Tour of my cat shed (shelter for the outdoor cats)

This video shows the inside of the shed we are using for the outdoor cats. This is the finished version that includes the insulation, cat houses, and straw.
For more details (and pictures) of how we set up the shed, please read this blog post: thejoyofcats.com/outdoorcatsh...
Dog house as a cat shelter video: • Dog house converted fo...
Links below are affiliate links. I may receive a commission if you click thru and make a purchase. Thanks :)
Both cat houses would need some sort of projection for rain and snow if not placed inside of a shed.
Chewy Links for the Cat Houses:
Green house (sized for 1 cat): prf.hn/l/K3A3Okz
Black house (big enough for 2 cats): prf.hn/l/KjLZnby
Amazon Links:
Shed: amzn.to/2TjBhMp
Reflectix: amzn.to/3vp4SCi
I designed the Cat Lady shirt that I'm wearing in the video.
Designed by Heidi Print On Demand Store Links:
thejoyofcats.com/merch/
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Twitter: / thejoyofcats

[@luckie4103]

That is more than a shelter. Enough room to add another level.

[@Jenny-dv2tr]

Thank you for loving and caring these homeless fur babies.

[@Dmd265]

Came across this video when researching how to build my own outdoor shelter. Great work!…It doesn’t have to be anything big and fancy, if all of us cat people would do something small like this and ensure we spay/neuter, we could GREATLY reduce the homeless population! Thanks again!!!

[@Bronte866]

Great point. It honestly would take so little effort to end this terrible misery these innocent creatures endure because of the ignorance, callousness and turning away that humans do. These are *domestic* animals, not squirrels or raccoons. They are not equipped to endure life “outside” as those animals can. This is a fundamental misunderstanding that perpetuates needless agony.

[@sandy2au918]

You can add heavy plastic strips over the little door openings to keep the cold and rain out of the shed.

[@Thejoyofcats]

That's a great suggestion. Since making this video, we added a tunnel made of wood for the door that faces west to keep the snow and rain out.

[@Bronte866]

Great idea. I keep forgetting about that as an option. 👍✅

[@Bella-zh1me]

What a wonderful shed for the cats. I feed ferals across town and have shelters for the. Its amazing to know there are others like yourself. Sometimes you fell you are all alone. Thank you for what you do.

[@Thejoyofcats]

Thank you for helping the feral cats in your area! It's easier for me with them in my yard.

[@happyinparis]

I bought a larger shed built by the Amish. I'm adding a heat and air wall unit. They cost around $500. They work great. I'm putting beds up on the walls and steps to climb on. There will be toys, too. I'm attaching a large screened-in catio so the cats are safe and can go outside whenever they want. This will also have steps and perches. I'll have a big bench built within the catio with air vents on the sides and a lid that lifts up. Litter boxes are going in there. I'll just lift the lid to clean the litter boxes daily. Food and water will be inside. My ferals and rescues will love this. They will also be safe during thunderstorms. I just had it insulated. I found some super durable flooring. I can't wait until it's finished.

[@Thejoyofcats]

That sounds wonderful! I would love to see videos or pictures of it when it's complete. Your feral cats are going to have a great setup!

[@16251983david]

I grew up in the country with big barns. I'd sit for a long time, often, getting the new kittens used to me. I just decided that I would fill a shelter like this 3/4 full with straw bales. Kitties lived back in the bale cracks. 👍

[@Thejoyofcats]

That sounds lovely!

[@franceslynch8815]

This is so cute and cosy. A cat heaven. Everything is perfect for the cats. Warmth, shelter and feeling of security. I had similar shed for feral cats down through the past 30 years. The best thimg about the shed was their food and water did not get wet and spoil. Some cats became house pets but others kept their distance. As they got older I was able to get veterinary treatment for injuries and end of life care. There doesn't seem to be any more feral cats where I live. We always TNR. My last one is with me for past 10 years and is house pet now. I miss the others very much but glad they don't struggle anymore. Thank you for the video.

[@Thejoyofcats]

I hope my 2 current outdoor cats will want to be indoor cats eventually. Thanks for sharing about your feral cats!

[@franceslynch8815]

@@Thejoyofcats The majority never settled indoors. Even pooky, now sleeping in his bunk bed in the boxroom, will run out of the house if anybody strange comes in. Treasure your time with your adorable outdoor cats. It broke my heart as they grew older and more feeble and I sometimes wish I had done more to bring them in. But they got too stressed. There were only 3 over 30 years that settled in the house. You brought back memories for me when you were explaining how you did their gorgeous cosy houses. I know your cats are so comfy and safe in their little homes in the shed that becomes their forever home for life. Thank you so much for replying and again for your wonderful video. I'm wishing you lots of happiness.

[@ahnaahna7278]

We love our inside cats all spayed ladies. We have 10 feral cats outside. Some come n go. We have boxes with heat pads and blankets on the carport. We get some boxes at liquor store or Home Depot and tape them closed up. Then we cut little entry hole in each. We nail big cardboard pieces upon the open side of carport to block wind. We feed once per day. Recently a Rescue group will come over for free, to trap spay/neuter several, then return them…...to stop the kitten population. We are grateful for the assistance. Ahna Atlanta Ga.

[@Thejoyofcats]

Sounds like a great setup for the cats!

[@vickie30]

Nice shelter for cats…

[@JessicaDiary]

I always enjoyed watching this video. 😘😘😘❤️❤️❤️ Life won't be the same without a pet at home.😘😘😘 It is the greatest blessing when you love god creation. 🙏🙏🙏 And your life will be more blessed.🙏🙏🙏 May you be blessed 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@Bronte866]

It is indeed a blessing and a privilege to have the affection of such beautiful, intelligent, loving & grateful creatures. The universe does not forget kindnesses to helpless, voiceless creatures whose miserable situations are caused entirely by human beings.

[@FloridaGirl-]

Very nice! So thoughtful and humane. I feed them too, have for years. Build cathouses . The shed is great for winter areas. So sweet of you! ❤

[@deloriestaylor8154]

Bless you for caring for the stray cats.

[@davestelling]

Very nicely put together. Thanks for caring for the little guys, I'm sure their nice & cozy in there...

[@Thejoyofcats]

It is nice for them when it’s cold or rainy.

[@marcnangelu]

Great idea ✊🏽✊🏽✊🏽

[@user-eq1cz5yg7s]

Mmm...so cozy. Any cats will have a good rest. Great job❤

[@Riri-oj1zs]

Bless you!!!

[@JoannaLammonds-qs9lh]

You can also put them up on wood pallets.

[@Thejoyofcats]

Great idea! Thank you for sharing.

[@mylesmom12]

Great setup - thanks for sharing it.

[@cynthiasiddall1285]

A bathroom light set up eould keep it warm in there! Easy peasy

[@lastedain450]

It makes me laugh because I have the exact same shed (Keter One) as a cat house, from Jan 2020. I built a 4 apartment cat condo inside from plywood on exterior and sheetrock interior and insulation between with a doghouse heater to keep the cats warm.

[@Thejoyofcats]

Your setup in your shed sounds great!

[@Amy-dw7ii]

Lots of work and a great job. I bought a shed and put a greenhouse heater in it. I surrounded it with chicken wire so the cats can't touch it and get burned. It is very warm even with the opening.

[@bellison2014]

Shed is great idea. Thanks for sharing.

[@Thejoyofcats]

Thanks for watching!

[@christinamstone4317]

Thank you for all that you do for the fur babies!

[@maryannd9749]

So super and wonderful for the kitties!

[@justmejo9008]

So kind ❤️

[@lucijam3337]

Oh, this is so inspiring! ❤

[@user-es9zk2qn1j]

Impressive!! 🥰

[@Thejoyofcats]

Thanks!

[@Bronte866]

Love what you’re doing there. I’ve seen some awesome little homes converted from these sheds that people have made into lovely little homes for themselves, so what a great idea for protecting cats. They are not expensive! Reflectix is good and we have insulated shelters that size with old coolers as styrofoam is also so effective. You can have some real peace of mind that the outdoor/homeless/abandoned/lost/feral? cats are really ok out there. Hard for me personally to put a price on that.

[@chasethecat3839]

Oh, I forgot about the Styrofoam boxes/coolers. Going hunting for supplies for our feral shed this weekend.

[@ahnaahna7278]

Great ideas in your video and also folks comments. We have some of our original ferals inside our home. Some outside have left, or died….somewhere. We never mistreat any. Fortunately our property is an acre…..so they have plenty of roaming ground away from the neighborhood street!!! Ahna. Atlanta Ga.

[@cjuliec8549]

Wow, great ideas!

[@mrpoolplayer6379]

Nice Job... I may put a cat shelter on my porch. I 'm going to buy a heated bowl (food & water) & put a heater in my cat shelter. She is a year + old, had a litter about 5 months ago & I'm gonna try trapping her. so that problem will go away. I've been feeding her for 5 months, she has seen me lots of times & doesn't always run, but never gets chummy. But Tonight , she came when I called her for supper & watched me, while I watched her eat. I want her to be a domestic Cat, so she'll be taken care of...

[@kathywilkins5546]

Glue new Velcro right on top of old to get your functionality back.

[@sandramakmann1331]

You mention that you use Reflectix insulation. Did you staple if up or did it have tape adhesive side. Which Reflectix product did you use.

[@Thejoyofcats]

We used tape, no staples. And we used the large-size roll of Reflectix: amzn.to/3vp4SCi

[@odinthorson1830]

Great job😊👍🐾

[@kathleenfoster9887]

What are the dimensions of you shed and thanks for posting your video

[@Thejoyofcats]

It's about a 4ft by 6ft shed. The Item Dimensions are LxWxH: 51 x 76 x 78 inches. You can read more about it here: amzn.to/2TjBhMp. Thanks for watching my video!

[@Floppycats]

oh, man, that warm weather makes me long for it! it's -4F here today. do you have to do anything for fleas or other bugs in the summer heat?

[@Thejoyofcats]

It was -1F here this morning! Fortunately, the heated water bowl is working well enough to keep a small area unfrozen. We usually only have 1-2 weeks a winter when it's this freezing cold. The cats hunker down in the shed during the cold spells. We've never had fleas in the yard, which seems amazing with all the random cats, possums, and raccoons. And I spotted fleas once on a cat that visits from the next street over. I put the topical flea treatment on the cats that will allow me to do it. The current two outdoor cats do not have an adverse reaction to it. The one definitely eats mice, so he gets dewormed occasionally. We had ticks for the first time in the summer of 2024. There was at least one possum living under the deck, but it didn't keep up with eating all of the ticks. So we used topical treatment on the cats. So, I really didn't come up with a good solution for deterring the ticks. Asking the possum to "step it up" didn't work.

[@Floppycats]

yes, it was colder here - that's why i said that =) "We've never had fleas in the yard, which seems amazing with all the random cats, possums, and raccoons." - WOW! ha ha ha, seriously the opossum needs to step up its tick eating game.@@Thejoyofcats

[@jzorto8955]

What did you use to insulate the shed? I’m trying to do this for the strays in my neighborhood

[@Thejoyofcats]

We used Reflectix: amzn.to/3vp4SCi

[@Bronte866]

Also consider styrofoam from Home Depot or anywhere. Very cheap and very effective.

[@chasethecat3839]

Did u put reflexic on floor too? My neighbor bought a shad for the ferals and i went and got straw. I'm going to get warming mats but we want to insulate. Just wondering best way to insulate

[@Thejoyofcats]

We didn't put the Reflectix on the floor. We decided that straw would be enough for the floor. However, the shed sits on the deck and not directly on the ground. You could probably add wood to the floor (or under the shed) and maybe use insulation boards. The 2 current cats here mostly seem to go into the heated cat houses.

[@kyleewebster5964]

Sorry it’s an old video, hopefully l someone replies. How on earth do you get the cats to go inside, & see that this shelter is like okay to keep using? I recently moved, & my new home apparently came with 3-4 outdoor cats…fed them once & they now stick around 24/7 so I want to keep them warm since I live in northern Utah (past few nights: 21-29°😢)I made them a nice shelter since they just tend to sit in my driveway looking so cold. But they’re just not seeming to notice the shelter it seems…they’ve used it 1-2 times, but I dont see them in it often. Maybe they use it when I just don’t see(@ night?)\Jump out as I come out since the box is on my porch-whenever we open our front door they kinda bolt. 🏃‍♂️ They’re sketched out by EVERYTHING so it’s been tough… anyone who has tips or ideas, it’d be much appreciated! 🐈

[@Thejoyofcats]

When we first setup the shed, it was not in cold weather, so I was able to leave the door open on days when it wasn't open for them to go in an explore. Try placing treats near the entrance. Cats seem nosy, so they may be going in when you are not looking. If you are able to set up a trail camera, that might capture the cats going in or out. Also, last winter, we had a new feral cat show up, and he spent most of the winter by himself in one of the container shelters we have setup away from the cat shed. I am not sure how he knew to go inside.

[@Bronte866]

They are very, very intelligent. They will absolutely use your shelter. Their very lives are at stake. No more motivation is needed. But I agree with this lady who suggested enticements like treats, catnip. Shouldn’t be an issue for long. Thank you for caring about them. ♥️

[@rhondaantonsen]

My cats would crap in the straw. That's what they do everytime I make a straw shelter for them.

[@Thejoyofcats]

Wow, that is frustrating. We’ve only had possums poop in the straw.

[@mrpoolplayer6379]

How do you get the cat to come to it's new home...? It's been coming to the same food spot for 5 months...

[@Thejoyofcats]

When the shed was new, the cats were curious and eventually figured it out. They raraly use the shed in the summer, but remember it when the weather gets cold. We’ve had it for a few years. I may have enticed them with cat treats in the beginning.

[@Drbethturtlewoman]

how do you keep other predictors out of the cat shed? I find raccoon’s and opossum getting inside

[@Thejoyofcats]

In my area, we mostly only have raccoons and possums, which we have not seen fight or cause problems with the adult cats. So I don’t consider them a serious threat to my cats. I don’t know a lot about foxes and coyotes but suspect they are too big to fit through the entrances. We have had raccoons and possums in the shed. I try to discourage raccoons from coming to yard by not having cat food out at night (except for when it’s very cold in the winter). The possums seem to go where they want. We’ve had possums poop in the shed and had one die in the shed (from natural causes as far as we could tell - no external injuries). The possums seem to stick around for a few months and then move on. I read they are transients but did not fact check it. The raccoons usually go away when there is no easy food source (which is easier to manage since right in my yard). So I don’t really have a good solution for keeping the raccoons and possums out of the shed. Mostly hope they don’t discover it. We had a mom and teenager raccoons once all day wanting to be under the deck. I made a lot of noise that day and eventually they moved on.

[@eilenekellogg-ki2br]

Get the water out of there. And block it from comming back in.