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Seasonal Housing for Outdoor Strays - Ferals Here's a step by step view to create your own. About Strays |Befriending Strays |Dangers for Strays |Be4 Getting a Pet

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Using the 4 entry-exit concept seen to the left and simple sloping and overlapping roof, as seen to the right, any type of leftover wood can be used to create a useful shelter. If you're taking the time to build it, you want to make sure it'll get used! Remember 2 ways in and 2 ways out make for a happy stray who feels safer knowing that there is more than one way out, if a preditor is blocking it! Alternating the entries, hinders cold winter winds and keeps out hot summer heat!

Building a shelter that strays will use, can be done with a variety of wood and simple supplies and takes no time at all considering the use the animals will get out of it. Our example is built with an outer and inner casing. The sloping roof is screwed on with 4 wood screws for easy removal in case you need to check on goings on inside and for cleaning. Hinges may be used as well, however we suggest that a hook brace is placed at the lower end, underneath, to prevent high winds from lifting it.

Wood Supplies used for this project were 3 blanks of cedar fencing and 1 inch plywood. As you can see, this project is begun with humble odds and ends, meaning, not much is required to build something as useful as an outdoor shelter that helps strays. When "creating" a shelter, one may use a variety of thick wood as the outer casing. The cedar used in this project, is for additional insulation as cedar is known for it's insulating values. A single piece of housing insulation and some plastic sheeting is required as well. ~ Screws, Wood Glue, Measuring tape, drill, Sander, sanding paper, a bit of time, patience and imagination!

Flat Packing Styrofoam was collected from the local recycling depot. The piece used here in the example is 18" by 23.5" and will be used as insulation under the bottom piece of the inner casing of the shelter.

The front and back are the largest flat areas that will be blocking the wind therefore, the front and back once finished will contain 1" of cedar, pink insulation, plastic and 1" plywood. The inner shell will have an 8" space from the outer walls, hindering cold winds from penetrating. Once you've decided the size you are building, cut your bottom and side pieces first. Remember to cut the sides on angles, so that your roof will be slanted.

#1. The Main Shell Here the bottom has been cut and the cedar panels were glued and screwed into the bottom piece to begin the front and back areas. Also, once the first front and back cedar panels are in place, it is easier to glue and screw the sides so that the structure is self standing. **see pic #4

#2: Cedar Front and Back ** see pic #8 - Once your first panel is in place, use wood glue along the ends, so that the panel seals itself to the next panel. Make sure that when placing the panels a top of one another, that they fit exact - before screwing into place.

#3: Take NOTE There is a small one inch gap that remains above the upper cedar panel piece. The reason for this gap is because once the roof is put in place, the slope of the roof, will sit precisely on the outer edge of the cedar panel. To measure exact, would hinder the slope and lift the roof.

#4:Assembly View This pic shows a clear view of the outer shell doorways being opposite to one another, just as the inside shell will be opposite to these. This is cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

#5: Length and Shape This picture gives you a better idea of the oblong shaping of the shelter's front end is in comparison to our Collie. The front will face south to catch the winter's sun and help warm the tunnel in behind the front wall. While the back or north end, is the coldest and will be blocked by the garage.

#6: The inner shell NOTE: that the doorways are cut 2" above the bottom, leaving a ledge to walk over. Since the outer entries are flat, cool air comes through. The 2" ledge on the inner shell, blocks any uninvited drafts.

The Main Shell

Cedar Front and Back

The Main Shell

Cedar Front and Back

Complete and In Use! A large overhang on the front and sides was allotted when cutting the one inch plywood for the roof. In this way, rain, snow and even sunshine are detered. Less of an overhang was used on the back end that's up against the house. The reason for this was to keep a small gap for summer ventilation and easy to stuff hay in behind in the winter. Because the roof is a heavy treated, one inch plywood, only four (4) screws were used to keep it in place. The reason for this was to make it easier to remove for cleaning or in case of emergencies. Due to the slope and overhang, winter winds don't easily penetrate beneath the roof's joints to the shell. The sloping roof holds heavy snow on those cold gloomy days, insulating and helps hold heat. When the snow melts once it warms up "a bit", it esily flows off the slope. Water from the melting snow, is kept far enough away from the shelter to prevent getting the wood wet and making the shelter colder when the wet spots, have enough time to freeze! An old carpet is used here, since this is used by a few strays who like to lounge on the roof. They use it in the winter to bask in the sun. The carpet was removed during snowfalls.

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