Stray Cat Shelter Is Nicer Than Our First Apartment

There are a lot of stray cats roaming around [Red Tie Projects’] neighborhood, and no one seems to care much about what happens to them. Fortunately for the cats, [Red Tie Projects] cares quite a lot, as evidenced by this colossal cat condo they built. The cats retain their freedom, but get food and a warm, sheltered bed whenever they decide to grace [Red Tie Projects] with their presence.

[Red Tie Projects] built this sturdy shelter from pallet wood and did a fine job of it, sealing all the seams and screws up with wood putty and waterproofing it with silicone. Inside there’s a heated pillow, a light, and a remote-controlled camera so RTP] can pan around and keep an eye on the cats. All the wires run out through a weatherproof junction box attached to the side and over to a control box made from an ATX power supply.

Most of the build is made from scrap, including the best part — an Arduino-driven motorized zip line for delivering food from the balcony to the cat porch. Details on the control box and the food delivery system are coming soon, as [Red Tie Projects] teases in the video after the break. We’re looking forward to seeing those. Oh, and don’t worry — there’s more than enough footage to cover the cat tax.

If [Red Tie Projects] ever takes any of those cats in, their demands will only increase. Maybe they can handle the sound of a motorized chair that follows the sun, since they’re tough street cats and all.

59 thoughts on “Stray Cat Shelter Is Nicer Than Our First Apartment

        1. Sometimes yes. However cats are usually like that if they are starving & have to fight for everything mostly food or to survive. If they have kittens to protect Is another reason. They are not use to anything coming to them easily. A lot of times if they are younger they will become friends because they do not want to be alone. The Stray cat Shelter is wonderful! GOD Bless the people who care about this cats. They are ANGELS 💕💕💕♥️♥️😟

          1. Please do not divert my disapprobation from something what is basically artificial introduced pest by irresponsible adults.

            However warm and fluffy it is.

        1. Cats control rats and other pests in the urban setting – as long as they don’t multiply greatly and become pests themselves – and don’t actually impact birdlife nearly as much as people believe.

          They mainly affect birds that are pests themselves, such as pigeons, sparrows and starlings, and that’s because these birds flock in massive numbers and they’re everywhere because they have no natural predators. They simply crap all over everything, spread diseases and parasites, and pick on trash and leftovers.

          People feeding feral cats and keeping their pets outdoors in the countryside is a different matter, because there they have more chance of encountering natural songbirds and endangered species, but in the cities, most of the animals cats kill live as parasites themselves and occasionally multiply to the point where you have to start poisoning or netting them anyways.

        2. Humans kill a lot more animals and birds than stray cats. Stray cats do have the right to eat. Perhaps mandatory neutering of both species would help? Save the baby birds and mice!… And the cows and the sheep and the goats and the chickens and the ducks and the geese and the turkeys etc etc etc

    1. Every pallet has a sign on it that tells if it was treated by heat (HT) or using chemical (MB : Methyl Bromide). Avoid using MB treated pallets, I was told that even cut it is dangerous for health.
      [img]https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/image/transf/dimension=519×10000:format=jpg/path/sdd1a1bfc3e2ccbcf/image/i53687116ad748644/version/1482103459/codes-des-traitements-palettes-bois.jpg[/img]

      1. At 0:55 of the video, near the bottom, just right of center, you can see markings on the side of the spacer block that include the letters “HT”. Is that a possible indication of heat treated?

          1. But according to wikipedia, it is still used for the treatment of rice in the countries where it is farmed. So it could be expected, that it evaporates fast enough.

  1. Put a magnet under the food dispenser, so when cats are eating, it won’t move around.

    I have a couple pallet wood around, maybe my cat would like me to build something like that, minus the camera, the heated pillow, the lights, the food dispenser…

  2. Thank you! But please, make sure these cats will be sterilized/neutered/whatever by a animal protection foundation or similar so that the population will not grow. TNR is the best (even economically!) und “humane” solution to the too-many-cats-roaming-around-problem.

    (TNR = trap, neuter, return)

    1. There’s a “Friends of Feral Cats” organization in my town, which will loan out no-kill traps, and they have an arrangement with a vet in town to do healthcare and neutering for feral cats that are brought in.

      Your town or area may have a similar organization.

      1. There is an international organization called alley cat allies that promotes, sponsors, & assists TNR around the world, but especially in the USA. They are headquartered in Washington, DC & have been around for decades. Youcan find out about local TNR groups, ir anything else about TND by contacting them through their website.

    1. I feel your pain I dont believe in indoor outdoor cats, your neighbors probably dont either. I keep my three kittys inside and harness them for outside time, it’s wrong to keep any animal it’s entire life inside of 5 rooms. I also participated in TNR and adopted 2 ferals, but am too I’ll now to practice this.

      1. Here – pigeons (big ugh, really. it is intestines with wings on them, brain is definitely absent), crows – those can and will take care of themselves, sparrows and tits, and seagulls (show me a cat stupid enough to attack a seagull?).

        Of the list – sparrows and tits are possibly most vulnerable to cats.

  3. Nice work but the feeding system needs work..Maybe auto feeder with dry food.right by house landing..I hope someone helped the cat you felt was sick..Probably a cold and just needs antibiotic..

  4. I found this video by mistake. But what great mistake it was! With the growing number of animal abuse in the world, it was heartwarming to see someone do the exact opposite. Animals are God’s creatures and he’s definitely smiling down on you. You should start a business making these expressly for homeless animals. Unlike most people they appreciate your kind gesture and by the looks of your video, they are definitely using it! God bless you.

  5. Take in 2 stays. Good home but like you said more out there. I ve made make shift beds on front and back for winter and rain weather. I like of some strong house in the conner of my large yard.

  6. If there were more people who cared about stray animals there would be less of them. If even just half of the population got just one stray cat fixed rhe world would be a better place

  7. Love all the comments and really like the house for the ferals. We discovered 15 feral cats that needed help and the local Jack in the Box knew about them hanging around there. The Manager there had been hoping to get them help and because of his positive feedback we got all the cats humanely trapped, altered ( spayed and neutered and ear tipped). Most were only de-socialized +and proved to be fairly tame outcasts. They got new homes and so did their kittens. In the end there were only 4 really feral cats and volunteers have been monitoring the now much smaller colony for over 10 years. It is a win-win for the cats and that Jack in the Box. The City of Tempe, Arizona also partnered with Animal Defence League of Arizona so all of Tempe Residences and Businesses could get help with TNR of cats in their neighborhoods too.

  8. That made me so Happy. I just rescued feral cat who had a fish hook in his mouth. I had him neutered and he lives in my bathroom with lots of windows and he watches videos for cats while I’m at work. Perfect timing because its going to be below freezing for the next 10 days. When its okay for him to go outside again I am going to build him a house just like yours, weather proof, with a camera and heated pillow. Thank you for being so kind, it brings joy not only to the cats but to so many people too. Happy Valentines

  9. It warms my heart to know that there are others out there who are kind and compassionate to the stray kitties. We’ve been feeding what we thought was one or two cats and now it’s about five PLUS a possum has started coming around! This house is a great idea! I may ask my husband to build one as we are only using boxes wrapped in lots of plastic layers to keep them dry. We’ve placed baby blankets inside, put food in there but right now, with subzero temps, I’ve been very worried as they’ve not ventured out in this cold. I pray quite often during the day that they are hunkered to down somewhere, safe and warm. 😭😭❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏🙏

  10. God bless u for helping the cats
    I having been feeding a feral cat for 3 yrs now it took her 1 yr to come up to me but now at nite she stay in my heated hallway and sleeps on a bed i made for her she even uses the kitty litter box i put out for her
    Sge has a house i made for her outside but now she perfurs to be in my hallway
    I have 5 cats the indoor cats
    I am hoping to intergrade her in my house
    Allso was to take ger to the vet and get her checked out
    She is about 13 or 14 yrs old now
    She has been on the streets scence she was around 2 was trapsd and spade but they put her back on the streets
    I love her so much she is a very loving cat.i named her churchill
    I allso feed around 6 cats that live at the top of my st.
    I wish i could do more for them.we have tough winters here in new england
    If anyone has any suggestions on how i could help them better i would appreciate it

  11. Man, I’m more concerned with the electronics getting damaged outside. Spoiled cats… at least with the heated mattress. B^|) Man… I guess in the city they don’t have equivalents to barns or wood sheds to shack up in when the weathers rough.

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