I need to try to insulate a cat house/box just for temporary use. I
want to be able to use material I have around the house rather than
buying something since it will only be used for a week. Right now I'm
using a cardboard box as the cat house and I'd like to inuslate the
sides, top, and back. Will either of these materials work and if so,
which one would be best: carpet or styrofoam that's commonly used as
packing material for VCRs, DVD players, TVs, and computers.

I had originally wanted to buy some styrofoam insulation from a
hardware store but the stores around here either don't have it or it
costs way to much. Plus, the sheets would be to big to fit in my car.

"Mike S." wrote in message
ups.com...
I need to try to insulate a cat house/box just for temporary use. I
want to be able to use material I have around the house rather than
buying something since it will only be used for a week. Right now I'm
using a cardboard box as the cat house and I'd like to inuslate the
sides, top, and back. Will either of these materials work and if so,
which one would be best: carpet or styrofoam that's commonly used as
packing material for VCRs, DVD players, TVs, and computers.

I had originally wanted to buy some styrofoam insulation from a
hardware store but the stores around here either don't have it or it
costs way to much. Plus, the sheets would be to big to fit in my car.

If you only want to use it for a week, pile on some old blankets.

On Feb 2, 7:47 am, "Mike S." wrote:
I need to try to insulate a cat house/box just for temporary use. I
want to be able to use material I have around the house rather than
buying something since it will only be used for a week. Right now I'm
using a cardboard box as the cat house and I'd like to inuslate the
sides, top, and back. Will either of these materials work and if so,
which one would be best: carpet or styrofoam that's commonly used as
packing material for VCRs, DVD players, TVs, and computers.

I had originally wanted to buy some styrofoam insulation from a
hardware store but the stores around here either don't have it or it
costs way to much. Plus, the sheets would be to big to fit in my car.

Never thought I'd answer a "cat-house" question!LOL..When You build
the new cat-house use dimensions that will allow using the temp as an
insulated insert before the roof goes on,,that way Your efforts/
materials are'nt wasted and that pussy will be warm n snug in the cat-
house!
You do'nt happen to have a small solar panel,,a rechargeable
battery and a red LED light do You?*grin*
Dean

If you place it against a outside window and seal the connection to
your home, even with the window shut the heat otherwise wasted leaking
out your window will heat the home nice and cozy.

It doesn't need insulation. IF the cat even goes in it, just being out of
the wind is shelter enough.

--
Steve Barker


"Mike S." wrote in message
ups.com...
I need to try to insulate a cat house/box just for temporary use. I
want to be able to use material I have around the house rather than
buying something since it will only be used for a week. Right now I'm
using a cardboard box as the cat house and I'd like to inuslate the
sides, top, and back. Will either of these materials work and if so,
which one would be best: carpet or styrofoam that's commonly used as
packing material for VCRs, DVD players, TVs, and computers.

I had originally wanted to buy some styrofoam insulation from a
hardware store but the stores around here either don't have it or it
costs way to much. Plus, the sheets would be to big to fit in my car.

On Feb 2, 7:47 am, "Mike S." wrote:
Will either of these materials work and if so,
which one would be best: carpet or styrofoam that's commonly used as
packing material for VCRs, DVD players, TVs, and computers.

Anything will work if your goal is to build something fast and cheap.
My cats have superb fur and routinely go outside in sub-zero weather.
I don't know how cold you expect it to get but most cats are well
adapted to cold conditions.

They instictively huddle down in a place where the wind is blocked and
pull their paws underneath their body. They can also bury their eyes
and nose in the fur.

Mine usually come back inside pretty fast when it's cold though, for
sure. They can make themselves heard by scratching and clawing the
storm door. Occasionally they go out when I am at work all day and
they seem OK when I get home though are quite ready to go inside,
lol.

It is a good idea to do what you can for cats that will be outside.
Barn cats are quite a tradition and if you have any outbuildings then
that is a place where the outside type cat can be given shelter.

Use a cardboard box for sure. Cats love boxes and are naturally
attracted to them and for sure you want to help the cat stay warm if
you can. If you can put a heating pad on low inside the box that is
the best solution and the cat will find it for sure. If you are
really worried then old blankets are the best idea, as Steve said. I
have stacks of moving quilts that I buy cheap by the dozen and they
are handy.

Mike S. wrote:

I need to try to insulate a cat house/box just for temporary use...

Cats make heat, and warm air rises. Can you make an entrance below
the house or a platform inside so the cat can sit above the top of
the entrance? A plastic flap hanging over the door would also help.

An ASHRAE-standard normally-active 6.61 pound cat makes 68.02 Btu/h.
Under a 2 ft^2 R1 cardboard roof, it can be 34 F warmer than outdoors.
Add some carpet under or over the roof to make it warmer.

Nick

So how many cats do I need in my crawl space to radiant heat a 1500 sq. foot
ranch?

--
Steve Barker


wrote in message
...
Mike S. wrote:

I need to try to insulate a cat house/box just for temporary use...

Cats make heat, and warm air rises. Can you make an entrance below
the house or a platform inside so the cat can sit above the top of
the entrance? A plastic flap hanging over the door would also help.

An ASHRAE-standard normally-active 6.61 pound cat makes 68.02 Btu/h.
Under a 2 ft^2 R1 cardboard roof, it can be 34 F warmer than outdoors.
Add some carpet under or over the roof to make it warmer.

Nick

Lawrence wrote:

On Feb 2, 7:47 am, "Mike S." wrote:
Will either of these materials work and if so,

which one would be best: carpet or styrofoam that's commonly used as
packing material for VCRs, DVD players, TVs, and computers.


Anything will work if your goal is to build something fast and cheap.
My cats have superb fur and routinely go outside in sub-zero weather.
I don't know how cold you expect it to get but most cats are well
adapted to cold conditions.

They instictively huddle down in a place where the wind is blocked and
pull their paws underneath their body. They can also bury their eyes
and nose in the fur.

Mine usually come back inside pretty fast when it's cold though, for
sure. They can make themselves heard by scratching and clawing the
storm door. Occasionally they go out when I am at work all day and
they seem OK when I get home though are quite ready to go inside,
lol.


Boy, your felines sound like clones of our cat, "Lard Ass". He'll get
ready to make a break for freedom anytime he hears the doorbell or the
noise of a door opening and doesn't come back until he's hungry again.

The only time I ever saw him not scramble through an open doorway was
when I opened our front door and found there was nearly a foot of snow
drifted against it. Lard Ass just sat there giving me his ****ed off look:

http://home.comcast.net/~jwisnia18/temp/cat_snow2.jpg

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.

mathematics & some pussy ! (now all we need is some beer)



"Steve Barker" wrote in message
...
So how many cats do I need in my crawl space to radiant heat a 1500 sq.
foot
ranch?

--
Steve Barker


wrote in message
...
Mike S. wrote:

I need to try to insulate a cat house/box just for temporary use...

Cats make heat, and warm air rises. Can you make an entrance below
the house or a platform inside so the cat can sit above the top of
the entrance? A plastic flap hanging over the door would also help.

An ASHRAE-standard normally-active 6.61 pound cat makes 68.02 Btu/h.
Under a 2 ft^2 R1 cardboard roof, it can be 34 F warmer than outdoors.
Add some carpet under or over the roof to make it warmer.

Nick

On Feb 2, 8:47 am, "Mike S." wrote:
I need to try to insulate a cat house/box just for temporary use. I
want to be able to use material I have around the house rather than
buying something since it will only be used for a week. Right now I'm
using a cardboard box as the cat house and I'd like to inuslate the
sides, top, and back. Will either of these materials work and if so,
which one would be best: carpet or styrofoam that's commonly used as
packing material for VCRs, DVD players, TVs, and computers.

I had originally wanted to buy some styrofoam insulation from a
hardware store but the stores around here either don't have it or it
costs way to much. Plus, the sheets would be to big to fit in my car.

"styrofoam" insulation (forget the actual name of the material - the
pink stuff that looks like styrofoam) shouldn't be that expensive.
Home Depot has it, if you're in the U.S.

Bring a utility knife with you, and cut it up in the parking lot to
fit it into your car.

How cold is where you are, and how long will the cat be left outside
in this box?

Mark

On Feb 2, 6:53 pm, "Redbelly" wrote:
On Feb 2, 8:47 am, "Mike S." wrote:

I need to try to insulate a cat house/box just for temporary use. I
want to be able to use material I have around the house rather than
buying something since it will only be used for a week. Right now I'm
using a cardboard box as the cat house and I'd like to inuslate the
sides, top, and back. Will either of these materials work and if so,
which one would be best: carpet or styrofoam that's commonly used as
packing material for VCRs, DVD players, TVs, and computers.

I had originally wanted to buy some styrofoam insulation from a
hardware store but the stores around here either don't have it or it
costs way to much. Plus, the sheets would be to big to fit in my car.

"styrofoam" insulation (forget the actual name of the material - the
pink stuff that looks like styrofoam) shouldn't be that expensive.
Home Depot has it, if you're in the U.S.

Bring a utility knife with you, and cut it up in the parking lot to
fit it into your car.

How cold is where you are, and how long will the cat be left outside
in this box?

Mark

Another idea: use 2 boxes, one inside the other, with styrofoam
packing peanuts in between.

Steve Barker wrote:
So how many cats do I need in my crawl space to radiant heat a 1500
sq. foot ranch?


One female in heat.

Boy, your felines sound like clones of our cat, "Lard Ass". He'll get
ready to make a break for freedom anytime he hears the doorbell or the
noise of a door opening and doesn't come back until he's hungry again.

The only time I ever saw him not scramble through an open doorway was
when I opened our front door and found there was nearly a foot of snow
drifted against it. Lard Ass just sat there giving me his ****ed off look:

http://home.comcast.net/~jwisnia18/temp/cat_snow2.jpg


Haha, that's a good one but I got it beat. Here's a pic of what my
"Donny" does when he wants to get my attention. He's a real piece of
work. In this photo he is clinging to the storm door using the window
screen.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u...0/P1100005.jpg