Doghouse in Winter for cat

Question
Dear Carol,

 We found a stray cat and we decided to get it's shots and get it fixed and keep it as an outdoor cat. I live in Illinois and it can get cold during the winter time and i was wondering if it would be safe for her to sleep in a good sized, insolated, dog house with a lot of blankets in it. If not, would it be a better idea to put the doghouse in the garage.

                                  Thanks for your time,
                                                  Matt

Answer
Matt:

Put yourself in the stray kitty's position. What would YOU choose?

I would put the whole dog house in the garage and have a hole where the cat can go outside if it wanted to. But I would also have a litterbox available.

I imagine if you turned the doghouse facing away from the elements and had it on a porch or some covered area that the kitty would be OK. It would be better if the kitty had a companion to snuggle up with to help keep her warm. Cats can regulate their body temperature whereas a dog can't, but only so much.

I live in 'sunny California' so I have not had any experience with snow or freezing temperatures and animals. I would double check with your local humane society or veterinarian to see what their recommendations are.

Now if it were me...I couldn't sleep in freezing weather all snuggled up under blankets knowing the poor kitty was out there all alone in the cold....so I would end up bringing it inside. Maybe you will too.

Carol