During winter, temperatures can drop very low and very quickly. These extreme conditions can make daily life and survival difficult for stray cats.

Have you seen a kitty around your home? Would you like to help her and give her warmth and security during the winter?

Here are a few steps to help you build a good shelter easily (and cheaply!):

1. Choose two large plastic bins of different sizes to fit one inside the other. Here are the two models we bought: 40L and 68L.
2. Use the right materials to insulate your shelter: Styrofoam (polystyrene) or straw (it’s important not to use hay).
3. Make a small 6-inch opening: no bigger than the size of the whiskers and placed on the side of the shelter (not in the middle, as the cold would get in everywhere).
4. You can add a fleece blanket to the bottom of the shelter.
5. Place your shelter in a quiet, secluded spot.
6. Elevate your shelter and place it on pieces of wood. This is to keep snow and water out and heat in.
7. Consider putting weight on the shelter, such as a board or stones. On stormy days, it will be stable and won’t fly away.

For more visuals, here’s a detailed video:

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