Many people are familiar with outdoor cats, which are commonly referred to as feral or community cats.
There is a growing trend of people letting their cats outdoors to wander around on their own. This is considered letting your cat be an outdoor cat, or outdoor kitten!
Many people let their cats out at night to hunt for food and come back in the morning when it is safe. This can be due to they feel protected in their home and don’t need to hunt for food then, or because they are not comfortable leaving them outside all day. It is totally up to you!
There are many benefits and downsides to letting your cat be an outdoor cat. The biggest benefit is allowing your cat to be happy and fulfilled. Some cats love being able to explore and be independent, it brings out their personality.
However, there are risks associated with being an outdoor cat. These include dangers such as predators, cars, sprays, drowning, and shelters that do not accept outdoor animals.
Understand the market
Before you can start hunting for clients, you need to understand the outdoor cat cleaning market. Are there already cats being cleaned by others? Are there enough cats for a business to be profitable?
If there are already cats being cleaned by others, look at how they do it and see if you can do it better. If not, try to add more value than them and offer something different.
If there are not enough cats for this business to be profitable, then great! You have an opportunity to start your business. Spread the word and get more cats cleaned!
There is always room for more cleaners in the community, so do not worry about that. Your job is to advertise yourself and your services so people trust that they are getting a clean cat.
Develop your product
Once you have decided that you want to create an outdoor cat shelter, the next step is to develop the product. This includes deciding what features the shelter will have, how many people it will accommodate, and what materials it will be made of.
As mentioned before, size is important for comfort and safety. Larger shelters can feel more secure, but require much more material which can become expensive. Smaller shelters can feel less secure, but may be better for finances.
Having a cover is a key feature of any good cat shelter. If your cats are awake at night when it is colder out, then they will appreciate a nice warm cover over them. If not, then having a covered area helps prevent unwanted visitors from coming to visit!
The material used to make the shelter depends on what is available in your area and what is budget-friendly. Some areas have better weather conditions than others so some shelters are made more weather-proofed.
Market your product
Once you have a product, you need to let people know it exists. This is called marketing your product. You can market your product in a few ways.
You can talk about it at gatherings and to friends and family. You can put up posters around your neighborhood, at the local pet store, and online on sites like Facebook, Petfinder, and Catster.
You can offer samples to veterinarians so they can recommend your product to their patients, or give out free samples to see if it merits a recommendation. You can put info on paper flyers or brochures and leave them at places like the vet’s office, shelters, and shops that sell pets supplies.
Keep your costs low
One way to start an outdoor cat program is to start with one cat. Once you have an outdoor cat, it is easier to add another cat than it is to put a cat back in the house.
Once you have two cats, it is easier to add a third than it is to put a second back in the house. You get the picture!
Cats can be trained and/or encouraged to socialize with each other so that when you have three cats, one of them can be trained or encouraged to patrol outside while the other two stay inside.
By starting small, you also reduce the risk of having too many cats in the future. If people start adopting more cats, however, they can easily be incorporated into the group through socialization and keeping costs low.
Make sure your product is high-quality
There are a few key things that make or break an outdoor cat shelter. The first is the durability of the shelter.
If you spend money on a shelter, you want it to last for a while! Luckily, if you buy a high-quality shelter, it will last for years.
Most shelters are made with nylon mesh material. This is strong enough to withstand heavy rain and wind, and even some light snow if layered correctly.
The best shelters also have waterproof linings to prevent leaks. Some even have insulated layers to prevent heat loss during cold weather!
Another important aspect of quality is the size of the shelter. Many people make the mistake of buying a small sized cat cage, only to find out their kitty wants some space.
Offer customer service
If you decide to start an outdoor cat program, make sure your cats are well-trained and know how to take care of themselves.
Not every cat is a good candidate for an outdoor lifestyle. If you’re thinking about adopting a cat, ask the shelter staff if the cats are trained to use a litter box and whether they can be confined in a small space.
Well-trained cats can earn their keep as community ambassadors for your organization. They can help promote the good work you do and how you care for the community by taking walks around the neighborhood and visiting neighbors.
They can also provide customer service by greeting people who come to the sanctuary to visit and spend money on tours, food, and merchandise.
Learn from the experts
If you are interested in starting an outdoor cat program, the best way to do so is to learn from the experts. Many shelters offer training sessions on how to introduce cats to each other and the outdoors, as well as how to monitor their health and safety.
Shelters also have resources if you need additional help or new cats to add to your colony. Most shelters have weekly volunteer hours where you can drop by and ask questions as well.
Colony care initiatives are growing across the world, so there is likely a group near you. Check out The Cat Colony and read their FAQ page for more information!
Something important to note: if a cat in the colony starts exhibiting signs of illness, they must be taken into care immediately. Because they are outdoors, it is difficult to properly treat them with meds or drugs, so they must be brought in for treatment.
Can I Use the Same Steps to De-Winterize My Camper as I Would to Prepare It for Outdoor Cats?
Preparing your camper for outdoor cats is a unique process that requires specific steps. However, when it comes to de-winterizing your camper, you can’t use the same approach. De-winterizing your camper involves tasks like flushing the water system, checking for leaks, and inspecting the plumbing. So, while both processes involve caring for your camper, they have different requirements.
Money management
Once you have decided that an outdoor cat is the right choice for you and your feline friend, the next step is to set him or her up for success. The most important thing is to have a consistent food source.
You will need to bring their food to them twice a day, so they can eat as much as they want. You can either use two bowls or bring fresh food every day.
The best kind of bowl is one that has a rim around it so the cat cannot eat off of the ground. This also helps prevent other animals from eating their food.
Having two bowls is also helpful in case one breaks. Then you can switch them out until you can get a new bowl.
The next thing to consider is whether or not to put out a water bowl at the same time as the food bowl. This depends on how often it rains in your area, and how long they go without drinking water otherwise.
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Olivia is the Editor in Chief of Laienhaft – a website dedicated to all things outdoor and camping. If you’re looking for the best tent to take on your next camping trip, or need some advice on how to get started with recreational camping, Olivia has you covered.
