Winter Shelter Program

What is the Winter Shelter Program?

Our Winter Shelter Program is designed to create affordable and effective outdoor winter shelters for Indianapolis’ community cats. These shelters offer the perfect solution for cats trying to survive the harsh winter weather. When temperatures drop to dangerous levels, winters shelters are a lifeline for our feline neighbors. 

Where Do the Shelters Come From?

We partner with several local businesses and laboratories who provide large quantities of styrofoam coolers which, oddly enough, are ideal for making winter shelters which keep cats warm during harsh weather. These coolers are stored throughout the year until enough are collected to call in our amazing volunteers for a mass shelter build event. In a few short hours, a team of compassionate community members can create thousands of shelters; each one stuffed with straw and ready to use!

When Can I Pick Up Shelters for My Community Cats?

Winter cat shelters are available for pickup between December and February. When it gets near that time of year, we’ll start posting the dates and times, as well as the available locations for pickup. If you’re in a pinch and need a shelter, you can also make your own following some of our tips and suggestions.

How Can I Get Involved in a Winter Shelter Build Event?

Our shelter build events typically take place just before the cold weather hits town. We’ll put out notifications on social media and here on our site. You can also subscribe to our newsletter to make sure that you don’t miss any notifications about our volunteer events. If you want to take it a step further and you feel like you want to join the team, then head on over to our volunteer page.

What Does a Build Event Look Like?

See for yourself. Our volunteers are incredible! They come out on a Saturday morning, brave the cold temps, and make short-work of turning thousands of coolers into thousands of ready-to-use winter cat shelters. Many of these courageous human beings care for community cats of their own, but not all. Some are just here to help out and lend a hand. But, what they all have in common are their big hearts and a willingness to help Indy’s community cats.