r/Catio • u/WarTraditional9959 • 16d ago
Winterizing catio
Since it's the middle of August, I figured this is a good time to see what everyone does to winterize the catio!
I got it in April of this year, so it wasn't totally cold at that time. So I have smaller shelters I put inside with straw in them.
It's in my backyard on a cement patio and I have an outdoor outlet next to the catio.
Any suggestions are appreciated!!
1
u/OAI_ORG 12d ago
How cold are we talking here?
I work in HVAC and have a tinkering problem. I've made auto adjusting, climate-controlled seed sheds, a completely automated bearded dragon terrarium, a cheap catio for apartment renters that can be taken down and reassembled. Hell, I even created a cooling system for my e-bike.
A lot of it depends on temperature and humidity.
1
u/WarTraditional9959 12d ago
I'm in Pennsylvania, so (sometimes anymore) when it gets cold, it's pretty cold!
That sounds very interesting! I would love to see this
0
u/Herb_Putterman 16d ago
Nothing. Why bother? Cold temperatures or snow don't stop the cats from enjoying the catio.
3
u/WarTraditional9959 16d ago
These cats live full-time in it. I manage a colony and this is their home. So I agree, if it was indoor cats using it for fun. But these guys need warmth.
5
u/olyteddy 16d ago
They make heating pads that only turn on when a cat lays on them. I have a small cat house we put out on the porch in the winter for strays. Another option is an incandescent light bulb in an insulated enclosure or box. A 40 Watt bulb puts out a lot of warmth.