Shelter for Senior Cats?
My neighbor recently passed and her two 10-13yo indoor/outdoor cats have been turned out/abandoned. I've taken on feeding them from another neighbor (next of kin doesn't want the cats around/trying to get back into the house while they are selling it.)
I'm in SE Michigan and winters can get bad here. So I am shopping for shelters. I want to keep them comfortable as well as warm enough if it turns out I'm going to be their care taker.
I'm seeing powered heat pad units, staw for bedding and self heating mats. They are old ladies and I can't help but think about being cold and achy all winter, what is going to be the cozyest option for them? There are outdoor outlets near both locations the shelter might go, so power is ok but making a fire hazard is a concern.
I don't know how self heating mats work. Would it be paired with straw? On the straw? Under the straw?
Is there a chance a shelter might be willing to take the cats or are they too old to be eligible adoption candidates? They are very shy/skittish. I've seen the one once, and the other comes over reliabily for food and is chatty but won't come over to me. It's only been about a week. It seems like they are living under the deck next door.
Edit: I would like for them to find new homes and have been contacting local shelters. The outdoor shelter is for the mean time since it's already getting chilly at night.