waterproof fabric for feral cat to lay on?

Ruk

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Nov 22, 2021, 10:04:45 AM11/22/21

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I recently had an outdoor feral cat adopt me. I have been trying to set
up a warm place for him under my carport. I temporarily placed a
heating pad on top of a spare bench and he took to it right away.
Problem is that it has a soft, cotton cover. If I remove the cover and
just have the pad there, he won't lay on it. What could I use instead
of cotton because with the first rain or heavy humid period, that cotton
will get too damp? Thank you in advance.

Dean Hoffman

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Nov 22, 2021, 11:41:05 AM11/22/21

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A cover for a grill or something else meant to be left outside. A small
canvas tarp. Motorcycle cover. Entry way rug. Waterproof bag.

gfre...@aol.com

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Nov 22, 2021, 1:26:39 PM11/22/21

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Keep the cat in your house. Better for the cat and the environment.

Boris

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Nov 22, 2021, 7:29:32 PM11/22/21

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gfre...@aol.com wrote in news:r4onpgdp2bmroukccucfqskjro2ghroifk@
4ax.com:

Years ago, a feral cat adopted us, too. Feeding it outside and trying to
provide a warm space was just impossible. The food attracted racoons,
and heating was dangerous. The cat would trust us just enough to come in
the house and run into every room, spending about 10 minutes inside, and
then rushing back outside. Eventually, the cat slept inside, and wanted
to be let out during the day. We never had to do the litter box thing.
We had 'Kitty' for 10 years.

Bob F

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Nov 22, 2021, 9:00:31 PM11/22/21

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An old pile sweater.

rbowman

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Nov 22, 2021, 10:17:02 PM11/22/21

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It might be more than you want to spend:

https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Products-3993-Outdoor-17-Inches/dp/B07HMPRTXF/

It includes a heating pad that has a fleece cover. The house itself is
weather resistant but I draped a polytarp over it. and butted it up
against the deck so there is clear path when it snows.

I bought it this time last year. It's held up well and the cat likes it.
Sometimes he stays in at night if it's cold, sometimes he wants to go
out, presumably to his house. In any case he gets evicted when I go to
work.

Peeler

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Nov 23, 2021, 3:48:39 AM11/23/21

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On Mon, 22 Nov 2021 20:16:55 -0700, lowbrowwoman, the endlessly driveling,
troll-feeding, senile idiot, blabbered again:

> It might be more than you want to spend:
>
> https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Products-3993-Outdoor-17-Inches/dp/B07HMPRTXF/
>
> It includes a heating pad that has a fleece cover. The house itself is
> weather resistant but I draped a polytarp over it. and butted it up
> against the deck so there is clear path when it snows.
>
> I bought it this time last year. It's held up well and the cat likes it.
> Sometimes he stays in at night if it's cold, sometimes he wants to go
> out, presumably to his house. In any case he gets evicted when I go to
> work.

Is this about you or the cat? It's about your glorious self again, of
course, bigmouth! <G>

--
Gossiping "lowbrowwoman" about herself:
"Usenet is my blog... I don't give a damn if anyone ever reads my posts
but they are useful in marshaling [sic] my thoughts."
MID: <iteioi...@mid.individual.net>

Thomas

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Nov 23, 2021, 4:40:37 AM11/23/21

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Grab a lage styrofoam cooler and forget the fabric. Visit a drug store for a free one. Their insulin supplies arrive in that. Cut a small hole for entrance. Body heat will keep it alive. Rinse out a few time a year.

Ruk

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Nov 23, 2021, 7:59:42 AM11/23/21

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Isn't that funny, this cat is doing almost the same thing, wants to come
in and examine every room, but doesn't want to stay in the house. I
made the mistake last week of letting him stay on the screened in porch
for a couple of hours while I came inside and closed the door.
Unfortunately, this angered him, he couldn't wait to "escape" and then
he ignored me for a couple of days. So, I definitely won't try
retaining him again.

So far, my outside feeding has been timed. I put the food out and
monitor him on one of my outdoor cameras. Once he finishes, and many
times he doesn't eat but part of what I put out, I bring the food back
inside until time for next feeding. Usually, he wants to eat morning
and at dusk. Trying to avoid other ferals and critters that way.

I won't use any sort of standard line heating, like from 120 VAC as
that's too risky even with built in protection, so I've been using a
fused, overload, and short circuit protected 12 VDC pad that provides
about 15 watts of heat. Just can't let the cotton cover get wet,
otherwise everything is defeated. Was thinking of just wrapping a thin
layer of fleece around the pad and let it go.

Ruk

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Nov 23, 2021, 8:05:39 AM11/23/21

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I didn't go that far, but a few weeks back I had a neighbor donate a
fairly large sized cooler which I modified (basically just drilled a 6"
diameter hole in one end) and added straw to the interior. Despite
everything I tried, he wouldn't go in it. I also tried something more
makeshift, a large plastic Walmart storage tote I wasn't using, also
with hole cut in one end, and even with straw in that, he wouldn't go in
either.

With the pad, he'll only lay on it if I place it in certain spots,
otherwise he'll ignore it.

Ruk

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Nov 23, 2021, 8:06:58 AM11/23/21

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I'll have to look this up, thanks. I wore turtlenecks a few years back,
which I couldn't stand and never use, so maybe i could track one of
those down and wrap it around the pad.

Ruk

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Nov 23, 2021, 8:08:24 AM11/23/21

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Tried it. Even with food enticement, he'd go in just long enough to eat
the treat, then exit. We had some pretty cold nights here too.

rbowman

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Nov 23, 2021, 9:38:00 AM11/23/21

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On 11/23/2021 05:59 AM, Ruk wrote:
> Isn't that funny, this cat is doing almost the same thing, wants to come
> in and examine every room, but doesn't want to stay in the house. I
> made the mistake last week of letting him stay on the screened in porch
> for a couple of hours while I came inside and closed the door.
> Unfortunately, this angered him, he couldn't wait to "escape" and then
> he ignored me for a couple of days. So, I definitely won't try
> retaining him again.

This one started out the same. He'd make a quick tour and leave. That
was a couple of years ago. Right now he's curled up on my lap. He still
doesn't like people or other cats. He's established boundaries and any
cat that crosses into his domain gets the bum's rush.

> So far, my outside feeding has been timed. I put the food out and
> monitor him on one of my outdoor cameras. Once he finishes, and many
> times he doesn't eat but part of what I put out, I bring the food back
> inside until time for next feeding. Usually, he wants to eat morning
> and at dusk. Trying to avoid other ferals and critters that way.

This one is a nibbler. He eats a little bit, comes back for more. Other
cats aren't a problem but this summer leaving the food out attracted a
couple of skunks. I heard some noise on the deck, opened the door, and a
skunk was chowing down. Luckily the skunk was focused on food and didn't
mind me. The cat is smarter than the average dog and doesn't mess with
skunks.

I bought a timed feeder but with his nibbling pattern it's hard to set a
schedule.

rbowman

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Nov 23, 2021, 9:44:22 AM11/23/21

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On 11/23/2021 06:05 AM, Ruk wrote:
> I didn't go that far, but a few weeks back I had a neighbor donate a
> fairly large sized cooler which I modified (basically just drilled a 6"
> diameter hole in one end) and added straw to the interior. Despite
> everything I tried, he wouldn't go in it. I also tried something more
> makeshift, a large plastic Walmart storage tote I wasn't using, also
> with hole cut in one end, and even with straw in that, he wouldn't go in
> either.

The house has a door in both ends and I think that helps. He uses the
end butted up to the deck but faces out the other end. It took a while
but eventually he decided a heated pad was a good thing. It is a 120 vac
pad but I installed a GFI receptacle and weatherproof cover.

Peeler

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Nov 23, 2021, 10:25:00 AM11/23/21

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On Tue, 23 Nov 2021 07:37:53 -0700, lowbrowwoman, the endlessly driveling,

troll-feeding, senile idiot, blabbered again:

Peeler

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Nov 23, 2021, 10:33:36 AM11/23/21

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On Tue, 23 Nov 2021 07:44:16 -0700, lowbrowwoman, the endlessly driveling,

troll-feeding, senile idiot, blabbered again:

> The house has a door in both ends and I think that helps. He uses the
> end butted up to the deck but faces out the other end. It took a while
> but eventually he decided a heated pad was a good thing. It is a 120 vac
> pad but I installed a GFI receptacle and weatherproof cover.

Does your cat know that you are the coolest Yankee blabbermouth on the
planet? I bet you keep telling him. <G>

trader_4

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Nov 23, 2021, 10:35:00 AM11/23/21

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Good idea. That would provide insulation, keep any water away
from the heating pad, block drafts, etc.

Thomas

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Nov 23, 2021, 4:46:47 PM11/23/21

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Thanks. The cat will do better with a second escape route. Could flap it to keep out cross breezes.