My Pet World: Here's how to help feral cats survive the winter
Dear Cathy,
This may be a silly question, but do you know if nature gives feral cats anything special to keep them from freezing in very cold weather? I know they survive, but how?
- Dick, Westbury, New York
Dear Dick,
It's not a silly question; it's a great question. I'm afraid though, there is nothing in the wild that protects feral cats from the harsh realities of winter. They don't hibernate or store food for the winter.
As domesticated animals, they are utterly dependent on humans to survive. If you're seeing feral cats in the spring, it's because some kind soul was quietly taking care of them, providing them with food, water and, most importantly, shelter from the cold.
People who want to help feral cats can provide them with winter shelters. Anyone can create a portable winter shelter by cutting a hole large enough for a cat to enter into the short side of a Styrofoam container or plastic storage bin (with lids). Then line the bottom of container with straw for warmth. Never use hay. Hay gets wet and moldy. Straw stays nice and dry and can be changed seasonally. Place this portable winter shelter in a protected area away from the wind or in locations where the cats hang out. A feral cat (or other animal) will find it and use it to survive the winter.
Dear Cathy,
A sad story appeared in my local newspaper. A woman was convinced that her neighbor's 8-month-old puppy was escaping his yard and killing her chickens and wounding her goats. She set a trap, baited it, and when she found the puppy in it, shot him to death. The puppy's owner denies that the dog could have been capable of this type of behavior and another dog or dogs or wild animals might have been responsible. The woman who shot the dog has been charged with animal cruelty; the dog's owner has a brokenhearted young son and feels she has to move.
All of this was avoidable if each party took some responsibility for their property. Fences are not always successful in containing dogs. We have a very tall wall surrounding our yard that has deep footers. Our dogs cannot climb over or dig under this wall. A wall is expensive, but there are cheaper solutions.
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