Frequently Asked Questions about the Midcentury Meowdern Feral & Stray Cat House
Q: Where should I install the house?
The preferred location is on firm, level ground in a quiet corner safe from predators or intruders, sheltered from high winds and away from the bustle of humans. Ideally the location will allow the kitty to keep an eye on his surroundings via the two openings.
All that said: the perfect location probably doesn't exist and each situation is different. You should rely on common sense and your knowledge and observations of the cat to place the house in a location where he may be interested to spend quiet time (perhaps he has already been spotted sleeping there before?).
Do make sure the house is stable and doesn't rock or wobble. (Shim the feet if necessary.)
Q: How well does the house protect from the elements? Do you offer additional insulation / door flaps?
This house will provide a very cozy and warm space for a cat, as long as it can be placed in a sheltered, or relatively sheltered, location (on a patio, against a fence, or shed, etc). Generally the roof does a very good job of protecting from the rain however one shouldn't expect wonders: if the house is standing out exposed in a storm, without protection from a nearby structure, tree or fence etc, the rain will be blown in through the openings.
We are not offering extra insulation or door flaps for this design. To be honest: it would take a lot of extra engineering and add-ons to make this design work for harsh and exposed locations. We would be left with a pricier, uglier & still not fully appropriate product. So we decided to leave this design as is (since it is a winner in so many situations) and work on another design that is made for exposed locations in harsh climates from the get go. Stay tuned!
Q: What do I need for the heated bed?
The bed uses standard household 110V AC. If an extension cord is being used, you must make sure it's rated for outdoor use.
Please Note: outdoor outlets must be GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) protected (these are the outlets with the "Test" and "Reset" buttons), it is not otherwise safe to operate electrical devices in potentially wet environments. If your power source is not GFCI or you are not sure, cheap adapters can be purchased that turn any power outlet into a GFCI one. Better yet, consult a licensed electrician to evaluate your electrical setup.
Q: Should I unplug the heated bed in the summer to keep the house cool?
The heated bed is designed to be plugged in at all times, it will regulate its temperature using its built-in thermostat and will automatically turn off in warm weather.
Q: How much does it cost to run the heated bed?
When heating, the bed consumes 20 Watts of power so if, for the sake of simple math, we assume that it's on constantly, in an average (30 day) month it will consume 14.4 kWh of power. Assuming an exorbitant (but unfortunately real, for us Californians) cost of about $.50 per kWh, it will cost $7.20 per month to run the heated bed. Real life usage is likely to be lower especially during warmer months when the heater will not be on for extended periods of time.
Q: Should the window / emergency exit be on the left or right side?
Try to face the openings towards likely sources of noise / entertainment / other animals / perceived danger. If a cat hears a noise from a closed side, she will get up and out of the house (or at least stick her head out) to look or just straight up run away. It is much better to allow her to stay put and just look out the window. For example: in our garden, one of the houses is on the patio butting up to the humans' house, its entrance facing out into the yard. We made the window be on the side of the garden door as this is where most "disruption" (humans, dogs and all their stuff and noise) enters the yard. When a cat is in the house, she can quietly observe the comings and goings without having to constantly get up and out of the house to look.
Q. How do I get my feral or stray cat to use the house?
The disclaimer first: there is no guarantee that a cat will use his new house (or do anything else you want him to do, but as a cat person you knew that already). The spectrum of house usage is also very wide: in our colony we have cats who sleep in the houses every day, to cats who sleep in them semi-regularly but strictly during the night hours (we would never know if not for the cameras), to sporadic visitors, to ones who sometimes explore but never stay, to some who never show any interest. It can also take time -- we have cats who "ignored" the houses for months before they moved in.
And while we can't give you a surefire recipe to follow, we can tell you by experience that when a cat does use a house, it is one of the best feelings in the world and worth all the patience and trial and error. It is important to not get frustrated in the process -- just the fact that you are reading this (and therefore are considering providing shelter for a feral or stray) makes you an excellent human being and part of a painfully small group of people who care about these animals. Personally we think of the process of figuring out how to help our ferals as a huge, ever evolving constant puzzle and intellectual challenge. Better than just about anything on TV, if you ask us!
With that said, there are things you can do (and avoid doing) to make it more likely to happen. First, you don't need to do anything special or disruptive to attract their attention and make them see it. Cats are curious creatures and will explore any new object placed in their environment, most likely when you are not looking. Sprinkling high potency catnip (or using a catnip oil spray) over the bed inside will further spur their curiousity and is highly recommended. A few of ours got started by first going in the houses to get a hit of catnip and over time they started to stay more and more.
Do not try to entice the cat by placing food inside the house. Cats will not sleep or relax near food since they know it's very likely to attract other animals. No food, ever. (The only exception to this is maybe a few strategically placed high value treats, but only if you know that the kitty will be around and the treats will help motivate him to check out the inside.) Similarly, do not put toys inside the house. Playing (which is really hunting) and relaxing are two very different activities for a cat.
While moving the house around to try different locations might be a good idea at times, do not move the house constantly. Give it time in a location. Cats dislike rapid changes and need time to get used to them.
Observation is your primary tool. The more you have observed and know the cat, the more you will be able to figure out a setup, location and enticements that might work. Unless it's an extremely relaxed feral or stray, your presence will put him on guard so it's most valuable to observe him without him knowing. Setting up one or more cameras to observe the cat's activities (day and night), when he thinks he is alone, is an invaluable help and will teach you a lot about him. Observe, evaluate, make adjustments -- rinse, repeat.
Q: Will cats spray inside the house / what to do if they spray inside?
Generally, a cat will not spray or use the bathroom in a place they relax or sleep. But, it could be that a male who otherwise is not sleeping in the house just explores it and marks it in the process. Wiping the walls with a household surface cleaner will help, as will washing the bed cover if needed (we stock replacement covers if you wish to have multiples). See next question for our preferred cleaner.
Of course, what really reduces spraying is TNRing the males!
Q: How do I clean the house?
The inside should only need light vacuuming and a change of the bed cover every once in a while (extra bed covers are available). The outside walls (as well as inside walls, if needed) can be cleaned by spraying a household surface cleaner and wiping with paper towels. Please avoid scrubbing a lot or using abrasive clothes or sponges as this may damage the finish.
Most any household surface cleaner should work, but it's best if it doesn't leave a scent. Secret tip: one of the best household surface cleaners in existence is actually the original ammonia-based Windex. While it smells strong when it first goes on, it cleans very well and completely evaporates, leaving zero residue or smell (hence "streak-free"). It is our choice to clean just about anything.
Please see the question below on touch-up paint should you ever need it.
Q: How to prevent raccoons / possums etc. from moving in?
So far we never had a problem with this, maybe we're lucky or maybe there's something about the design of the house that is not attractive to other critters.
Raccoons are particularly smart and it will be hard to prevent them from doing something they have set their mind on. Best to not even attract them to your yard by leaving out food etc. Here again is why catnip is magic since it only attracts cats.
If your kitty has been around for a while and/or is generally more comfortable with humans and their stuff than other wildlife is, you can use this to your advantage. Locating the house closer to you / your house will be no problem for the kitty but will make it less attractive to wildlife.
If you read the section above on observation, it applies here too. Every situation is different and the more you can observe the behaviors of your cat(s) & wildlife, the more you will be able to figure out a setup & balance that works.
Whatever happens, please be kind to wildlife -- they too just want to eat and a place to feel safe. We are the ones with the big brains so it is our job to work out a situation that works. (To dispel a common myth: trapping / relocating wildlife is not humane. It is extremely cruel and dangerous to them and is illegal just about anywhere.)
Q: How can I see the exact shade of colors you are offering? Can I buy touch-up paint from you?
All of our color names are the official Behr color names, so your local Home Depot will have a paint chip for you to take home, or can mix up a sample for you for color tests or touch-ups. We use flat sheen, the white we use for the trim is called "Solid Opal", the elevated platform is "Ink Black".
Q: How does custom color work?
We are able to finish your house any color / sheen you'd like, as long as it's available in Behr. To pick colors, you can walk into any Home Depot and look at their huge wall of Behr paint chips and take some home with you, or even get a paint sample mixed up for you. (Looking in person is definitely recommended over just looking on the computer, as computer screens are not reproducing paint colors accurately.)
We are only able to offer one base color (walls inside out, ceiling, floor) and one trim color. The elevated platform will be painted black. The reason for this is that the extra cost we charge covers ~1 quart of paint and nothing more.
Once you selected the custom color option and placed your order, please reply to the order confirmation email with the desired color(s) and their Behr paint name(s).
The custom color option may add about 1 week to the completion time.
Q: Can I leave my unfinished house as-is?
Sure. The house is constructed from exterior grade lumber and we use waterproof wood glue so the unfinished house will be fine for at least a few seasons outside but likely more. How many, will depend on the harshness of your climate.
Q: How do I finish my unfinished house?
We recommend sealing all joints, gaps and crevices inside and out with a good quality paintable caulk. Then a coat of quality exterior primer ("Kilz 2" is our go-to) and at least two coats of quality exterior latex paint. Purchasing a quart of paint will leave plenty for later touch-ups.
Q: When will the house ship?
Typically 2-3 weeks after ordering, unless we run a backlog or are away from the shop (we will announce these things in our Product Alerts channel).