There are times that our cats would just like to stay outdoors or we deliberately have them stay outdoors. We get a cat house to keep them safe and warm during times when the weather may be too cold or when the rainy season comes along. However, depending on how cold it gets outside, we may need to know how to heat an outdoor cat house.
It is the same when we have a feral cat in the community. We set up a cat house to keep them safe and dry from the harsh weather that we may experience throughout the year. The question is: Would providing them with a cat house be enough to keep them warm and safe?
What else can we do as responsible pet owners to provide our feline friends with what they need to survive the winter cold and the rainy season?
In this article, we discuss:
- why we should keep outdoor cat houses warm
- 4 methods on how to heat an outdoor cat house even with the best cat house designs
- using weatherproofing to keep your outdoor cats warm
- using solar power
- and more!
Read on to learn more about how to heat an outdoor cat house.
Why do we need to heat an outdoor cat house?
One question that we always get is why do we need to heat the outdoor cat houses? No matter how resourceful and independent our outdoor cats may be, they definitely need a heated cat house. They need shelter from the cold weather just as much as we do.
A cat’s normal body temperature must be around 38 degrees C or 100.4 degrees F. In some cases, their natural fur is not enough to keep them warm during winter.
Just as we humans can suffer from frostbite and hypothermia, our cats can get that too which can lead to severe injuries and some result in harsher consequences. Those most vulnerable are senior cats, kittens, and short-haired cats.
Best to keep in mind that if you think it’s too cold outside, it must be too cold for your feline friends too.
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How To Heat An Outdoor Cat House
Now that we know why we need to provide them with some heat outside, it is time to learn how to heat an outdoor cat house to keep your cats warm and toasty. We have compiled a shortlist of some ways that you can keep the warm temperature inside your outdoor cat houses.
Outdoor Cat House With Built-In Heater
There are many different types of cat houses that you can purchase. One of them is a cat house with built-in heaters and heating pads. One example is the Outdoor Multi-Kitty A-Frame Cat House by K&H.
You will have an option to choose from either a heated cat house or a non-heated cat house. If you do choose the heated version of this cat house, you will be getting a 40 watt MET Safety Listed heated pad for an outdoor cat house to keep your feline friends warm.
Warming Pads
Outdoor heated cat pads are a great way to keep them warm inside during winter. Warming pads are those pads that are powered by electricity and can provide heat to your cats when they get too cold.
The great thing about these is that you can place them anywhere that your cat hangs out. If they mostly hang out inside the cat house, then that is the perfect place to put it. If alternatively, they hang out somewhere else like inside the garage or the shed, then you can place one or two of these to keep them warm.
Weatherproofing
Whether you are building your own cat house or purchasing one online, one detail that you might want to consider is to weatherproof your cat house or purchase a cat house that is already weatherproof.
A weatherproof cat house can help protect your cat from any weather that they may encounter, especially rain. A cat house being waterproofed means that no water or moisture can go inside the cat house. This means that your cat can stay dry and warm inside its own sanctuary.
Solar Powered Cat House
If you do decide to build your own cat house, a solar-heated cat house would be the best bet for you. By researching how to heat an outdoor cat house along with how to build an outdoor cat house, you might decide that solar heating might make the most sense.
A few things to consider with regards to solar heating are:
- The position of your cat house will need to receive direct sunlight (southerly exposure is best)
- Are you going to build a cat house for passive solar heat or for use with solar panels with a heating element?
- The insulation of the cat house will need to be much higher than other cat houses
How To Heat An Outdoor Cat House: Our Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are several methods to address the question of how to heat an outdoor cat house. You just have to find what they like and stick to it.
As mentioned above, You can keep cats warm by purchasing a cat house. When you purchase a cat house, you can choose to purchase a cat house where there are heaters and heating pads built-in, and even choose a cat shelter for multiple cats if you own more than one kitty.
In the case of feral and community cats, a great way to keep them warm is to provide them with outdoor cat shelters and feeding stations with heating pads and weatherproof material to keep them dry from the rain when it comes.
Whatever your outdoor cat house plans are, make sure that they will keep them safe, dry, and warm inside the cat house. You don’t want to provide them with a shelter that will eventually get wet inside the house because of leaks and poor insulation.
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