12/24/2022
Please. Do this if you need to.
Emergency shelters made with cardboard box. It can be a lifesaver for outdoor cats. EMERGENCY SHELTER
When time is of the essence - a bad storm or sudden cold snap may be arriving soon - an adequate temporary shelter can be quickly put together. You'll need a cardboard box, a plastic drop cloth at least 3 millimeters thick or contractor trash bags that are three millimeters thick, duct tape and shredded newspaper. Follow these instructions:
(1) Take the cardboard box and tape all the seams shut with duct tape. Cardboard is actually good insulation.
(2) Wrap the box completely with the drop cloth or trash bags, making as few seams as possible. Secure onto the box with duct tape, liberally and tightly wrapping the tape around the sides of the box and sealing any seams in the plastic. This will make the shelter waterproof.
(3) Cut a doorway in one of the shorter sides of the box approximately 6 inches by 6 inches, leaving the bottom of the doorway a few inches above the bottom of the box to prevent flooding. Use duct tape to secure the loose plastic around the opening you just made.
(4) Place shredded newspaper inside the box, filling it up to the bottom of the doorway in front and a little higher towards the back. The cats will gain added warmth by burrowing into the newspaper.
For added insulation, start by placing a slightly smaller cardboard box inside a larger one and fill the gap between them with rolled-up newspaper. Then proceed with steps 1 through 4, above, being sure to cut the doorway through both boxes. If possible, place your cardboard shelter beneath something that will shield it, like a porch or tree. Raise it off the ground a few inches by placing it on a pallet, bricks or something similar. Weigh the shelter down with a heavy rock or a few bricks, but nothing heavy enough to crush the roof. Once the crisis has passed, replace with more permanent shelter.
