The Kitty Tube Outdoor Insulated Cat House-Feral Option with Straw

I thoroughly researched outdoor shelters and ordered the Kitty Tube Gen. 3 Feral option because of the positive reviews. This shelter is for a feral momma cat and her three kittens (TNR) that are six months old living in my backyard. First Impression - Good My indoor kitties immediately took to the Kitty Tube while it was indoors being assembled. They loved it! So I was very hopeful the feral kitties would eventually use the shelter. Shelter Design - Excellent The shelter is well built and durable with nice insulation around the walls and ceiling. The top lifts off easily to inspect and clean. Assembly was easy (I used the YouTube video instructions). I added two sheets of mylar to the bottom of the unit for extra heat retention for the upcoming winter. The straw sits on top of the mylar. Protection - Very Good We get windy rainstorms, and yes, this shelter kept the straw inside dry even after Hurricane Matthew visited central NC. Customer Service I contacted the owner about how much straw to use inside (3 inches). He was very friendly and helpful. Feral Kitties - Approved! It took several weeks of enticements (and cold weather) for them to go inside. I initially put out the first shelter on my deck for several days in September. I left the top off so the kittens could go inside and find treats. They were curious but leery of it. I eventually placed this unit near bushes where the family sleeps but they did not use it. So I put a toy pillow filled with catnip inside it. They would go inside to get the toy but not sleep in it. I kept periodically spraying the unit with pheromones or catnip. I ordered a second unit hopeful they would eventually begin using it once the weather got colder. I sprinkled catnip inside of each unit on top of the straw. After Hurricane Matthew, a cold front arrived and temperatures dropped to the low 40s. I saw one of the kittens walk out of the unit when she heard me come outside to feed them in the morning. Success! They are using it. Conclusion - Highly Recommend! I just had to be patient, give the feral kitties some enticements and wait for it to get cold enough for them to use the shelter. It gives me peace of mind knowing these little kitties have shelter for the winter. I am deeply grateful that Jim Bradac invented such a quality shelter.

Update: Nov 2024 I've been feeding a few feral cats around my block and this house is used every year. I feel it keeps them warm. I use the straw they send with it. I just took it out from storage this weekend and I had one of my feral cats use it last night. I added a small battery light inside as well. Wish I had more money to buy another one for my stray cats as they seem to like it. If some kind person wants to buy me one I would be very grateful, it's on my wishlist. (WITH STRAW) I bought this in Nov 22 with double insulation which is a little more expensive than just the regular one. So far I had an elderly cat use it, she passed away already due to unrelated causes. Then I had another feral cat who would use it for 4 hours at night during the cold days but he was very timid so he would not use it all the time. Recently another female feral cat took over the house and she uses it constantly. We've had cold weather like low 30s sometimes high 20s F and windy. She loves it. It keeps her warm. I added the little door flaps once she got use to it. I use straw as I don't have a connection for a heating pad. The door is small enough for a cat to get in but that's a good thing. Less wind and cold weather get in. I definitely recommend upgrading to double insulation. Those are the pros. The cons are the appearance, reminds me of a trash bin lol but it's not such a big deal for me. The most important thing is keeping the cats warm. Also if the cats spray the insulation with urine, it's hard to clean. You can't just wipe it so it can start stinking. The price is another thing that bothered me. It was over 200 dollars for me. Something like this could easily have a price like 60-75$. It's a plastic bin! The plastic is good quality but it's still plastic. Also I think there needs to be some kind of clarification regarding returns. Around the time I bought it none of the cats would use it (later later on they did) so I wanted to return it. The description said I had 30 days to return it but amazon had the option of returning the product till Jan 31. The manufacturer declined the return as 30 days had passed but Amazon had 30 more days. So that made me a bit upset. Those were my cons. I have two other cat shelters from a different company that I purchased that are also being used but this one is definitely the best one. So overall I would still give this product 5 stars because the most important thing is to keep those poor feral cats warm.

These aren't cheap, I get that. I bought one a few years ago to help an outside cat colony on a farm. I have since tried multiple different cat houses - all with varying degrees of success and additional work on my part. Some I have to drill, some I have to insulate, some I cover with a tarp for extra protection. These are the only ones that I can set away from the house and be confident they will hold up and stay dry. I bought a 2nd one this winter. I change the straw out about 2x a year normally. I could probably use another 2 of them, but cost is a factor. Easy to maintain and minimal upkeep is necessary. The cats love them and they work. If I were a cat, this is the brand I'd want.

This is an incredibly well designed and well made product. I live in East TN and have a feral mother cat and her 3 kittens that come regularly to eat and sleep here. I bought them a large fluffy bed and put it in a large cardboard box for warmer nights, but wanted something that would provide real shelter when the temperature dips into the 20s or below. It is big enough for all of them and they really love it. I'm truly impressed with this product. It's completely insulated (even top and bottom), & the top lifts off easily for cleaning. The dark color is low profile and tucks in nicely. There are hand holds in the lid, but they can be turned to keep air out or let it in. There is even a hole for an electric cord if you want to use one of those heated pads inside, but a plug cover is provided so if you aren't using that option no cold air gets in. It's extremely sturdy and fairly waterproof, unless the rain was really driving in toward the door. The little awning helps, and we have it under a sheltered area that offers even furfher protection. I am really impressed with this product. Someone really thought about every little detail. Although I was a little nervous about the cost and shipping, I'm happy I bought this product. If the cats get too big for it, i'll buy a second one. And as an added bonus it's made in America, so I can feel good about that too. I used to live in upstate NY where winter can be bitter cold. I built a shelter out of 2 large rubbermade boxes with insulation in between the 2 for the ferals there, as per a feral cat website. If I had known about this product I would have saved myself a lot of time and trouble.

Best cat shelter I ever saw! Extremely well thought out, and covered all the bases, especially with the Generation 2. The owner/inventor is so so so so SO nice, and answers customer questions himself! Very impressive! You never see that these days! That's integrity! Anyhoooooo.....the only thing I can think of if I could make one little tweak on this is to add a dim solar light in it, coz it's really pitch dark in there, and a lot of cats might feel better with a tiny light on. I know they see a lot better than us in the dark, but still......Also, maybe a good-sized resin "porch" that can be added over the door, bought seperately, with fully open and curved side to fit up against the Kittytube over the doorway, and closed on the sides, and closed on the front except for door. Could be held down with a couple of bricks or a paver or a gallon jug of water. A porch would cut down even more on rain and snow and wind. Other than that, I wouldnt change a thing! It's tough, durable, warm, te round shape deters wind, insulated up/down/all around, you can vent it, you can use a round cat bed or the wheat straw, the awnings help keep rain and snow out, it's easy to clean, etc. Awesome product! It's like I told the owner....they should make BIG ones for cities to buy for their homeless to sleep in, and could set aside an area where they could all be set up......and some bathrooms. That would be so nice a thing to do for them. Anyway....if you are not sure which is the best and warmest cat shelter to buy, this is it!! And there will be some coming out for dogs soon, he said!! Be on the lookout if you have a dog!

Edit: My feral boy is using the KittyTube. We've had smashed straw for awhile now. I finally got the wifi camera and the day before I set up the wifi, I saw him come out of the hole. Like others have said, I sprayed it with catnip and Feliway inside and left the top off during the day (mine is on a huge covered porch where my little dude likes to stay). So, he's using it and also using an old outbuilding I have, so he has options. I'm just thankful he has an option on the porch that is so well thought out and designed. THANK YOU, KittyTube. I got this for a new feral that was suddenly on my property and starving. Poor little dude. I called the local TNR and they referred me to an AlleyCatAllies page where this product was listed. Little dude got his sterilization and continued to hang around, so we got him this house for winter. I was skeptical--not going to lie--but this thing is VERY well made. It was very easy to put together and it now sits on my large covered front porch. SOMETHING is using it, and I hope it's the cat. I'm going to get a wifi camera to see what it is. There is also a neighborhood opossum that little dude eats with, so maybe they share, I don't know yet, but it is a wonderful product and worth the cost in my opinion. VERY well thought out in every way.

The only reason this isn't 5-star is that it was a little more difficult to assemble than the first one I bought. However, I highly recommend. This is probably the best insulated kitty shelter of any I have purchased. For me, it was worth the price. I would buy again (and probably will).

I have been feeding a feral cat who took up residence under my deck last spring. The poor thing was so skinny & cold but seemed OK as long as I provided food every day. I was in animal rescue for many years and have always worried about the strays that live outdoors, especially in the winter, at night, when the wind is blowing & the temperatures drop unmercifully and I wanted to provide a decent shelter for her before it gets too cold this year. I started asking rescue friends for ideas and none seemed appropriate for my deck & patio, where my neighbors wouldn't complain that it looked shabby and that I was inviting neighborhood strays, or the structures would keep her warm enough. Many were best suited for use on enclosed porches, which I do not have. I saw a review of best cat products on Amazon and the Kitty Tube-Generation 2 was one of the items. After reading all the reviews on the Kitty Tube and comments on other outdoor cat shelters, etc., I decided to try the Kitty Tube. I am NOT disappointed! Shipping was faster than I expected; it was easy to assemble and light enough for a small woman like me to lift and move around. I love the design; it is not too big, has a pleasing shape and fits nicely with my outdoor furniture & accessories. The material is durable and will be easy to clean; the pieces fit perfectly and are easy to assemble with clear, written diagrams & instructions. I love the summer/winter option which is clever with just the twist of the top to expose the air vents in warmer weather, close in cold weather. I ordered the feral style with straw and received a good-sized bag of straw, which should be enough to get through the winter. I had one question which I asked the vendor about and received an immediate response and the answer I needed. I think kitty likes her new home because she used it the very first day I set it out. We were in the middle of Hurricane Jaocquin and after 2 days of steady rain she did not hesitate to go inside to stay dry. She has been using it every night since. I may move it to my deck during the winter months so I can see her when she's inside, and she can see my indoor cats since she enjoys watching them through the sliding glass door. My experience with the Kitty Tube has been such a good one that I am now considering purchasing the extra insulation and the heating pad. This is one of the best-designed outdoor cat houses that I've seen. It is clean, safe, and will offer excellent protection. I will sleep well at night knowing she's warm, dry and has a place of her very own this winter. Someone obviously put a great deal of thought and skill into this product and it makes me happy to know that others are also concerned about the welfare of the homeless, throw-away cats. Good job Kitty Tube!

Very much liked

So far it is great. This winter will tell me more and if the cats like it. If they do I might consider buying another for other areas in need. Evelyn Patrick

Good quality. Easy to assemble. A LOT of extra straw. Cat moved in right away. Planning to get the insulation kit before winter

Very sturdy. Easy to assemble. Real test will be to see if cat/cats use it in the cold weather.

Cats won't use it