Materials: Styrofoam box (discarded at fish stores) approx. 30" x 12" x12" Scrap pieces of 2" Styrofoam - approx 12" x 6" for the legs (you can use pieces of wood or bricks in place of Styrofoam) GE Silicone Window and Door or equivalent (with gun) - clear or white Duct Tape Four one foot squares linoleum or vinyl (two for bottom, two for top, to weigh it down). You can use bricks or stones in place of these (on top). Straw Deck or Porch paint - must be Latex and outdoor paint! Bubble wrap or clear shower curtain or tablecloth material (for door) Tools: Box cutter, utility knife, or (my preference) small saw Ruler/yardstick Marking pen Scissor Drill (to drill a few drainage holes in the bottom) Paper or printed signs to label the shelters Optional: Mylar blankets - to line inside of shelter. I used to put together shelters using 55 gallon Rubbermaid containers and 2 inch Styrofoam, but that became quite expensive. Recently, I learned how to make easy, inexpensive cat shelters from a great organization called Neighborhood Cats. Mine are slight variations from theirs. You can use your imagination to improve upon/change the design, as you like. Fish stores discard great Styrofoam boxes that vary in size. The ones I like to use are approximately 30" x 12" x 12". You just rinse them out, let them dry, and begin. This is an optional step: to give the shelters some weight and stability, you can attach vinyl tiles, or wooden boards (or anything else that is heavy and flat) to the ...
