11/07/2026
Blankets may feel cozy indoors. In an unheated outdoor cat shelter, damp fabric can become a problem.
For outdoor and community cats, choose clean, dry straw instead of blankets, towels, or hay.
**The difference matters:**
• Blankets and towels absorb moisture. Once wet, they lose insulating value and can freeze.
• Hay is dried plant material used for animal feed. It holds moisture, can grow mold, and may flatten into a damp layer.
• Straw is the stalk material left after grain harvests. Its structure helps hold insulating air, and cats can burrow into it to conserve body heat.
Straw usually looks golden yellow and feels stiff, with hollow stalks. Ask for straw specifically at a farm or feed store rather than relying on color alone.
**Making a DIY cat shelter? Keep it snug, insulated, and dry.**
Use a sturdy plastic tote with a fitted lid. Line the floor, walls, and underside of the lid with foam insulation, or fit a foam cooler inside.
Cut an entrance about 6 inches across, several inches above the bottom. Make sure the cats can pass through comfortably, align the opening through the insulation, and cover rough edges.
Add loose straw for burrowing. Raise the shelter on a stable base, secure it against wind, and face the entrance away from prevailing winds. Choose a protected location; where predators are a concern, a second exit may be worth considering, though it lets in more cold air.
Check often. Straw can still get wet, so replace damp, dirty, or moldy bedding and clear snow from entrances.
Provide food nearby in a protected spot. Keep water outside the sleeping shelter, and replace it whenever it freezes.
For dogs, dry straw can help insulate a suitable doghouse—but bring dogs indoors during cold weather, especially severe conditions.
