1 – Provide adequate shelter. Stray and feral cats should have access to a heated shelter (ideally) with clean dry bedding. Whether you build your own or use a dog house, all good shelters should have strong insulation and minimal air space. Insulation traps in the cat’s body heat, while eliminating air space keeps the amount of space that needs to be heated to a minimum. Straw is a fabulously efficient insulator and can be used inside as well as outside the cat shelter.

2 – Keep your shelter off the ground. Make sure the shelter does not sit directly on cold ground or concrete. You can use wooden palettes or bricks to raise it off the ground.

3 – Protect food and water from the elements by placing them in a covered shelter, which will also protect the cats as they eat and drink. Heat up canned food before feeding the cats and always leave dry food because canned food freezes.

4 – Supplement adult food with kitten food to help put weight on stray and feral cats you are caring for during the cold weather. Kitten food has about 1½ - 2 times the calories of adult food, so the cats will eat the same amount but gain weight.

5 – Buy an electronically heated water bowl. It’s essential for cats to have water, especially when dry food is the predominant food provided. Filling a regular cat bowl with hot water won’t do the trick. Contrary to popular belief, hot water freezes faster than cold. The reason is that hot water evaporates faster, leaving less water in the dish, and the lesser amount of water freezes faster than if you had just started out with cold.

For more information on feral cat shelter designs or other cat questions, contact The Animal Center at info@theanimalcenter.org or (203)313-4814. The Animal Center is a Newtown-based 501(c)(3) non-profit charity dedicated to helping animals.