Hide Your Cats!

.....and Other Summer Tips!
May, 2021
Q. I am a feral cat colony caregiver and my neighbors are threatening to call the police. What can I do to make my cats as invisible as possible.?
A. Here are some suggestions to hide your feral shelters:
  • Placement:  Don't put the shelters on your front porch or under the bushes in front of your home.  Put them somewhere where the neighbors can't see them or the cats that use them. Place shelters in the back of your property, in a garage or a shed, under your back deck, or on the side of your house.
  • Disguise: Shelters should have a color that blends into the background or they should look like outdoor storage boxes. Spray paint can be used as camouflage or set the shelters in bushes or garden foliage.


  • Hide: Plant long stem plants and flowers in front of your shelters. Not only are they beautiful, but it keeps neighbors and passersbyers from seeing the cats. It also provides plenty of shade for the cats to take cover under in the hot summer months.

  • Summer Villas: With the warmer weather, your ferals won't need all the extra insulation protection in their shelters. Take this opportunity to take out the straw and insulation and give the houses a good washing. Place clean straw in them and return them to their discrete spot so they have somewhere to go when it rains.
 
Other suggestions for inconspicuous shelters can be found on Alley Cat Allies

An innovative way to keep your cats safe and out of the neighbor's garden beds and yard is to build them a catio. Whether you want to build the catio yourself or hire a local carpenter, this website has award winning catio plans for you. Catio Building Plans

Q. What is the best way for me to feed my colonies in the Summer months?
A. Summer feeding can be a challenge with the heat and the bugs. Let's review some Summer feeding basics:

  • Canned food will spoil if left out for too long in the heat. Leave only the amount your cats will eat at each feeding.
  • Switch to dry food or add water to canned food to keep it from drying out when it is really hot.
  • Don't leave food out for too long. After about 30 minutes, the bugs will start to show up. Picking up uneaten food after about 45 minutes helps prevent that.
  • Never feed at night or at dark. Food left down at night will attract the nocturnal animals, skunks, possums, and raccoons. 

Plates and bowls
  • Use light colored, clean, heavy plates or bowls; dark colors absorb heat.
  • Never use paper or light weight plastic plates. They blow around in the wind and make your feeding station and the neighbor's yards look like garbage dumps. More information on feeding stations can be found here.
  • Use one large food dish. Cats can share a plate and take turns eating. 
Q. I feed two feral colonies and am facing an uphill battle against bugs this Summer. Please help.
A: Warmer weather usually means special considerations for feral cat colony care. Here are some tips to keep your feline friends eating right bug free:

  • When feeding feral cats in the summer, bugs can certainly pose a problem. Make sure you continue to follow the 30-minute “rule” for removing uneaten food. (Some cats may be slow to arrive at their meal so you may want to wait 45 or 60 minutes.)
  • Maintain clean and neat feeding locations, and keep the food dishes in one place to facilitate cleanup by using a feeding station that will raise the food off the ground.
In addition to raising the food off the ground, other ways to deter insects from the cats’ food include:
  • Surround the food bowl with a ring of baking soda or Vaseline or place the bowls on a large sheet of rough sandpaper.
  • Placing a tray or flowerpot tray with about half an inch to an inch of water in it on the feeding station platform and then placing the food bowl on the tray.
  • Cutting back, or completely cutting out, the amount of wet food that you feed, because dry food tends to attract fewer bugs. Be sure to add more dry food to compensate.
  • Surround the feeding area with a line of food-grade diatomaceous earth (without chemical additives) The diatom dust should be reapplied after rainstorms. Note that diatomaceous earth sold for swimming pool filters is not safe to use for this purpose.
Q. I leave a large bowl of water out for my ferals but it either gets warm or evaporates. How can I ensure the water stays cool?
A. This is the time of year to take the cats’ water needs seriously. Consider putting out extra sources of water during the summer months and placing them in areas that will remain cool throughout the day:

  • Water evaporates quickly in the summer heat, so place water bowls in shaded areas. 
  • Use a bowl that is narrow but deep. This reduces the bowl’s surface area and slows evaporation. Do not use metal bowls.
  • Feeding stations can help provide shade  and keep water out of the sun and they are easy to build.
  • Put out two bowls of fresh water. One bowl should be fresh and cool, and the other frozen. The frozen bowl will melt slowly and provide cool water later in the day.
  • When temperatures reach over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, you should refill the bowls every couple of hours.

Here is a clever way to convert Tidy Cats litter buckets into watering stations with the simple addition of two Chicken Watering Cups from Amazon.

Q. One of the biggest complaints from my neighbors is that my ferals go into their yards to do their "business." How can I dissuade my ferals from doing this?
A. A great deterrent to "bathroom roaming" is making sure you have a litterbox in your own yard for your ferals to use.

  • Use a Styrofoam cooler, just be sure it is large enough to accommodate a standing cat. How would anyone know you did not have a 6-pk in there?
  • Turn a plastic tote into a litterbox by cutting a hole in the narrow side and filling it with 5-6 inches of litter.
  • Cut a hole in the side of an outdoor storage box. The top flips open so you can easily place a litter pan in it.
Q. I am leaving plenty of cool water for my colony but I am still concerned about overheating. Are there any other tips I can put into practice?
A. If you notice that your feral cat is becoming too warm, here are a few suggestions:

  • Wrap a towel around a bag of frozen peas or frozen dinner and place it in her outdoor bed so she can lie on it to cool off.
  • Take a damp cloth and wipe it over your cat. If your cat will tolerate water, wet her with a spray bottle. Most cats will tolerate the damp cloth better.
  • Hold a cold compress around your cat's neck to help her cool off a bit more.

Signs a Cat Is Overheating
According to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, cats left inside vehicles on hot days are the most common heat stroke victims. At 70 degrees on a sunny day, after a half hour, the temperature inside a car is 104 degrees. After an hour, it can reach 113 degrees. Signs that your cat might be overheating include:
·        Rapid breathing or panting
·        Fast heartbeat
·        Drooling
·        Dilated pupils
·        Vomiting
·        Lethargy
·        Yowling

If you suspect your cat may be overheating, take her temperature. If your cat's temperature is above 103 that range, take steps too cool her off. The quickest way to cool kitty down is to wet her fur. Put her in a sink or bathtub with a couple inches of room temperature water, or wet her down with a garden hose. You should then phone your veterinarian for further instructions. The vet may want to see your cat, depending upon how high her temperature is and which symptoms she exhibits.
Triple R Pets and other dedicated groups active in TNR and Rescue brought you these helpful hints to make your colony safe and comfortable this Summer: Alley Cat Allies; Cats Love to Know; Feral Cat Focus; Whiskers & Tails Rescue Foundation
We Need Your Help Now!
Triple R Pets has an URGENT and immediate need for financial support towards the spay/neuter of stray and feral community cats in our area.

100% of your tax-deductible gift will be used to cover the expenses of spay/neuter surgery. Help by sponsoring:
  • a surgery ($50),
  • a feral cat trap ($75) or
  • required vaccinations ($25).

Will you act today by making a donation to Triple R Pets?