Winter weather poses a huge challenge for homeless, street-dwelling animals. Even if you can’t take them in, there are several ways you can help stray cats—which often means saving their lives.

advertisement

As the first snow arrived and temperatures consistently dropped below freezing, more and more calls for help appeared on social media about animals seeking shelter in stairwells. The authors of these posts usually ask for advice or support because they cannot take in the found cat, but they also don’t want to leave it alone. Fortunately, there are ways to provide shelter to strays even under these circumstances.

Create a Warm Shelter

Even if you can’t bring them inside your home, providing an insulated, waterproof shelter is already a huge help in ensuring stray cats survive the winter. This is easiest to do if you have a private garden where you can safely place a cat house you’ve built. In the city, local regulations may not allow this, but if you contact your municipality or the local clerk, you can find out whether placing a shelter is permitted. In an apartment building, it’s worth talking to the building manager. It’s important not to start without permission! In this article, we show a cheap and simple solution that provides adequate protection against cold and precipitation for cats.

Stray cats also need fresh food and water

Feed and Water Them

Street cats that are regularly fed are also strays, and stray cats need fresh food and water as well. It’s clear that animals need nourishment and water even in cold weather. It’s important to time feeding so that the cat is nearby; otherwise, the food and water could freeze. Water should be replaced regularly, just as it would be for outdoor or free-roaming cats living at home.

Don’t Leave a Cat in Poor Condition Alone

If you find a visibly homeless cat in poor condition on the street—possibly unable to move—never walk past it! It is highly likely that it is suffering from hypothermia (or its body temperature has dropped drastically), and if left alone, it could die shortly after.

If you cannot personally care for it, contact a nearby animal protection organization or ask local veterinarians whether they can take in the cat and under what conditions. In the meantime, move it to a warm place and try to stabilize its condition.

If the animal has started to get cold, it must be warmed up as soon as possible

During the rescue, be very careful, as the cat may bite or try to escape out of fear (if it still has the strength). Wear gloves, or cover the animal with a blanket or sweater, and secure it safely. This could be a heated stairwell, your car, or any warm place.

Even mild hypothermia causes shivering, trembling, and slight disorientation. As the body temperature drops further, symptoms intensify, and eventually, breathing becomes difficult, the cat loses consciousness, and its heart may stop.

advertisement