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Cat Forum / General Topics / November 2005Heat reflecting pads
There was some discussion here about heat reflecting pads. I have a few questions: 1/ Do they work? Roughly how many degrees of extra warmth would they provide? 2/ Is one brand better than others? I have seen one at Petsmart, another one online at Dr Forster Smith. They all seem to be around $20. The stray I feed doesn't live with us, nor wants to as far as I can tell, but knows where we are and if she showed up on a particularly cold night we would certainly let her in. (Even those in our household who don't want a permanent pet living inside won't object to that.) I am brainstorming about what I can do to increase her options when we are away for the holidays, should it turn very cold. There is a basement-ish "room" in our building, more like a very large storage closet, which is not used at present and I could leave the door open a few inches with a stopper. It is not heated, nor next to a heated space, and doesn't have a working electric outlet so I can't do anything elaborate. However, it will provide complete protection from wind, rain, and snow. Only problem is, it would still be cold. I was thinking of setting up a chair with a cusion, if a add a heat-reflecting pad, would that be a meanigful extra help? > There was some discussion here about heat reflecting pads. I have a few > questions: 1/ Do they work? Roughly how many degrees of extra warmth > would they provide? 2/ Is one brand better than others? I have seen one > at Petsmart, another one online at Dr Forster Smith. They all seem to > be around $20. > The stray I feed doesn't live with us, nor wants to as far as I can > tell, but knows where we are and if she showed up on a particularly [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > chair with a cusion, if a add a heat-reflecting pad, would that be a > meanigful extra help? I don't think you should use any type of cloth material if you won't be around to change it if it gets wet. Cloth retains moisture and will draw body heat away from the cat if she comes in wet and lies on it. That's why I don't use cloth material in winter feral shelters. Your best bet would be Space Blankets- they're very thin mylar sheets and reflect about 80% of the cat's body heat back to the cat. Space blankets are 54" x 84" and cost about $2-$3 each and come in small packages: http://www.maxshouse.com/misc/spaceblankets.JPG http://www.maxshouse.com/Ours/jade_in_space.JPG You can cover a piece of 2" insulation with the space blanket and cover the space blanket with straw or hay- cats love to burrow into straw. The most important things are to keep the shelter dry and off the ground. You can make a warm and comfy bed for her out of a low rubbermaid storage bin. A low bin will retain a lot more body heat. The space blankets are large, so, you can line the inside of the bin to reflect even more heat. She is sure one lucky cat to have a friend like you! Phil : I don't think you should use any type of cloth material if you won't : be around to change it if it gets wet... My original thought was to (1) Use a patio chair and cushion from the summer (the cushion material does not seem to be cloth; she is also familiar with these, having used them in the summer). (2) To add a layer of heat reflecting blanket, something like <http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=8982&N=20 02+113876> However, from warmth point of view, it is probably better to have an enclosed cardboard box and line up all walls with the inexpensive space blanket you mention below? I could use styrofoam boards for insulation. Please remember there will be no wind or precipitation in this room, but the temperature may be what it is outdoors. Too bad there is no functioning electric outlet, so she will have to go to elsewhere for water. This arrangement is only for two weeks. I am not contemplating a permanent shelter. My long term goal still is to install cat doors and give her access to heated spaces. Finally, I have no way to know if she needs or will use this device. For all I know, she may already have a warm spot next to some water heater. But being unsure I want to give her to an option. Only time will tell if she used it. : Your best bet would be Space Blankets- they're very thin mylar sheets and : reflect [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] : : http://www.maxshouse.com/Ours/jade_in_space.JPG Incredible, my cat looks just like this. Well, so do many others. :-) What is this breed/type? Three individuals have referred to her "maine coon", "siamese" and "tabby". But none of them have their own cats and I am not sure how much they know. : You can cover a piece of 2" insulation with the space blanket and cover the : space blanket with straw or hay- cats love to burrow into straw. The most : important things are to keep the shelter dry and off the ground. Would Fall leaves be a good substitute for hay/straw? Otherwise I can try to find out where to get the latter (not in my usual stores). Bags full of raked Fall leaves are available everywhere right now. If I place the box on a layer of standard bricks, would that raise it enough? : You can make a warm and comfy bed for her out of a low rubbermaid storage : bin. A low bin will retain a lot more body heat. The space blankets are : large, so, you can line the inside of the bin to reflect even more heat. This arrangement is only for two weeks. I am not contemplating a permanent shelter. My long term goal still is to install cat doors and give her access to heated spaces. Finally, I have no way to know if she needs or will use this device. For all I know, she may already have a warm spot next to some hot water heater. But being unsure I want to give her to an option. Only time will tell if she used it. : She is sure one lucky cat to have a friend like you! Well we are both lucky to have each other, and to have knowledgeable and helpful friends like you. :-) > : I don't think you should use any type of cloth material if you won't > : be around to change it if it gets wet... [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > enclosed cardboard box and line up all walls with the inexpensive space > blanket you mention below? I could use styrofoam boards for insulation. Here's a very simple, but effective winter shelter similar to your idea: http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/info/wintershelter.htm Straw or hay is much better than a blanket because they dry much more quickly. > Please remember there will be no wind or precipitation in this room, > but the temperature may be what it is outdoors. I understand the shelter will be indoors. However, if she's wet when she comes in she'll dampen the padding. Damp padding will draw body heat out of her. The only cloth material that *might* work is a waterproof down ski jacket. Too bad there is no > functioning electric outlet, so she will have to go to elsewhere for > water. This arrangement is only for two weeks. I am not contemplating a [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > heater. But being unsure I want to give her to an option. Only time > will tell if she used it. If she's been around for more than a week, I'd bet she knows every single nook and cranny in the neighborhood. Still, you still might have to show her where it is because she might not know you put a bed in the room. > : Your best bet would be Space Blankets- they're very thin mylar sheets and > : reflect [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Incredible, my cat looks just like this. Well, so do many others. :-) > What is this breed/type? She's a DSH- Classic Tabby. Here's a better shot with her eyes open: http://www.maxshouse.com/Ours/Jade-11-16-04--4a.jpg and when she was younger: http://www.maxshouse.com/Ours/Jade-o-mine-climb.jpg Three individuals have referred to her "maine > coon", "siamese" and "tabby". But none of them have their own cats and > I am not sure how much they know. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > try to find out where to get the latter (not in my usual stores). Bags > full of raked Fall leaves are available everywhere right now. I don't think leaves would work very well. I'm sure you've seen how long leaves take to dry- and that's outdoors where wind speeds the drying process. If the room isn't heated, there's also a chance the wet leaves will freeze making the shelter or bed even colder and she'll never use it again. > If I place the box on a layer of standard bricks, would that raise it > enough? Short 2x4s would be better since they wouldn't hold or transfer as much cold. If you use a piece of 2" insulation on the bottom of the shelter, bricks would work fine. Whatever you use, make sure it doesn't wobble. > : You can make a warm and comfy bed for her out of a low rubbermaid storage > : bin. A low bin will retain a lot more body heat. The space blankets are [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > permanent shelter. My long term goal still is to install cat doors and > give her access to heated spaces. That would be ideal. For a short-term shelter in the meantime, the one I'm describing shouldn't cost more than $10 and take about 30 minutes to make. Again, she sure is one lucky cat! Best of luck, Phil > > : I don't think you should use any type of cloth material if you won't > > : be around to change it if it gets wet... [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Straw or hay is much better than a blanket because they dry much more > quickly. Plus, it's the "layered" effect you're looking for - just like they advise people to wear layered clothes in severe weather. Straw or hay (or, OP, fall leaves) trap miltiple pockets of air that act as insulation. A cat can burrow down into it and be surrounded by that insulation to keep his/her body heat trapped in with him/her. Hugs, CatNipped > > Please remember there will be no wind or precipitation in this room, > > but the temperature may be what it is outdoors. [quoted text clipped - 86 lines] > > Phil I would take 2 cardboard boxes one quite bigger than the other. Place the smaller inside then insulate between the two with either newspapers, straw or styrofoam. You could place something like this inside the basement for her to access. Line the inside with a space blanket & some old blankets or fill it full with straw so she can snuggle into the straw. It's not heated but at least she would be out of the wind and have someplace to snuggle into that would be warm. If you don't think she may go into the basement you could always place one of these under the porch or in a back out of the way corner where the wind isn't too bad but the basement would be better. Celeste >> There was some discussion here about heat reflecting pads. I have a few >> questions: 1/ Do they work? Roughly how many degrees of extra warmth [quoted text clipped - 50 lines] > > Phil > > There was some discussion here about heat reflecting pads. I have a few > > questions: 1/ Do they work? Roughly how many degrees of extra warmth [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > > She is sure one lucky cat to have a friend like you! I keep the night temps at 55F to save natural gas. But I want the cats to be warm. I might just employ what you've suggested for them. Reason I say this is that I have a sleeping bag with a nylon outer and cotton/rayon inner. If I put the nylon side on top of me it's much warmer than if I use the cottony side. But mine are strictly indoor cats. So I'm not so concerned about them getting wet but I want them to be warm. > I keep the night temps at 55F to save natural gas. But I want the cats > to be warm. I might just employ what you've suggested for them. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > But mine are strictly indoor cats. So I'm not so concerned about them > getting wet but I want them to be warm. Have you ever noticed that a cat will always find the warmest spot in the house? ;-) Phil > > I keep the night temps at 55F to save natural gas. But I want the cats > > to be warm. I might just employ what you've suggested for them. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Phil Yes I have. Those warm spots also tend to be sunny spots. : > Have you ever noticed that a cat will always find the warmest spot in the : > house? ;-) : > : > Phil : : Yes I have. Those warm spots also tend to be sunny spots. Yes, but our long hair seems to prefer the cooler spots like the floor. carola She does need a place out of the wind, cold, and precipitation. You can use put a cardboard box in that room, close it up, and open up and area for her to go in and out. You can fill it with warm, dry blankets. With adequate food and water, she should be OK. Gail > There was some discussion here about heat reflecting pads. I have a few > questions: 1/ Do they work? Roughly how many degrees of extra warmth [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > chair with a cusion, if a add a heat-reflecting pad, would that be a > meanigful extra help? : She does need a place out of the wind, cold, and precipitation. You can use : put a cardboard box in that room, close it up, and open up and area for her : to go in and out. You can fill it with warm, dry blankets. With adequate : food and water, she should be OK. I feed her everyday, so I know she counts on me for food. Incredibly, I don't know if she needs my help with shelter. I just want to increase her options when I am out of town. |
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