- Raise the shelter above cold and wet ground.
- Face the entrance toward a protected side where practical.
- Secure the structure so wind cannot move it.
- For community cats, assess predator risk before choosing one or two entrances.
- Regularly clear snow and ice around entrances.
Knowledge base01
02
03
04
05
06
Bedding Placement
Guides
Practical rules that complement the technical plan. Each guide lists sources and separates sourced welfare guidance from design assumptions.
01Winter shelter placement
A good structure loses much of its value if it sits on wet ground, direct wind or a location the animal cannot enter and leave safely.
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Winter shelter placement
A good structure loses much of its value if it sits on wet ground, direct wind or a location the animal cannot enter and leave safely.
02Moisture, bedding and maintenance
A winter shelter has to remain dry. Wet bedding and water ingress can erase much of the benefit of insulation.
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Moisture, bedding and maintenance
A winter shelter has to remain dry. Wet bedding and water ingress can erase much of the benefit of insulation.
- For community cats, use straw; towels and blankets can retain moisture.
- Direct roof runoff away from entrances.
- Inspect joints and edges after strong wind, snow or heavy rain.
- Replace wet or soiled bedding.
- Do not treat ventilation as random hole drilling: current models use the entrance as the dominant air-exchange path until vent sizing is separately validated.
03Heating without improvisation
A heated variant is not permission to build a DIY mains heater. Šapice models space and constraints, not the electrical appliance.
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Heating without improvisation
A heated variant is not permission to build a DIY mains heater. Šapice models space and constraints, not the electrical appliance.
- Use only a purpose-built product intended for animals and the relevant environment.
- The selected product's manufacturer instructions and limitations take priority over the generic plan.
- Adapters, exposed connections and improvised mains wiring do not belong in the animal space.
- The animal should be able to move away from the heated surface to an unheated area.
- The external electrical installation must comply with local electrical rules and appropriate moisture/shock protection.
04Winter shelters for community cats
Sources agree on the basics: small, dry, raised, out of the wind and with straw. Entrance sizes are given as a range, not a single standard.
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Winter shelters for community cats
Sources agree on the basics: small, dry, raised, out of the wind and with straw. Entrance sizes are given as a range, not a single standard.
- A small interior helps a cat keep its body heat; an oversized house warms up less easily.
- Entrance: ASPCApro gives about 5.5 to 6 inches, Alley Cat Allies about 6 to 8 inches. Šapice uses about 15 cm with a sill above the floor.
- One or two entrances: a second one offers an escape from predators but lets in more cold air; the choice depends on the location.
- Turn the entrance away from the prevailing wind or add a flap or L-entry.
- After snow clear entrances and exits; weight or secure lightweight shelters.
- Straw, not hay, towels or blankets: they absorb moisture and chill.
05Auxiliary dog houses: what sources actually say
Šapice separates companion-pet welfare guidance, regulatory requirements for commercial kennels and its own design assumptions.
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Auxiliary dog houses: what sources actually say
Šapice separates companion-pet welfare guidance, regulatory requirements for commercial kennels and its own design assumptions.
- Companion-pet guidance: dry, draft-free, raised and appropriately sized; when possible the dog stays indoors.
- Regulation for licensed facilities (USDA APHIS): wind and rain break at the entrance, dry bedding in cold, shade outside the shelter, continuous water. Its temperature thresholds are not a universal “safe temperature” for a small DIY house.
- Šapice design assumption: the size class is a starting filter; measure the dog so it can stand, turn and lie down normally.
- Young, old, sick, unacclimated and temperature-sensitive dogs need special care and a more protected space.
- An outdoor house never replaces an indoor space in extreme conditions.
06Summer and heat
In summer the goal is shade and airflow. A closed doghouse gives no relief from heat and can make it worse.
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Summer and heat
In summer the goal is shade and airflow. A closed doghouse gives no relief from heat and can make it worse.
- Full shade through the hottest part of the day; trees and tarps do not block airflow.
- Place it on grass or soil, not on hot concrete or metal.
- For cats: a shelter with two openings so hot air can move through.
- Fresh water in shade and freedom for the animal to move somewhere cooler.
- Extreme heat needs a cooler safe space, not a “better” closed house.
- Short-muzzled breeds and young, old or overweight animals are at higher risk.
What to put inside
Cat · winter · outdoors
- RecommendedStrawRepels moisture and stays loose.
- Not recommendedHaySoaks up moisture, turns cold and can mould.
- Not recommendedBlanketAbsorbs and holds moisture; a damp blanket chills.
- Not recommendedTowelAbsorbs moisture like a blanket.
- Not recommendedWood shavingsPartly absorbs moisture.
- Not recommendedWashable dog bedDepends on fabric; textile absorbs moisture.
- Not recommendedNo beddingNothing to absorb moisture.
Dog · winter · outdoors
- RecommendedStrawRepels moisture and stays loose.
- Not recommendedHaySoaks up moisture, turns cold and can mould.
- Not recommendedBlanketAbsorbs and holds moisture; a damp blanket chills.
- Not recommendedTowelAbsorbs moisture like a blanket.
- Not recommendedWood shavingsPartly absorbs moisture.
- Not recommendedWashable dog bedDepends on fabric; textile absorbs moisture.
- Not recommendedNo beddingNothing to absorb moisture.
Dog · winter · under a roof
- RecommendedStrawRepels moisture and stays loose.
- AcceptableBlanketAbsorbs and holds moisture; a damp blanket chills.
- AcceptableTowelAbsorbs moisture like a blanket.
- AcceptableWood shavingsPartly absorbs moisture.
- AcceptableWashable dog bedDepends on fabric; textile absorbs moisture.
- Not recommendedHaySoaks up moisture, turns cold and can mould.
- Not recommendedNo beddingNothing to absorb moisture.
Cat · summer · outdoors
- RecommendedNo beddingNothing to absorb moisture.
- AcceptableStrawRepels moisture and stays loose.
- AcceptableTowelAbsorbs moisture like a blanket.
- AcceptableWood shavingsPartly absorbs moisture.
- AcceptableWashable dog bedDepends on fabric; textile absorbs moisture.
- Not recommendedHaySoaks up moisture, turns cold and can mould.
- Not recommendedBlanketAbsorbs and holds moisture; a damp blanket chills.
Placement checklist
No obvious issue detected
This is not a safety certificate for the spot: it only means none of the listed questions is ticked.