Karen, yes, that's exactly what it is. It was time to retire our old kitty house It has served it's purpose well for several years, but when we added the porch to it, it was hard for me to do deep cleaning inside. We'll still keep it, since the cats absolutely love it.
We thought about scaling down the new one prior to building it but the shed-size just makes it easier to clean, I can go inside with the kitties, it can accomodate several at once if necessary and if I have to trap a cat for vetting, I can just put the sliders in the doors. Plus, the heater's recommendations would be too much for a too-small space.
I have neighbors whom, despite my "educating them" and pleading with them to keep their cats indoors, they just refuse to do so. I just don't understand them. Anyway, someone has to look out for them!
E's, my thoughts exactly. It is so refreshing that more and more people are inventive and helping ferals and getting so creative with outdoor shelters etc. Now, there's a market for all types of supplies. Unfortunately though, heating a shelter is not always feasible due to costs. The heater we bought was 479.00, very impractical for a lot of caretakers, if prices were more reasonable, more pets could be helped!
My latest cat project :)
Re: My latest cat project :)
..........Traci
Who is that pretty yellow cat with the green collar- your neighbor's?
Most sheds are not that nice even on the outside with a window like that...did you customize it with the big arched window...and how did you know how to do the system with the heater...that is simple but ingenious...simply ingenious.
That last pic in kabin 3 with little Sweetie resting his head against the door and one paw sticking out a little is priceless...that shows his love of his new home and his little paw reflects his need to be free to come and go.
.
Most sheds are not that nice even on the outside with a window like that...did you customize it with the big arched window...and how did you know how to do the system with the heater...that is simple but ingenious...simply ingenious.
That last pic in kabin 3 with little Sweetie resting his head against the door and one paw sticking out a little is priceless...that shows his love of his new home and his little paw reflects his need to be free to come and go.
.
-
Tina B and crew
- Posts: 2536
- Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2003 9:48 am
- Location: Virginia
Re: My latest cat project :)
Oh Traci, I too about cried looking at pics. Those kitties are so lucky to have you!! Bless you a thousand times over and over! I saw a neighborhood kitty outside the other night when the temp got down to 10 degrees, I was so angry! I wish all cats had such loving people to care for them.
Tina B and "what a crew!"
How we behave towards cats here below determines our status in heaven ~Robert A. Heinlein
How we behave towards cats here below determines our status in heaven ~Robert A. Heinlein
Re: My latest cat project :)
Mompaws, that would be Squeeky, a neighbor's cat. The neighbor is an idiot. "Never has enough money" to neuter her other cat. Squeeky is convenient for her because he showed up one day, already neutered. The other cat, poor baby, is always allowed outside, doesn't matter how severe the weather is, she claims she doesn't know how he gets out. I always find him with cuts and scrapes, abcesses, limping, etc etc, always call her and educate her and beg her to get him to vet for wound care and of course neutering is in every conversation I have with her. Unfortunately, he is really skittish, scared of everyone, won't come to me no matter how hard I try and believe me, I've been trying for years. And she has the audacity to call me every time when he "goes missing", have I seen him? Sometimes he and Squeeky have collars, I can't count the number of times I've seen them with different collars, no collars, I had to remove one from Squeeky last week because he got tangled up in it 
Oh, sorry for venting!
I looked for a heater for several months. there are very few designed for dog houses and in my opinion, they are unsafe because the heating elements are exposed to the pet. I had seen this one before online and after searching, I settled on it, the price was worth it to me, or should I say the cats. I just wish they were less expensive so more people could use them to help pets. Safety is a stickler for me, this one meets all my expectations. In subzero weather, I've discovered it doesn't get too much beyond 60-65 degrees inside but it's a comfortable temp, we have the house insulated to the core (walls, celing, floor). When it is above zero or so, the temps can get as high as 95 degrees inside.
We designed the "shed" ourselves, I wanted of course for it to serve it's purpose yet to be nice to look at as well. The windows are two parts, a square window with a sunburst top. The trim on the exterior for the windows was difficult to cut for the sunburst, but a jigsaw comes in handy!
The cat house is built solid, as good as or better than a real house. Only thing that isn't standard are the windows since they aren't double paned, but they have screens on them, open up and will be nice in summer. In spring, I plan to paint the interior and put in floorboard, but we didn't have time before cold weather set in, since paint requires warm weather, as does caulking.
Yes, Sweetie appreciates his little house, honestly, the look in his eyes and the trust he shows when napping on me or in front of me makes it all worth it!
Tina, I know what you mean, it just breaks my heart.
Oh, sorry for venting!
I looked for a heater for several months. there are very few designed for dog houses and in my opinion, they are unsafe because the heating elements are exposed to the pet. I had seen this one before online and after searching, I settled on it, the price was worth it to me, or should I say the cats. I just wish they were less expensive so more people could use them to help pets. Safety is a stickler for me, this one meets all my expectations. In subzero weather, I've discovered it doesn't get too much beyond 60-65 degrees inside but it's a comfortable temp, we have the house insulated to the core (walls, celing, floor). When it is above zero or so, the temps can get as high as 95 degrees inside.
We designed the "shed" ourselves, I wanted of course for it to serve it's purpose yet to be nice to look at as well. The windows are two parts, a square window with a sunburst top. The trim on the exterior for the windows was difficult to cut for the sunburst, but a jigsaw comes in handy!
The cat house is built solid, as good as or better than a real house. Only thing that isn't standard are the windows since they aren't double paned, but they have screens on them, open up and will be nice in summer. In spring, I plan to paint the interior and put in floorboard, but we didn't have time before cold weather set in, since paint requires warm weather, as does caulking.
Yes, Sweetie appreciates his little house, honestly, the look in his eyes and the trust he shows when napping on me or in front of me makes it all worth it!
Tina, I know what you mean, it just breaks my heart.
..........Traci
Re: My latest cat project :)
Traci...that is AWESOME!!!! You went way beyond what most would ever do....
I LOVE that heating system...but as you said....wish the initial cost was not so much....after you have run it for a month, will you let us know what it added to your utility bill as well?
It is something like I would love to do for the ferals...and actually, IF finances come together, I am HOPING to add a 4 season room and mudroom to the north of my house next year, before winter...and included on that addition would be an additional "room" off of the mudroom such as this one you buitl, but my plans are not as elegant...so hopefully I could just vent it with a heat duct from the house and maybe an additional small heater if necessary...I would walk out my side basement door into the mudroom, then from the mudroom into the "feral room"...
The way it would be built, only 2 sides...north and east, would be exposed to outside elements...the other 2 walls would join with either the mudroom or sunroom.....
2 cat doors plus one other human door from the outside for emergency purposes...and toys, stacked crates with bedding etc in them...
The sunroom would be mainly for my indoor cats...to give them their own place to go, and maybe free up the majority of my main home from cat hair
yeah RIGHT!!!!
And I have seriously been thinking of some sort of litterbox system in there....of course I would have the regular ones...but I am still curious about one I read online where the woman used untreated cypress mulch and about 10,000 Texas Red Wigglers in a 5ft x 5ft x 10inch litterbox and just emptied the mulch into her flower beds every 3 months...
I am thinking....if I built something like that...with a slope down to one corner, facing away from the room...and a drainage system going to a small septic field...then any moisture would run to the bottom and down through that drain into the septic field...and if I hosed down the floor in there, it would wash down that drain in that area to the field....
*********************
We also need to rebuild the dogs shelter this next year...it was built about 15 years ago using a prefab 8x8 barn shed with shingled roof and then we added insulation and inside walls and a poured concrete floor....the door for them opens to the east, even though their main run heads west, so winds do not blow into the door...and instead of using the double barn doors that came with it, we only cut for and used one door....
We will probably get a prefab shed such as that again for the dogs...they don't care so much about windows because they actually prefer to go outside and play in the snow or sit in the children's wading pools in summer...
And for windows for the cat shelter and my 4 season room....I work for a Pella Retail store and can get windows and doors at a discount !!
I LOVE that heating system...but as you said....wish the initial cost was not so much....after you have run it for a month, will you let us know what it added to your utility bill as well?
It is something like I would love to do for the ferals...and actually, IF finances come together, I am HOPING to add a 4 season room and mudroom to the north of my house next year, before winter...and included on that addition would be an additional "room" off of the mudroom such as this one you buitl, but my plans are not as elegant...so hopefully I could just vent it with a heat duct from the house and maybe an additional small heater if necessary...I would walk out my side basement door into the mudroom, then from the mudroom into the "feral room"...
The way it would be built, only 2 sides...north and east, would be exposed to outside elements...the other 2 walls would join with either the mudroom or sunroom.....
2 cat doors plus one other human door from the outside for emergency purposes...and toys, stacked crates with bedding etc in them...
The sunroom would be mainly for my indoor cats...to give them their own place to go, and maybe free up the majority of my main home from cat hair
yeah RIGHT!!!!And I have seriously been thinking of some sort of litterbox system in there....of course I would have the regular ones...but I am still curious about one I read online where the woman used untreated cypress mulch and about 10,000 Texas Red Wigglers in a 5ft x 5ft x 10inch litterbox and just emptied the mulch into her flower beds every 3 months...
I am thinking....if I built something like that...with a slope down to one corner, facing away from the room...and a drainage system going to a small septic field...then any moisture would run to the bottom and down through that drain into the septic field...and if I hosed down the floor in there, it would wash down that drain in that area to the field....
*********************
We also need to rebuild the dogs shelter this next year...it was built about 15 years ago using a prefab 8x8 barn shed with shingled roof and then we added insulation and inside walls and a poured concrete floor....the door for them opens to the east, even though their main run heads west, so winds do not blow into the door...and instead of using the double barn doors that came with it, we only cut for and used one door....
We will probably get a prefab shed such as that again for the dogs...they don't care so much about windows because they actually prefer to go outside and play in the snow or sit in the children's wading pools in summer...
And for windows for the cat shelter and my 4 season room....I work for a Pella Retail store and can get windows and doors at a discount !!
Re: My latest cat project :)
Tambrey, thanks for your comments!
The problem with your dream setup MIGHT be: the further the distance to the area from the heating source, the less heat you'll get. Meaning, if you use something like a dryer hose to connect for heat, the length of the hose would be too far and heat would just be wasted and it would basically just be recycling the air at the temperature of the overall room. An insulated, enclosed room (with a small area for ventilation) would probably be best in terms of energy as long as you can figure out how to safely heat it.
As for heaters, they can be very dangerous, especially if left unattended. They tend to overheat because they have to work hard to generate enough power to produce the heat. Every year in the winter, we are inundated with stories of house fires and loss of life, both human and pets, despite whether they followed the manufacturer's directions or not. Just this week, we had three house fires here, in two separate incidences, two pets were lost, another injured and missing. Two of the people used electric heaters, one used a wood stove.
I know how difficult it is to be creative and provide sufficient heat at the same time. In subzero weather, I worry the most. Above at least 35 with minimal heat from a reliable safe source at the very least provides shelter from winds and snow. But electric heaters just scare the living daylights out of me.
You could probably build a structure on your own for much less than buying a pre-fab or DIY kit, depending on your purpose. Plus, the pre-fabs aren't insulated, and you can't gaurantee the quality of the lumber or how it's going to withstand weathering. Aluminum is not cost effective either. Just weigh your options carefully, and compare them with the cost of building yourself.
I still would nix the mulch idea for cat litter, mulch when damp and wet can be just as icky as anything else and how on earth would you manage odor-control? Maybe you could find out from your resource how they do that.
The nice thing about the heater I have is that it stays outside of the structure, not inside, much safer. (it's designed for outdoor use). Yes the cost was outrageous but it will pay for itself in terms of what it's intended for. According to the manufacturer, when used in normal conditions it should last 10 years or more. Did I mention it also has an airconditioner function? (doubtful I will be using that option, but you never know!). I do know that it would cost more to cool it than heat it because it uses more energy to cool.
As for my electric bill, it was probably around $10 extra for the month, but it's difficult to determine for sure because of the many days we've had in below zero weather and so much wind...and because I've had the home furnace on more. The manufacturer states in normal operation, one should expect around $7 a month to operate, depending on the conditions. Of course I need to expect a higher average when it's running at it's highest heat mode in this crappy weather.
A note about the "conditions": the heater is only designed to heat a small area no larger than 6x6 square feet, otherwise, it won't provide as much heat as you need for a larger area. However, they state that it can be used indoors for heating an average sized room, just keep safety in mind. They assume for use in a dog house for example, the house will be insulated, weather conditions will fluctuate, etc.
Overall, I really like it for it's safety factor, and it's portable in the unlikely event I'd have to move it around.
Sorry for rambling, just want to encourage you to consider all your options before settling on just one idea. I know you have different needs and I know you'll be very creative!
The problem with your dream setup MIGHT be: the further the distance to the area from the heating source, the less heat you'll get. Meaning, if you use something like a dryer hose to connect for heat, the length of the hose would be too far and heat would just be wasted and it would basically just be recycling the air at the temperature of the overall room. An insulated, enclosed room (with a small area for ventilation) would probably be best in terms of energy as long as you can figure out how to safely heat it.
As for heaters, they can be very dangerous, especially if left unattended. They tend to overheat because they have to work hard to generate enough power to produce the heat. Every year in the winter, we are inundated with stories of house fires and loss of life, both human and pets, despite whether they followed the manufacturer's directions or not. Just this week, we had three house fires here, in two separate incidences, two pets were lost, another injured and missing. Two of the people used electric heaters, one used a wood stove.
I know how difficult it is to be creative and provide sufficient heat at the same time. In subzero weather, I worry the most. Above at least 35 with minimal heat from a reliable safe source at the very least provides shelter from winds and snow. But electric heaters just scare the living daylights out of me.
You could probably build a structure on your own for much less than buying a pre-fab or DIY kit, depending on your purpose. Plus, the pre-fabs aren't insulated, and you can't gaurantee the quality of the lumber or how it's going to withstand weathering. Aluminum is not cost effective either. Just weigh your options carefully, and compare them with the cost of building yourself.
I still would nix the mulch idea for cat litter, mulch when damp and wet can be just as icky as anything else and how on earth would you manage odor-control? Maybe you could find out from your resource how they do that.
The nice thing about the heater I have is that it stays outside of the structure, not inside, much safer. (it's designed for outdoor use). Yes the cost was outrageous but it will pay for itself in terms of what it's intended for. According to the manufacturer, when used in normal conditions it should last 10 years or more. Did I mention it also has an airconditioner function? (doubtful I will be using that option, but you never know!). I do know that it would cost more to cool it than heat it because it uses more energy to cool.
As for my electric bill, it was probably around $10 extra for the month, but it's difficult to determine for sure because of the many days we've had in below zero weather and so much wind...and because I've had the home furnace on more. The manufacturer states in normal operation, one should expect around $7 a month to operate, depending on the conditions. Of course I need to expect a higher average when it's running at it's highest heat mode in this crappy weather.
A note about the "conditions": the heater is only designed to heat a small area no larger than 6x6 square feet, otherwise, it won't provide as much heat as you need for a larger area. However, they state that it can be used indoors for heating an average sized room, just keep safety in mind. They assume for use in a dog house for example, the house will be insulated, weather conditions will fluctuate, etc.
Overall, I really like it for it's safety factor, and it's portable in the unlikely event I'd have to move it around.
Sorry for rambling, just want to encourage you to consider all your options before settling on just one idea. I know you have different needs and I know you'll be very creative!
..........Traci
Re: My latest cat project :)
Actually...all considering....the added room would not really be all that far from the main furnace in the basement...and when I had the new furn ace installed a few years back, I had them upgrade to one larger than I needed for my current house, knowing I wanted to add on....and I would use regular heat vent ductwork, we have hard rectangular ductwork and that is what I would use....
Another option I have looked into is making the flooring in the sunroom and the mudroom and feral room all of permacrete
http://www.permacrete.com/residential/applications.php
a friend of mine does it locally....AND...radiant heat flooring can be installed before it is poured...
hhmmm....you say you really have not done the flooring yet?...This might be an option for you still....And it is NOT just for flooring....look at their site!!
And for the dogs new home....we are seriously considering building a straw house!!...That is readily available around here...can be packed into tighter bales for better insulation...and when the house is all said and done...heck...your imagination is basically the limit!!
http://www.houseofstraw.com/
http://www.strawbale.com/
and TONS of other sites are out there.....
Another option I have looked into is making the flooring in the sunroom and the mudroom and feral room all of permacrete
http://www.permacrete.com/residential/applications.php
a friend of mine does it locally....AND...radiant heat flooring can be installed before it is poured...
hhmmm....you say you really have not done the flooring yet?...This might be an option for you still....And it is NOT just for flooring....look at their site!!
And for the dogs new home....we are seriously considering building a straw house!!...That is readily available around here...can be packed into tighter bales for better insulation...and when the house is all said and done...heck...your imagination is basically the limit!!
http://www.houseofstraw.com/
http://www.strawbale.com/
and TONS of other sites are out there.....
Re: My latest cat project :)
The flooring is already done, I meant to say baseboard (I grew up calling them floorboards 
)
Straw: I'd be very concerned with mold and mildew, and fire hazard, I know the website guy said safe as long as constructed properly, but he's obviously never lived on a ranch. (not sure what it is about them, but straw and haystacks seem to be a magnet for lightning strikes, we battled many of fires). I'd be concerned with any straw structure that has ANY electrical installed, whether underground or above, if it shorts out, you've got major trouble.
That's my opinion. Please don't think I'm trying to find fault with your ideas, I just want you to be very careful with whatever materials. When I decided to build the cat house, I intended to build it as if *I* would live in it, wanted it safe.
)Straw: I'd be very concerned with mold and mildew, and fire hazard, I know the website guy said safe as long as constructed properly, but he's obviously never lived on a ranch. (not sure what it is about them, but straw and haystacks seem to be a magnet for lightning strikes, we battled many of fires). I'd be concerned with any straw structure that has ANY electrical installed, whether underground or above, if it shorts out, you've got major trouble.
That's my opinion. Please don't think I'm trying to find fault with your ideas, I just want you to be very careful with whatever materials. When I decided to build the cat house, I intended to build it as if *I* would live in it, wanted it safe.
..........Traci
Re: My latest cat project :)
I thought it looked like the floor had been done in there
but the permacrete is something neat to keep in the back of your mind for future home projects!!
Actually, the straw/hay you use in the structures MUST be completely dried over a couple years...so no mold/mildrwe worries...and then it is COMPLETELY enclosed in concrete molded around the bales that are stacked and held together with lengths of rebar and wire...you run metal electrical conduits through the bales as you are putting them together...electrician approved...same with plumbing...and they must be inspected as they are being built by the local inspectors, so that everything IS up to code...just like building a new house...but the insulating R factors is amazing...
but the permacrete is something neat to keep in the back of your mind for future home projects!!
Actually, the straw/hay you use in the structures MUST be completely dried over a couple years...so no mold/mildrwe worries...and then it is COMPLETELY enclosed in concrete molded around the bales that are stacked and held together with lengths of rebar and wire...you run metal electrical conduits through the bales as you are putting them together...electrician approved...same with plumbing...and they must be inspected as they are being built by the local inspectors, so that everything IS up to code...just like building a new house...but the insulating R factors is amazing...