Building an Outdoor Cat Shelter For An Undeserving Cat

We are in the process of trying to rescue some cats from a nearby rental property so we need a place for them to stay outside the house. I don't want to spend much money on this so I will be using all scrap wood and leftover building materials from other projects.
Once this was completed we didn't have much luck catching the cats and even got bite pretty bad by one of them! However, the cat shelter turned out really nice:) Maybe a future home for some nicer cats!
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[@johnvaldes8725]

You did an awesome job on the cat house. Very resourceful. Your cat catching skills need a lot of work. Feral cats take a long time to get to know you and trust you.

[@ManyaP64]

It’s a lovely house and I’m sure if the cats had been lured to it the right way, they would have enjoyed it. Feral cats CANNOT be handled or picked up. They are not accustomed to human contact, even if they are getting to know or trust you. The kitty bit you because it was scared for its life. It’s not a house cat, it’s feral and has zero idea of how to interact with people. Second, you cannot trap feral cats and bring them to your property without a plan to acclimate them to the area. I do hope some other cats can appreciate it and I do admire your intentions. Please seek out assistance from TNR experts on how to relocate a feral cat before you harm yourself again or a cat. Best of luck to you.

[@gifted_animalrescuer]

Feral cats and wild cats difference you can train a feral cat but you must have patience and the know how. I have a now domestic cat that lived with my feral colony 4 yrs now in my home. Took 3 yrs to train

[@tillyssemberg9195]

I have a feral that has lived in my house 13 years cat get near it ..others I have trained...not all are trainable

[@marywinslow5808]

Cat beat the crap out of you .. saving two tore me up it sure hurt . Didn't teach me a thing !!

[@marywinslow5808]

I would love a couple of those houses . I end up with about 15 every spring . Winter I feel really bad for them it's so cold . After all the babies are gone . We try to caught babies for homes . People like barn cats to so once you catch them get them shots try to get them fixed . But that is a nice house . I used ice chest for houses

[@tillyssemberg9195]

@@marywinslow5808 I've had to get the Rabies shots..lots of needles for a few weeks..Antibiotics many times...I never learn...last one got me unexpectedly..gee he seemed so nice...petted him for weeks and he just turned on me...I love my colony

[@skrtskit1521]

There is a feral cat program where I live. We asked for two cats for our property. They took care of spay/neuter, vaccines, and dropped the cats off with a cage to keep them in until they got used to the area we had prepared for them in the barn. We returned the cage to them after a month. They are happy cats and enjoy visiting my neighbor who gives them treats. We can look at them but can't touch. But at least they aren't running away. Safe place to sleep and free meal.

[@skrtskit1521]

They didn't cost us a penny.

[@skrtskit1521]

They didn't cost us a penny.

[@theresad6990]

The cat house came out great! I always enjoy seeing your resourcefulness for using left over materials. One piece of advice for when you do have cats in the house. Do not use blankets or other fabrics inside the house especially during winter. Use straw instead. It will help keep them warmer. Blankets and fabrics will get wet if they come in from the snow or rain and will hold the cold in on them instead of keeping them warm. A thick layer or straw will keep the cold from coming up through the floor and will give them good bedding to settle into.

[@jgjg3848]

Don't know what we'd do without our barn cats. They do such a good job keeping the critters away. I'd suggest getting more than one for your homestead. It's no fun being all alone outside all the time. They will hang out together, play together, eat together and even bed down together often.

[@johnvaldes8725]

I feed 12 of them. All but one totally trusts me. I have caught each one and had her/him neutered. When I walk my dogs the cats follow me everywhere rubbing up on my leg to show me affection. I am their lifeline.

[@Pete-eb4ec]

That's a very nice mansion! But remember: Cats will come when they want to. You will never be their owner or boss. They own you and you will be their subject :D

[@suntzu6122]

Took them weeks of suggestive stares and meows to hypnotize him into building a mansion

[@triciasklodowske5653]

Cat scratch fever!! Had it from a bite from my house cat. Ougmenten, not sure on the spelling, it is the strongest stuff to fight infection. Without it you'll lose your - fingers, hand, wherever your bit.!! Someone dumped a cat and her 4 kittens out here back in July. There wasn't any place that had room to take them, so we build them a house, not as big as yours, and put it under the lean too by the woodshed. They get food and water daily. Praying that they make it through the winter. Thanks for trying to help them. Prayers for your hand. God bless and protect.

[@eunicev1375]

What a nice job and great effort on your part. When I want to lure the neighborhood stray to a house I purchased for him, I sprinkle Catnip. He will follow the scent on his own. Try it... it works

[@jtaylorb88]

It takes a long long time to get them to trust you first then getting them to go into a cat house. My old outdoor cat I got it to go into the house by putting a heated pad in it. We also insulated it heavily. That single heating pad kept it a nice 60 degrees only while it stayed in it since the pad turned on when she laid on it. For the door I just used a cloth since it was out of the weather.

[@shahnawazvlog6266]

Sweet there was 9 wild kittens down the river, I been feeding them, and try super hard to catch them, end up catching them all, I keep 3 cats, other 6 all go to good homes, they are sweet and beautiful still not comfortable to be around human, but I done my part they are all safe now. Oh yes it take 3 days to catch all the 9 cats.

[@hoosierpioneer]

Welcome to the world of veterinary injuries. Nice building design with escape in back.

[@sirjamesofvaa54]

You did a great job and committed a lot of time for a good cause. You're a good man. Thank God for people like you.

[@dqauto500]

Great!!! Don’t use blankets they could freeze. Use straw from tractor supply. It’s about $12$z

[@johnepperson8867]

What a GREAT build, and for an awesome cause !!! Thank You !!!!!

[@Haven2U]

We live in a small community where there is an abundance of semi-feral cats. We had 3 or 4 of them" fixed" and just continued to feed them. Being feral, their lifespan is somewhat diminished due to various diseases, inbreeding, etc. I am fully aware of how they can seem as if you can pick them up, until you actually try it. These days we just have a "cordial" relationship, which seems to suit them best. We did take a 55 gallon plastic barrel and tipped it over on its side and put openings at both ends, threw some staw and a old blanket in there and occasionally the will seek refuge in it. A couple of neighbors leave a little food out for them and we just leave them some treats on our porch. They sleep some afternnons in our porch swings but quickly scatter when we come out.

[@madisenhill960]

Undeserving cat? All animals are deserving of shelter and love. Also people it’s a felony to abandon animals as it’s consider abuse. I wish people would stop abandoning animals! Black cats are the best!!!! ❤ they are the friendliest I’ve had many growing up. I rescue and foster them now and I have my own black cat. Love them so much.

[@brendasas8440]

Thank you for trying... don't give up. Hopefully it all works out...bless you ❤️😺😼😾

[@eugenethompson2942]

reminds me of a song......... "if it were'nt for bad luck , i' d have no luck at all" umm good luck !

[@dnow24]

Great house! Great job!! I started feeding a feral Manx cat winter of 2022 and now 4 generations of kittens later I finally got her trapped and to the vet to be spayed last week. She’s sweet and the 15 kittens are great too. They multiple fast 🙀😹

[@Swifter1480]

You are wonderful people for helping those cats!!

[@gifted_animalrescuer]

To trap you need to lure them in with food also not just inside the trap. Once trapped you should put a blanket over the trap to calm it down. If you ever trap in the winter please cut cardboard to fit the bottom of the trap and use clips to hold in place. You should always have someone watching the trap if you cant then put in a mobile motion detector and it will alert you. If you need any help with ideas I can help you. FYI cats,raccoons and possums usually eat together. If you have cat food out that will bring the other critters. I try to feed daylight until winter because raccoons hibernate aka Torpor for weeks then wake to eat and go back to Torpor.

[@jimbrewer2893]

We've been doing TNR for about 10 years. There have been several colonies of cats come through. Trapping them is a trip. After having them vetted, I try to get them socialized. We've had at least 30 cats and kittens adopted out. My wife calls me the cat whisperer. We are down to 5 semi ferals. Two are indoor out door girls. Three are strictly outdoor. One of those is very friendly and loves his pets and scratches. We had 5 indoor rescues. Four have passed. Our surviving male is 14 years old. Love the cat house. I built one and converted a store bought dog house for cats. They would never use them. However, they have survived hurricanes, cold, 100F heat and rain. Where they go is a mystery. Good luck with trapping the cats. Oh, and welders gloves can help save your hands as does heavy leather birder gloves.

[@gifted_animalrescuer]

I use to be called the Crazy Cat Lady I even had a hat made from my dad. After an accident I was in a coma and when I came out I changed. Alot I cried all the time I also got very involved with alot of cat rescue sites then I had feral colonies by me and started getting all kinds of wd animals fox,Raccoon,possum,coyote, wild turkey,bat, hawk come up to me,15+ squirrels everyday,birds of all kids I've never had. Now im Dr Doolittle of the neighborhood and work with wildlife. I had 3 well known psychic mediums tell me when in my coma I pierced the veil so I was left with a gift I am now a gifted Sensitive.

[@musthavechannel5262]

Hey :( sorry for your trouble with handling the cat. You went to lengths to provide them with shelter. God bless.

[@verawol3111]

Years ago we had a bunch of cars in our area we used those same traps we fed the cats 2 or 3 day but did not set them to go off we also put burlap over them. On the next day we set them to go off. We also set up with the veterinarian to have them fixed the day we trapped them. We took care of them while they recouped after they became much friendlier. My son had his cat over 10 years the 2 I got are still with me, I love them they have been wonderful companions they are indoor/ outdoor so if they didn't want to be here they didn't have to stay but they have and it's been 14 years. They are both healthy. It's a wonderful house.

[@acornhomestead3575]

That's a cat mansion! Brilliant job. I got a feral kitten too. Bite bite bite scratch scratch but I didn't let go, she went into a small dog crate ASAP and I've had her in the house for about 18 months now. Her name is mogli (jungle book feral boy) she had 5 kittens (on purpose and she's spayed now) I've kept all the kittens. Both her and her litter are cuddly and talkative and non-biting. I think you'd be wise to get a couple barn cats too.

[@neildriedger637]

👍❤😇🙏

[@davidcrowson4745]

Nice job on the cat shelter 👍 bummer on the infected hand.

[@crystalh1402]

Love seeing your process and how you work out what you’re going to meet with what you have

[@BigFarles]

This is the best video of the week. Thank you for sharing your story.

[@lyannmartin821]

Thank you for such a selfless act. I wish you speedy recovery sir.

[@ms.mustlovecats1556]

Much appreciation to @sslfamilydad for not only building a cat home for my favorite pets, ( cats ), but for NOT including *annoying* background music in this video ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

[@yuliyak4117]

Bless you for trying so hard to catch them!!! They are pretty evil, when they feel threatened. You are trying to help them, and they do that to you! I hope your hand feels better and no rabies 😬

[@kathywinkler9802]

The cat shelter is really nice... might want to put straw or other similar bedding inside rather than blankets that will hold the water of a rain wet cat... We have animal shelters that are always full of cats needing a home.. surely you do too??

[@sapphireblue222]

I have an outdoor cat that attacked me and injured my hand in the exact same place. It took over two months to completely heal. Best of luck with your healing.

[@cbernal3569]

Great job explaining everything! I will build the cat house. 🐈‍⬛

[@summerpiliponis3707]

This is awesome we plan on making ones next year❤

[@dadyarusski4594]

You made a super beautiful house❤ I am so sorry kitty acted so feral, but the house is absolutely beautiful 😻💕

[@gloriasavage9396]

Thank you for caring !!!

[@marilynm8812]

The shelter is great. Sorry you had to be injured for your trying to help the cats. You probably will find another cat. They seem to be everywhere.

[@pauletteb6393]

No cat is undeserving. It was just terrified.

[@leehyer4916]

To pick up a stray cat, you wanna wear heavy leather gloves with a Carhartt jacket that way they’re not gonna get scratched or bit and don’t let them get near your face hold your arms out I hope this helps😊

[@1chubbythug]

Always enjoy your videos! Great use of those scrap pieces

[@mattbrannon6826]

This definitely gave me some ideas to play around with. One thing I've read, in my very limited amount of time researching cat houses, is that the entrances should be pretty small. Just slightly larger than a cat's head. The thought being that a cat only needs to get it's head through an opening to get it's body through as well. And the smaller opening reduces the chance of predators being able to gain access. Very nice build though!

[@leehyer4916]

The big cage you had for the three cats was upside down. The big holes are supposed to be on the bottom and they’re supposed to be a square plastic tray it slides between the bottom of the cage and the cage door if you don’t have that tray, you could cut a piece of plywood to fit😊

[@mando7558]

The Humane Society says the entrance/exit doors should be 5 1/2" to 6 inches in diameter. That way larger animals are prevented from getting in. Nice house though

[@SSLFamilyDad]

Good tip, maybe I can reduce those!

[@PatrickWagz]

Yikes, hope the hand heals fully. As you now fully know..... feral cats are NO JOKE!

[@darrylmcleman6456]

Bites and scratches from a cat would always swell up in my case as I am allergic to the beggars.Not as bad now as when I was a child but still cant live in same house with cat.When I visit folks with cats the cat usually settles in my lap looking for attention.CHEERS from HERE!

[@paulwilliams200]

5 Star Kat Shak 🥰

[@SheetalShelke24]

One thing I learned rescuing, cats if it’s a big cat don’t try to get it by your bare hands, next I would acquaint it indoors first (put them in the spare bathroom) they need to forget where they came from, get use to the new humans and then put them outside as outside cats at your house. Second I would try to catch all the cats at one time with a drop trap which is pretty safe for humans and cats. But I really like the cat house good work on that

[@Blitz0203]

I think given the resources you had and didn't have, it was a great cat house for feral cats. I myself have 2 outdoor feral cats, and both have their own house. Each house also has heat. I have an inexpensive smar plug, that in turn controls the heat source. I can set the upper and lower limits of the heat with another device. Here's the heat source ... simple incandescent rope lights. They are in a circular grid separated by think pieces of wood. Each house has 2 of these stacked on top of one another. The top and bottom of these grids are simple pegboard. This allows the heat to be evenly dispersed... heating the cats sleeping area. The kicker is - is that Each source provides 20 degrees heat increase- so 2 of these equal 40 degrees. Winters on Long Island do get cold and damp - but this heating solution does the trick! I thought you'd like to hear my solution to keeping these babies warm and well ... Thanks for reading and for your video! Best ~ Rick

[@bryannicholson843]

Gloves, gloves, gloves. I have rescued cats in the past and learned quickly petting them is way different than picking them up and always wear gloves. I did the same thing you did. Lol. Nice build by the way!

[@captainchaos52]

Always put a towel over live trap to keep cat calm..good build..

[@danielledegeorge2129]

We have a homeless neighborhood roamer we've nicknamed Romeo because he's always coming up to the sunroom doors looking for our indoor cat Shelby. He's been checking out the playhouse on the wooden swing set so I'm here for some tips on how to enclose it more so Romeo has a place to stay warm. The kids don't really use it anymore so I figured the platform under the slide would make a great shelter for him. Shelby doesn't like him, otherwise I'd have another cat lol.

[@neildriedger637]

👍❤😇🙏GREAT BUILD!!

[@texasbella576]

Once you trap them, you need to cover it with a blanket or large towel to keep it calm

[@angiemoses130]

Ferrell cats are hard to catch and tame. My sister got 6 under her building all of them but 1 survived. 1 went to another home. While 4 were spayed and neutered along with Moma cat. 2 of the kitties are with her while 2 others went to another sister

[@bernardausterberry9795]

I think some kind of window for day light would be nice. Cats love watching the world from a safe place. Remember to pad with straw to keep them warm and dry. If the cats get along they will want want to curl up together to stay warm.

[@Cowboy_Steve]

Howdy cat wrangler! 😁 First off... the cat shelter is pretty awesome! I love the idea of using what is laying around the shop. The wife always asks me why I save all my scraps. I need to have her watch this video! Second - cats are jerks. Plain and simple. After years of trial and error, blood letting, and heavy swearing I have refined my process for domesticating feral cats for barn duty. As with many things of this nature... now that I have it perfected the source of feral cats has dried up. Be advised - the process does NOT work with possums and raccoons. Well done and thanks for sharing 🤠

[@DaveF126]

That cat habitat is well designed and will built, but I'll admit I had a bit of a chuckle at the thought of you trying to pick up stray cats and take them home! When I was a kid people didn't usually have their cats fixed and there was always a plethora of free ads in the paper for free kittens.

[@JustMe-gn3mu]

just keep moving the food towards your house. Feed them, they will come. Cats are very interesting creatures!!! ha ha

[@buzzardprepper]

Very nice effort and I applaud it. I am going through similar now and I have had your possum trap experience too. Our furry friends can be difficult to earn trust with. Great job.

[@tillyssemberg9195]

Your a amazing person..I have a feral colony....I would love a shelter like that ..I have a insulated big dog house .a old tin shed and many home made cooler shelters...if you leave food out the cats will come back ....

[@caracarolina732]

The cats smart😜didnt step on the plate. Buy tuna and sardines in oil(smell) mix it. Put it on a paper plate on the floor. Place the trap on top, on the very far edge of that cage, and squish the paper plate with the edge of the cage. When they become comfortable they sit down and get trapped. Im lucky my feral is moderately aggressive! Good luck 👍🏻🍀you can also order long gloves, that keep you from getting scratched. They’re lined with thick cotton inside and leather outside.

[@veronicalee5937]

That was GREAT! You should make them and SELL them online!

[@Cuddles-The-Cat]

This is purrfect!

[@TheFrog767]

Fantastic cat home 😊

[@nombredetango]

Feral cats cannot be moved locations because they feel lost and will run away. That is way it is ilegal to do it in many countries. The way it can be donde is by keeping them in a catio or enclosure for about three weeks p until the know the new spot is safe and they have all they need for their survival. I love the house, hopefully they will move in. 😊

[@calebtaylor5535]

Love how the first 3 or 5 comments I see are all just people talking shit about how you're handling the cats. You did those savages a service lol. Good job

[@lancechris.2592]

Hello from Nicaragua

[@johnepperson8867]

Hello to Nicaragua from the U.S.

[@dorisharrison9885]

Cats,cats come back lol😅😊🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛

[@SandySellards]

Always keep peroxide on hand..when scratched clean right then..it will kill germs from the cats!

[@marywinslow5808]

You gave them beds to lay on

[@praenubilus1980]

What wood/panel are you using for siding and bottom? And how do you make them weather resistant

[@TiberiusMaximus]

always put a blanket over trap too

[@lorrainehannon7631]

I am wondering about winter. Did you insulate it? I am just wondering about in Canada where I live, if it could work.

[@MissyDevily]

If these are wild cats, you can best put a shelter on the edge of the forest and also provide a dry place for food, not every cat wants to be petted or picked up. If you ignore them for the rest of the time and just come close often, they will start to trust you after a while and will come closer themselves. If they need your help, they will ask for it by hanging around closer to your home. If you use such a trap, you should use a higher one, such a small rat trap as in the video is not safe for cats. We use the same system here but made of wood with a plexiglass trap door, this way the captured cat is dry and safe and they cannot injure their paws between the wire

[@niccat7051]

Nice job 👍🏼 Yeah, as a Cat Guy I can say, from experience, you need to give a feral cat some serious respect 😩 Great DIY skills 👌

[@audentesfortunajuvat3297]

you should make a big cage for them to get used to your place for months then release them later

[@amandawille8438]

I like this ❤

[@honeybunny4341]

Yes u can catch em just put food out when they come around u have to wait for them u font grab the cst the first time csuse they r wild

[@markstevens1729]

It’s worth noting that to any cat owner/slave, the word “undeserving” is a given.

[@barryglover7100]

good job sir

[@longrangevoodoo4480]

About to do the same thing

[@vootsak]

any update on the cat that ran into the woods?

[@dentech4710]

Cat shelter is very nice. While your intention is good, I don’t think you should try to move those cats to your location. If they can, they will try to get back to the original location, or die trying.

[@stephenmorton8017]

Oh man sorry about your hand. You got to be careful with cat bites. In retrospect it might have been better to take the house over to them and let them get used to it. You could put trapdoors and go over there early in the morning when they're all snuggled in there and drop the doors. Bring the house back to your place. But this is all in retrospect. Great job though.

[@ValerieB-uf6ui]

Very good of you to build the house. But, you can't bring the cats to the house. The cats have to come to the house on their own. I suggest putting straw or wood shavings inside. Also, don't put their food in it. There is a colony at my daughter's house (she feeds them on her deck, so they are familiar with her/us, but we would never pick up grown ones), so I built them a house. They watched me build it, and it's home for them now as they learned to trust being in it. Almost all have been TNR'd. A few more to go.

[@johnatancarassa1317]

you should just put the cat food outside the house you build for them and they will come

[@ms.mustlovecats1556]

@johnatancarassa Yeah . . . . . . . no. That is a NOT a good idea. Since it was NOT obvious to you, leaving cat food out for the *darling* cats is just too problematic. Not only does that attract flies, but also the annoying dogs, chickens and / or other useless animals will certainly be helping themselves to the cat food. So, no.

[@carter6482]

Nice cat house

[@gunlindblad5202]

I could not help it, I just laughed when you talked about catching the cats. You just don’t try to do that with cats and also to be bit by a cat is very dangerous you need to be treated by a doctor.

[@ebxo269]

Enclose the trap so it cant see out, apart from the end's.

[@user-dv3pd2gd9x]

The house the cats were at looks like was set up for them to be under that porch. Like someone fixed it for them .

[@Jamal-sx1lq]

عمل جيد جدا تستطيع فعل اكبر من هذا المنزل فقط بقليل من الأخشاب . شكرا لكم على شرح

[@jeannies7476]

'Cat scratch fever'. It can be very painful. Good luck.

[@shannoncraig2147]

Whatever you do, don’t put cat food & water inside the cat house! Critters like possums, raccoons, skunks, etc. will smell the cat food & go inside the cat house to eat it! Put their cat food & water away from the cat house. That way the cats will hopefully be safe, inside the house. I have a video camera on my porch & I watch the stray cats & possums eat the cat food, on the porch. The cat house I have for my 2 cats, is on the other side of the porch, away from the food & water. I have caught 2 possums, in a live trap & relocated them, but another one has shown up. We obviously have several possums in my area.

[@thomasrozier7949]

Next time you should cover the trap up with a sheet right away it will calm the cat down

[@Salomon-x6u]

the boards you have installed are very thin.

[@kerednilon4276]

"The Great Cat Caper."

[@maxlencl253]

Also, why do you assume they need rescued?

[@susan6443]

The wall at the entry way seems odd for cat use. A long wide canopy over the exits might have done the trick to keep the snow out and work for cat life. There were no windows for light or the cats to see out. Clever idea. Did not seem practical. Good intentions. I zoomed through as I did not care where you got each piece of wood from.

[@Ysabella_Q17]

The cats were already used to you. They would've come and explored the shelter by themselves , once assured that new unknown thing wasn't a threat for them..... Unfortunately, you totally lost their trust by trying to trap/force them in. Sad :( Appreciate your work and care for them, tho :) If they are still out there maybe try catching them again and bring them to a cat rescue organization so they can have a better chance in life.