Cat Shelters Get Stylish Spin in NYC

Cookie4653
1 year ago

God Bless the wonderful people who thought outside the box to help homeless cats from suffering so much! And let's hope this spreads like wildfire throughout the country and the world! I grabbed a feral cat off the street many years ago and it took some time, but now she's happy and cuddly in her forever home. I should get her a crown (but she'd never wear it) because she's a little queen bee around here!

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TCATSusan
1 year ago

Please do remember that our feral allies are neither accidental nor a "necessary evil." Until the advent of cat litter in the mid-20th century, strictly indoor cats were rare. For 10,000 years, these intrepid creatures have patrolled our food storage and garbage repositories for rodents who would long ago have overrun and killed us with disease. They are an exquisite blessing amidst our slovenly sprawl. Many thanks to the architects who have celebrated them with these complementary accommodations. And thanks to all who feed, neuter, and care for our cherished friends.

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Jamaka P.
1 year ago

BIG PROPS to these talented and CARING people --now take it national, and global! The cat is the nation's and the world's most beloved companion, and each of us needs to be compassionate, caring, and personally responsible for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the cats in our environments. The benefits of having cats around are countless, including the pleasure one derives from their sheer beauty, grace, elegance and intelligence; they are unparalleled rodent controllers as well, helping to keep their spaces and ours free of disease and dirt. The cat is the cleanest of all animals (including humans); and, as we "domesticated" the cat, it is our collective and personal responsibility to care for, help, protect, and ensure the wellbeing of ALL cats. Bravo to these amazing architects and to everyone involved in this most worthy of projects.

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Thecos99
1 year ago

Very good article. Just what the doctor ordered for stray cats. I build these for our own cats, most of whom we have rescued and have them placed around the yard. One thing to note is that the cats will be more likely to use them if there is a way they can exit without being trapped. So a opening would be good so they could escape if need be.

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Wickedcats
1 year ago

Amazing! Thanks to these kind hearted people many stray cats will have a place to keep warm. The stay cat problem is a human problem. We created this and we need to step up for once and do something to help these cats!

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Llinda871
1 year ago

Mahatma Gandhi said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”.

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HenryKarl
1 year ago

St. Louis MO has several city-authorized managed feral cat colonies, meaning that volunteers have agreed to spay-neuter-return and feed the cats. One of the largest (at least 19 cats), most visible such colonies is at the southwest corner of Lafayette Ave and California St. These cats are such a mag My boys and I have been among the volunteers who feed them. Last October my 13-year-old son and I hauled some 15 bales of hay left over from the St. Louis Scottish Games and made them available for a neighboring resident volunteer to construct a shelter for the colony.

Henry in St. Louis

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Bshane
1 year ago

EAR-TIPPING AND A SIMPLE DESIGN FOR A FERAL CAT SHELTER

What a wonderful article about a wonderful idea, though I would dearly love to see more pictures of the architects' creative shelters for feral cats.

My neighbor and I have TNRed a couple of dozen feral cats over the past couple of years. The volunteers at Houston's Feral Cat Assistance Program generously helped by loaning us drop traps for the most trap-savvy ferals. The folks at Houston SNAP, or Spay Neuter Assistance Program, pitched in with low-cost spaying and neutering.

SNAP also provided ear-tipping while the cats were under anesthesia. We had never heard of it but were grateful to learn that ear-tipping means nicking the tip of the right ear to create the universally recognized sign that a cat has been TNRed. I point out the ear-tipping to other neighbors, so they'll understand that my friend is being responsible in feeding the ferals by ensuring that they will not multiply.

A fellow neighbor showed us a rudimentary but ingenious design for an insulated feral cat shelter. To make it, take a large, rectangular storage tub with a removable top; put the lid on the container; turn it upside down; cut a cat-sized door into one of the smaller ends and a circular emergency exit into the upper rear of one of the larger sides; et voila. For insulation from weather extremes, cut and glue pieces of convoluted foam to all surfaces of the interior.

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Sherylene
1 year ago

This was such a great idea! I have helped with spay-neuter-return in my city. There are so many cats that need help. Supplying feral cats with food and shelter, plus spaying/neutering all of them, is the only way to end this terrible way of life for these cats. Thank you, Leslie Farrell, for your brilliant idea and for bringing this problem to the attention of the public.

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Ches21
1 year ago

I do plan on opening my own rescue in the future where no animal will be turned away!

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