I should have bought it when I saw it, and now I can't find it. An outdoor home for a feral kitteh.

[Flaxbee]

Earlier this year (I think), at WalMart (yes, I know...) there were these plastic storage boxes with separate lids that had a curved, lowered side entrance on the "long" side, not short side.

So, imagine your typical 15 x 15 x 25 (or so - approximate plastic storage box) with a pop-off cover and an easy-access side along the 25" side. Just one side; the other 25" side was full-height.

PERFECT for outdoor feral kitty beds.

And I have a feral male that I've been feeding for over a year ... I need to catch him and get him his shots and fixed whenever I can isolate $150 or so.

But - I want him to have a toasty warm bed (I have a heating pad he slept on last year) - last year's bed was an open-top box; I want him to have a closed-top box this year.

I know there are all kinds of tutorials about how to nestle these boxes one inside the other, cut out doors, etc... this was just 'ready-made' and I do not think this little guy (I call him Jesse) will go for one of the more claustrophobic nesting boxes just yet.

So - finally getting to the point - if any of you are expert Googlers (I tried and failed) and find such a treasure online - or just know where I could find one - please let me know.

Caveat: I haven't been in WalMart since then, so for all I know they could still carry the boxes, but I did not see what I was looking for at walmart.com

Thanks

[Duer 157099]

1. What was it being sold as?

Was it in the pet section, to use for pets? Or did it have another purpose? Could it have been a cat litter box of some sort?

[Flaxbee]

2. Nope - just a big stack of storage boxes, along with other similar storage boxes, in the middle of

one of their giant aisles.

It did have that kind of dip that closed-litterboxes have, but it was on the long side, not the short, and the sides were pretty high ... so, nice and cozy.

Kicking myself. It was only $12-15 or so.

[hollysmom]

3. What about a deep box on it's side and the lid like a lean to?

It might give him more of a feeling of freedom.

[Flaxbee]

4. Definitely an option -- if I can't find my dream kitteh box

I just liked that this box had a lip on the side -- we do get some snow here, and while he's tucked away on the front porch, if the wind blows the snow in it's good for there to be a step up, of sorts.

[hollysmom]

9. okay - how about this

You get a sealed box and cut a hole in the side with a jig saw them hold an old knife or some flat metal so that the sides are smoothed out or cover the entrance sides with gorilla tape?

[Flaxbee]

10. yup, will do that if I can't find my dream box again

There are some videos online instructing people how to do just that -- (and if you hold a hair dryer to the plastic before you cut it, it's MUCH softer and easier to cut).

I'm just being lazy. And kicking myself for not buying it when I saw it.

[MuseRider]

5. I would love to know!

My feral, just tamed to me this summer, is in my garage for the first time. I don't know how long he will last in there, he came in himself so I fed him there and closed the door. He got bitten on a leg just recently, probably a raccoon but I don't know. I have doctored it and it is getting better. I would bring him in the house but my other two cats do not like him hanging around and my 4 dogs would flatten him in their usual fun and scare the snot outta him. So he has to stay outside. I have an old igloo outside with an ill fitting door and it is up high on a table but I don't think it is safe enough. So far I don't think he has ever been in it.

Mine is going to get neutered and his shots as soon as my husband is done with all his medical appointments, he just had heart surgery. Him first, cat next Mine is called Bela in honor of the dumped off kitty I had before named Bartok who died a year ago. I love lost, dumped, feral kitties.

[cbrer]

6. Make one

Cat can't be that picky. Get one of your big plastic boxes, and cut a doorway where you want it, and get some heavy duty tape to hinge the entrance. Maybe a little hole for the heat pad cord.

[HopeHoops]

7. Try here - lots of options.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=feral+cat+house&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=10703751277&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4176941751106029401&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_3sjpubwzw6_b

Frankly though, I'd go with a $6.00 plastic tub from K-Mart (US Made, too) and a utility knife. No matter how fancy a cat bed is, they'll still sleep on the clean clothes, the couch, the kitchen table, or anywhere else you don't want them to be. I can't imagine feral cats being much different. If the cat won't use the bed, $6.00 isn't a horribly extravagant expenditure. The commercial ones are a little pricy.

[femmocrat]

8. We used one of those covered kitty litter boxes, turned upside down.

It worked purr-fectly! We put some old throw rugs in it and placed it next to the chimney to keep the kitty warm and dry.

[Crabby Appleton]

11. This looks like the storage bin you describe

unfortunately the site linked to doesn't seem to have them anymore.



http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/stackable-storage-bins-4

[Flaxbee]

14. Exactamundo! Yes!

Just like the bottom two in the photo - same color and everything. I think Jesse'd feel snug and safe, but with enough of an escape hatch if he felt like he had to bolt... opossums don't bother him at all, but if he sees a raccoon, he's outta there, man. (We're pretty rural and do have other who enjoy snacking on Jesse's dinner).

Thank you! At least I can print the photo which will make it easier to find locally ...

[mnhtnbb]

12. These come in a set of 6--maybe you could sell the ones you don't need?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Homz-Kidz-Modular-Storage-System-Turquoise/19224757?findingMethod=rr

Here it is for sale by single unit

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/HOMZ-Modular-Recycling-Bin-13N899?cm_mmc=CSE:Nextag-_-Material%20Handling-_-Storage-_-13N899&srccode=cii_9324560&cpncode=31-36993128-2

[Flaxbee]

15. I'm partial to the turquoise one... might splurge and get all of them and just use (or sell) the

others

But the single unit's good, too. The 'short' side is the opening here; I liked it when I saw the 'long' side opening, but buggars can't be choosers, and all that...

Thank you!

[mnhtnbb]

18. They have the larger ones, too, but a little more expensive than

what you indicated in the OP.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/HOMZ-Modular-Recycling-Bin-13N901?cm_sp=IO-_-IDP-_-BTM_BTB05209020&cm_vc=IDPBBZ2

[TuxedoKat]

13. I made my own

for my two outside cats. I just bought a big plastic storage bin with lid, cut a round hole in one side, turned in upside down and put an outdoor pet heating pad in it. It is up off the ground on my vegetable porch and I insulate around it with old rugs and blankets too. I probably spent $12-15 for the storage bin, more for the outdoor heating element. I would be careful about using a heating pad unless it is one of those thermal ones (no electricity) or one that is made for use outdoors. The cats like it very much and are quite cozy in there!

[Flaxbee]

16. I'll do that as a default...

We used a heating pad last year; I work from home a lot so I can unplug it in the morning and plug it back in at night; the porch is deep/covered enough so that it doesn't get wet unless we're smacked by a blizzard...

I'd prefer to get a thermal cat bed, but I need to buy things in stages...

[TuxedoKat]

17. I'd be careful

about using an indoor heating pad outdoors. I think it may be a fire hazard. These special pet items can be expensive. I just bought one of those indoor, warming pet beds too.

[Flaxbee]

19. I know. But I've done it for over a decade... and so far, so good.

My priority is that Jesse's warm (only on "low&quot when it gets below freezing here consistently. But before then, I might be able to buy the thermal pad...

[avebury]

20. I was able to buy a used small igloo to put on my

porch for the stray I feed but he never took to it. Of course now I am up to anywhere from 6-8 that show up looking for dinner. Two of them actually live two doors down and the others generally don't hang around after they each except for this one male that I wish I could get to use some type of shelter outside. He has made it through at least two really bad winters and seems to be a survivalist.