows... well. Just give him beds and warm blankets.

Answer 10

Go with the bedding and a small cat house. You may want to think about the cost of shots and spay/neuter also. You don't wan to start and feral colony in your yard,