Bideawee's Feral Cat Initiative

11/14/2025

🐾 Last call, caretakers!

Ants, raccoons, frozen water bowls—we’ve got fixes for all your colony challenges.

Join the team tomorrow and learn smarter, stress-saving ways to keep your cats happy, healthy and safe, and your colony running smoothly.

Registration is just $10 and your digital certificate included after you pass a brief test.

Get details and register at https://communitycatscentral.thinkific.com/courses/colony-caretaking

11/11/2025

It's ! 🌬️❄️🏠🌡️🐱 Size and placement of the door hole are critical to a cat shelter's efficiency and safety. How big? Small enough to minimize heat loss, but big enough for your largest colony cat to come and go comfortably. Ideal placement minimizes both drafts and heat loss.

A "big enough" cat door looks pretty small! But a cat can flex his entire body through a hole as big as his head, and that's the secret to making a perfectly sized shelter door. We tested this with the help of Thor, a 13-pound tom. A 6-inch round hole was too roomy, and a 5-inch round hole was a bit tight. But Thor says a 5½-inch round hole is ju-ust right. If you want a square door, the ideal size is 5x5 inches. Whatever shape you make it, the door's overall size should be 24–25 square inches. And a cat-sized door doesn't only conserve heat, it's also a safety feature that keeps larger animals out.

Place the door neither too high nor too low, and off to one side. Ideal vertical placement is slightly below the middle of the shelter wall height. Remember: Heat rises, so don't make the door so high that it vents out all the warm air. But don't make it so low that the straw bedding leaks out and rain splashes in.

Ideal horizontal placement for the door is on one end of the longer side. This gives cats a cozy corner away from the direct draft of cold air from the door. And it's a safe haven, out of reach of any predators that may come sniffing around.

For more cat shelter info, check out our recorded webinar, "Building Shelters for Outdoor Cats":
Recording: https://bit.ly/BFCIBSV
Handout: https://bit.ly/BFCIBSH

Or to get started quickly with our Super Simple Foam Box Shelter, watch our all-ages step-by-step video: https://bit.ly/KidsCatShelter

11/05/2025

It's ! 🌬️❄️🏠🌡️🐱 Are two doors better than one for cat shelters? We say NO! Two doors have several disadvantages, and they're not necessary for safety. Drawbacks of 2-door shelters include excessive heat loss, more moisture coming in, and an extra entrance for cats to monitor. We recommend a 1-door shelter that's part of a holistic colony management plan to maximize both safety and comfort.

Cats are safer inside a well-built shelter than they are trying to flee from a coyote, dog, or other predator. But if you still can't shake your concern about potential predators, put your mind at ease with these strategies:

1) Make shelter doors small (5x5 inches square or 5.5 inches round) to keep cats safe and warm. Small doors just big enough for cats minimize heat loss and keep larger animals out.

2) Give cats protected access to shelters by including a mudroom, entry tunnel, or breezeway in your design. Or place a shelter with the door facing a wall or fence to create a cat-width safety corridor.

3) Feed according to best practices (on a schedule, no leftovers) to discourage mooching critters from hanging around.

4) Place shelters away from your feeding station in case wildlife come by for fresh water.

A winter shelter should let cats conserve their energy and take refuge from the cold, cruel world. If a predator ever sniffs around a well-built, well-placed, 1-door shelter, the cats inside can just hunker down and wait for them to get bored and go away.

"The Myth of the Emergency Exit" by Feralvilla: https://bit.ly/FVEmExit

For more cat shelter info, check out our recorded webinar, "Building Shelters for Outdoor Cats":
Recording: https://bit.ly/BFCIBSV
Handout: https://bit.ly/BFCIBSH

Or to get started quickly with our Super Simple Foam Box Shelter, watch our all-ages step-by-step video: https://bit.ly/KidsCatShelter

10/29/2025

It's ! 🌬️❄️🏠🌡️🐱 Straw (NOT hay!) is our #1 choice for cat shelter bedding because its structure keeps cats warm and dry — plus it's eco-friendly. NOW is the BEST time of year to find FREE straw for your winter cat shelters! Straw can be ordered online year-round, but it's cheap and plentiful in the analog world in October and November.

But act fast! The bales you see on display as seasonal decorations today will disappear between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Ask your neighbors, community festivals, local stores, restaurants, religious organizations, orchards, and other establishments if you can take their decorative straw off their hands in November.

If you'd rather purchase your cat shelter straw from a hardware, garden, or craft store, be sure to check this off your shopping list before December holiday items fill the shelves, which may happen well before Thanksgiving. Reminder: Look for long, natural straw; avoid chopped straw or craft straw that has been treated with varnish or preservatives.

Save more lives by sharing your stash! If you find a good straw source and have a dry space to store it, consider picking up extra to pass along to other cat caretakers this winter.

For more cat shelter info, check out our recorded webinar, "Building Shelters for Outdoor Cats":
Recording: https://bit.ly/BFCIBSV
Handout: https://bit.ly/BFCIBSH

Or to get started quickly with our Super Simple Foam Box Shelter, watch our all-ages step-by-step video: https://bit.ly/KidsCatShelter

10/27/2025

Adopt a kitty from Bideawee! View cats and kittens looking for homes at: http://bideawee.org/adoption

Our Chelsea Adoption Center is bursting at the seams - every corner has a cat waiting for someone to notice them. We’ve got tiny kittens, seasoned snugglers, bold explorers, and quiet wallflowers… all hoping for a chance to leave the shelter behind for a couch, a window, and a person to call their own.

When a cat gets adopted, it’s not just one life changed. It opens up a space for another cat who’s still out there waiting for help. Every adoption makes room for another rescue. 🐱❤️🐱

Head to www.bideawee.org to view all of our available cats and dogs and to learn about our adoption process.

10/27/2025

Happy National Black Cat Day! ✮⋆˖⁺🐈‍⬛⋆｡° ✮
Black cats believe that if a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) caretaker crosses their path, this brings 7 years of good luck. May every cat you see today be spayed/neutered, fed, vaccinated, and sheltered.

10/22/2025

It's ! 🌬️❄️🏠🌡️🐱 Straw (NOT hay!) is our #1 choice for cat shelter bedding because its structure keeps cats warm and dry — plus it's eco-friendly. How much straw do your winter cat shelters need? Enough to fill them about two-thirds full of fresh, loose straw. The cats will flatten and shape it with their bodies to create custom nests.

But what does "enough" look like when you're buying straw? Straw bales are made of compressed layers, so when you peel off a "slice" from a bale and fluff it up, the straw expands up to 5 times its original volume. Three-foot-long bales made for agricultural use are more tightly packed than smaller decorative bales, so agricultural straw fluffs up more than decorative straw.

A 1-inch-thick slice of agricultural straw is enough for a single-cat shelter that's a little more than 1 cubic foot inside. You can also measure the straw by weight: a 1-inch-thick slice of straw from an agricultural bale weighs about 1 pound. If you're using a smaller, looser bale, you'll need thicker slices to get a pound, so weigh it to be sure you have enough.

Just remember: 1 cubic foot of interior space needs 1 pound of straw.

Pro tips: After you put fresh straw in your shelters, make a tunnel from the entrance into the straw. This makes it easier for the cats to crawl inside and start flattening the straw into cozy little custom nests. And don't forget to buy extra straw in case you need to freshen up any of the bedding during the winter.

For more cat shelter info, check out our recorded webinar, "Building Shelters for Outdoor Cats":
Recording: https://bit.ly/BFCIBSV
Handout: https://bit.ly/BFCIBSH

Or to get started quickly with our Super Simple Foam Box Shelter, watch our all-ages step-by-step video: https://bit.ly/KidsCatShelter

10/22/2025

🐈‍⬛ Fix ‘em before the freeze - sign up for this Saturday's TNR Workshop! Winter is tough on outdoor cats but you can make a difference for them. Learn proven TNR techniques and earn your certification before temperatures drop! - https://mailchi.mp/communitycatspodcast/news-from-the-community-cats-podcast-6679265

10/21/2025

Help put an end to kitten season! Want to learn how to decrease the number of kittens being born on the streets and improve the lives of feral and stray community cats in your area? Register now for the online Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) certification workshop from Neighborhood Cats and Community Cats Podcast, coming up on Saturday, October 25, 2025! This online workshop will also be offered on December 6. Learn more & register: https://bit.ly/LearnTNRNC

10/16/2025

Global Cat Day/National Feral Cat Day Action Idea #5:
Donate to support Bideawee's Feral Cat Initiative!

The people who perform Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) to improve the lives of community cats in their neighborhoods and reduce the number of kittens being born on the streets are among the most generous in animal rescue, giving selflessly of their time and personal financial resources to make a difference. We are so thankful for all of these boots-on-the-ground volunteers!

Bideawee's Feral Cat Initiative supports the lifesaving work of thousands of TNR caretakers and the cats they help in the New York City area and Long Island — and even across the USA and around the world — through our free educational webinars, online Help Desk, reduced-cost spay/neuter clinics, cat food giveaways, transportation, and more. If you are able, donate today to help us help even more feral and stray community cats and the people who care for them. Any amount saves lives!

Make your gift online: https://bit.ly/DonateFCI
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Each October 16, our friends at Alley Cat Allies shine a spotlight on cats around the world through their and campaigns. Bideawee's Feral Cat Initiative encourages you to observe Global Cat Day/National Feral Cat Day all month by taking action on behalf of the cats who share your life — from your pampered indoor pets to the feral and stray community cats who call your neighborhood home.

Learn more about Global Cat Day/National Feral Cat Day: https://globalcatday.org

10/16/2025

Global Cat Day/National Feral Cat Day Action Idea #4:
Foster a cat or kitten!

Have some extra space, time, and love to give? Bideawee is looking for volunteer foster caretakers on Long Island and in NYC to provide kitties with safe, loving, temporary homes as they prepare for their future forever homes. We have foster openings for both adult cats and kittens.

We are SO thankful to our foster volunteers for helping us save — and launch — these precious lives! Every cat or kitten fostered makes room for another one to be rescued and brought to the safety of our Adoption Centers.

Learn more and apply: https://bideawee.org/foster
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Each October 16, our friends at Alley Cat Allies shine a spotlight on cats around the world through their and campaigns. Bideawee's Feral Cat Initiative encourages you to observe Global Cat Day/National Feral Cat Day all month by taking action on behalf of the cats who share your life — from your pampered indoor pets to the feral and stray community cats who call your neighborhood home.

Learn more about Global Cat Day/National Feral Cat Day: https://globalcatday.org

10/16/2025

Global Cat Day/National Feral Cat Day Action Idea #3:
Adopt a cat or kitten!

Sometimes during Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), friendly stray cats and feral-born kittens young enough to be socialized are removed from colonies for adoption placement in indoor, forever homes. Bideawee has dozens of sweet cats and kittens — some with a little fashionable street cred — eagerly waiting to meet you. If you've been thinking about adding a feline friend to your family, Global Cat Day is a great incentive to meet your match at Bideawee!

View available cats and kittens: https://bideawee.org/adopt
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Each October 16, our friends at Alley Cat Allies shine a spotlight on cats around the world through their and campaigns. Bideawee's Feral Cat Initiative encourages you to observe Global Cat Day/National Feral Cat Day all month by taking action on behalf of the cats who share your life — from your pampered indoor pets to the feral and stray community cats who call your neighborhood home.

Learn more about Global Cat Day/National Feral Cat Day: https://globalcatday.org