10/25/2024
Cooler weather is coming be prepared. Straw will reflect body heat back to a cat and actually repels moisture. Straw is tough, thick, dry leftover stalks from crops. It's lightweight and golden in color. Straw has a hollow center which makes for great insulation (just like double pane windows).
Do NOT use hay (OR blankets) for bedding in outdoor cat shelters. Hay is green and heavy. Hay is typically used to feed animals, like horses. It absorbs moisture, making it damp, cold and uncomfortable for cats, and has the potential to get moldy.
You can buy straw bales at your local co-op, farm/ag supply stores, local garden center/nursery, Home Depot, Lowe's, Tractor Supply or Ace Hardware. We’ve even seen bales of straw being sold outside grocery stores along with pumpkins. Farms selling pumpkins often sell bales of straw too.
DO NOT BUY CRAFT STORE SMALLER BALES OF STRAW. THESE ARE USUALLY CHEMICALLY TREATED AND COULD HARM ANIMALS!
