When winter arrives, outdoor and community cats don’t have the luxury of central heat or cozy blankets fresh from the dryer. What they do need is something simple, dry, and thoughtfully built: a proper winter shelter. Done right, a shelter can mean the difference between discomfort and survival.

Let’s walk through how to build one, and why straw is the only safe bedding choice.

Why Winter Shelters Matter

Cats are resourceful, but cold temperatures, wind, snow, and freezing rain take a heavy toll. Prolonged exposure can lead to hypothermia, frostbite, weakened immune systems, and increased risk of illness. A well-built shelter:

• Traps body heat

• Blocks wind and moisture

• Gives cats a safe place to rest and recover

• Helps community cats survive harsh winters

Even feral cats will use shelters when they’re designed correctly.

What You’ll Need 

An earth-tone bin blends in best with the environment, making it aesthetically pleasing to you and your neighbors and more natural in appearance to the cats. Common sizes of bins are 30-35 gallon (22-32″ high x 16-20″ wide x 16-20″ long) and 20-22 gallon (16-26″ high x 20″ wide and 17-22″ long).  Exact sizes vary by brand, so just make sure that the smaller bin will fit completely inside the larger bin with the lid on both bins.  You’ll also need an eight-foot by two-foot sheet of one-inch thick hard Styrofoam, a yardstick, box cutter, and straw for insulation. Download These Tips

To Assemble: 

1. Cut a doorway six inches by six inches in one of the long sides of the bin towards the corner. Cut the opening so that the bottom of the doorway is several inches above the ground to prevent flooding.

2. Line the floor of the bin with a piece of Styrofoam, using the yardstick and box cutter to cut the piece. It doesn’t have to be an exact fit, but the closer the better.

3. In a similar fashion, line each of the four interior walls of the bin with a piece of the Styrofoam. Again, perfect cuts are not necessary. Leave a cap of three inches between the top of these Styrofoam “wall pieces” and the upper lip of the bin.

4. Cut out a doorway in the Styrofoam interior wall where the doorway has already been cut out in the storage bin.

5. Measure the length and width of the interior space and place a second, smaller-size bin into the open interior. This bin should fit as snugly as possible against the Styrofoam wall pieces. Cut a doorway into this bin where the doorways have been cut into the Styrofoam and outer bin.

6. Stuff the bottom of the interior bin with straw or other insulating material (no blankets or towels!) to provide both insulation and a comfortable spot to lie down.

7. Cut out a Styrofoam “roof” to rest on top of the Styrofoam wall pieces.

8. Cover the bin with its lid.

This shelter is easy to clean by taking off the lid and the roof. It is lightweight and may need to be weighed down. A flap over the door way is optional. 

More Types of Shelters    Detailed Directions

Why Straw and Only Straw

This part matters more than most people realize.

Straw is hollow and moisture-resistant. It repels dampness and keeps cats warm by trapping their body heat.

What not to use:

• Blankets or towels: absorb moisture and freeze

• Hay: retains moisture and molds easily

• Newspaper: flattens and offers little insulation

Even well-meaning materials can become dangerous once wet. Straw stays dry, fluffy, and lifesaving. Insulation materials should only be used if the shelter can be periodically checked to see if they have gotten damp or too dirty and need to be replaced.