From emergency and free solutions to engineered models. Filter by animal, season, heating and design class.
Compact insulated winter shelter for one adult cat, with reserve capacity for two cats that voluntarily share it.
Single-chamber winter shelter for two adult cats with restrained interior volume and an elevated base.
Two-chamber shelter for four adult cats, with one chamber per pair and two independent entrances.
Heated two-chamber variant with space for a compatible purpose-built heating product and an unheated choice zone.
Three-chamber shelter for up to six community cats. Multiple chambers reduce the whole group's dependence on one entrance.
Insulated auxiliary winter house for one small dog with a dry raised floor and draft protection.
Insulated auxiliary winter house for one medium dog, with an elevated floor and mono-pitch roof.
A larger yet thermally restrained auxiliary shelter for one large dog.
Large insulated auxiliary shelter with a designated area for a compatible purpose-built heating product and a separate unheated surface.
Four-chamber reference model for rescue/community use, designed as a repeatable modular segment.
Heated variant of the compact single-cat shelter, with a coordination zone for a purpose-built heating product and a required unheated choice area.
Heated single-chamber variant for two adult cats, with a purpose-built heating provision zone and remaining unheated floor area.
Heated three-chamber variant for up to six community cats, with one separate heating provision zone in each chamber.
Heated four-chamber rescue/community variant for up to eight cats, with a separate product-specific heating zone in each chamber.
Heated auxiliary winter shelter for one small dog, with a coordination zone for a purpose-built product and an unheated choice area.
Heated auxiliary winter shelter for one medium dog, with a dedicated heating provision zone and protected cable-routing provision.
A cardboard box with straw for a night or a few days, strictly under a roof: a porch, a doorway or a shed. It is not rain protection.
A cardboard box wrapped outside with construction film or a heavy bag, raised on bricks and filled with straw. For an evening when nothing else is available; replace it as soon as it gets damp.
An old pet carrier with straw as a transitional shelter under cover, for example after trapping or during relocation. The grille and slots let wind through.
A clean foam shipping box (fishmongers, pharmacies, labs) with an entrance, straw and film over the roof. ASPCApro mentions coolers about 2 inches thick as an inexpensive waterproof option.
A foam box placed inside a larger tote: the plastic protects the foam from rain, sun and outside scratching while the foam insulates. The entrance is cut through both, aligned.
The simplest rain and wind cover: a lidded tote with an entrance and a little straw. Without insulation it is not a winter solution; it is a starting point to upgrade later.
A tote raised off the ground, with a high entrance sill and loose straw up to half the height. An inexpensive winter option for one cat until an insulated shelter is built.
A tote lined inside with 30 mm EPS on every side and under the lid. The foam must be covered by straw and checked for scratching.
The same tote as the EPS variant but with XPS boards that tolerate moisture and pressure better. Useful when you have XPS offcuts from construction.
The Alley Cat Allies method: a large tote of about 30 gallons, a foam slab on the bottom, a smaller tote of about 20 gallons inside and straw, with one entrance through both.
A tote-in-tote with foam panels also in the gap between walls, not only on the bottom. More work and material than the basic version, with a more complete insulation layer.
A checked wooden crate with insulation fitted outside and a waterproof wrap, so the cat touches wood inside rather than foam.
A box of checked old boards with EPS and a thin interior lining. Boards of unknown origin, with oil or old preservative treatment, are rejected.
Three checked pallets cut into a floor and walls, with EPS in the cavities, boards over the gaps and an interior lining. The pallet itself raises the floor off the ground.
An OSB/3 box with EPS and a thin lining, roofing felt and a roof falling to the rear. Sealing the OSB edges is mandatory.
Exterior plywood, 30 mm XPS and an interior lining. For two cats that get along, without the framing and hardware of the engineered models.
Small interior volume, 50 mm XPS, a hinged service roof and bituminous membrane. A simplified DIY version without a compiled frame.
An OSB box with 50 mm EPS, one entrance and enough room for two cats to curl up together.
Two separate chambers, each with one entrance, for cats that do not share a space or to keep an escape option per entrance.
Two chambers for two cats each in one OSB box, close to the Alley Cat Allies suggestion of about 2 × 3 ft for a small group.
Three chambers with one entrance each and a service roof for cleaning. A budget alternative to the engineered Alpine Colony Six.
The same module built in batches and stacked at most two high when secured. A small 20 mm roof fall still sends water to the rear.
A lighter insulated box without roof covering, only for a porch, shed or garage with no rain. It must not stand outside without a roof.
A small floorless box fitted in front of the entrance: the cat enters from the side and turns, so wind does not blow straight into the shelter. Alley Cat Allies mentions an L-shaped entry as weather protection.
A roof with a back and one side panel facing the wind and a raised base. It gives daytime cover from wind and rain but is not a winter sleeping shelter.
A roof with a back panel and a dry raised base for resting on rainy days. A closed shelter can also be placed beneath it.
An open structure with an opaque roof and a raised base: shade without an enclosed space that traps heat. Place it on grass, not concrete.
An uninsulated box with an entrance at the front and a second opening at the rear so hot air can move through, as Alley Cat Allies recommends for summer. It must stand in full shade.
A feeding station with a roof and three closed sides, raised off the ground, so food and water stay dry and shaded. It is not a sleeping shelter.
A house of checked old boards with EPS and an interior lining the dog cannot chew, for a small dog. Measure the dog before building.
A house of checked old boards with EPS and an interior lining the dog cannot chew, for a medium dog. Measure the dog before building.
A house of checked old boards with EPS and an interior lining the dog cannot chew, for a large dog. Measure the dog before building.
Four checked pallets, boards over the gaps and a roof falling to the rear. Rain and wind cover without insulation; winter use needs an upgrade.
The same pallet frame as the basic version, with EPS in the cavities, OSB cladding outside and an interior lining. Floor and roof are not insulated.
An OSB/3 box with 30 mm EPS, an interior lining and roofing felt, for a small dog. OSB edges must be protected.
An OSB/3 box with 30 mm EPS, an interior lining and roofing felt, for a medium dog. OSB edges must be protected.
An OSB/3 box with 30 mm EPS, an interior lining and roofing felt, for a large dog. OSB edges must be protected.
Exterior plywood, 30 mm XPS and a bituminous membrane on the roof. Simpler than the engineered models, without framing or a service roof.
Plywood, 50 mm EPS and a 9 mm lining that a dog damages less easily, with a service roof for cleaning.
Plywood, 50 mm XPS, a 9 mm lining and a service roof. A DIY alternative to the engineered Alpine Medium Winter, without a compiled frame and hardware.
Plywood, 50 mm XPS, a 9 mm lining and a service roof. A DIY alternative to the engineered Alpine Large Winter, without a compiled frame and hardware.
A house with a service roof, legs holding it 120 mm off the ground and an EPDM roof, designed to be cleaned, dried and repaired without dismantling.
An open canopy with an opaque roof and a raised bed that air can move under. A closed doghouse is no protection from extreme heat; this is shade, with water and free movement.
An open canopy with an opaque roof and a raised bed that air can move under. A closed doghouse is no protection from extreme heat; this is shade, with water and free movement.
An open canopy with an opaque roof and a raised bed that air can move under. A closed doghouse is no protection from extreme heat; this is shade, with water and free movement.
A roof, a back wall and one side wall facing the wind, with a raised bed. A daytime cover next to the house; not a winter sleeping shelter.
A simple bed raised 150 mm off the ground, away from damp or hot surfaces. Place it in shade in summer or under a canopy.
The order of work for an existing house: roof and water first, then raising, entrance protection, and only then insulation with a protective lining. Shown for a reference house; enter your own house in the retrofit tool.