“He was like, ‘I live here now.’”
Melody Karle and her husband reside in Montana, where winter temperatures can plummet to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit. While they can easily escape the cold by heading indoors and adjusting the thermostat, the stray cats in their neighborhood don’t have that option.
After moving into their home a few years back, the couple decided to lend a hand to the local felines struggling against the harsh winter. They repurposed a picnic table, an old fence, and a chicken heat lamp to construct a shelter where the cats could seek refuge whenever they needed to warm up. Karle used food to entice the cats, who quickly took to their new cozy spot, often visiting and even spending the night.
“I can’t imagine what they did before we arrived,” Karle shared with The Dodo.
Seeing the shelter’s popularity, the couple decided to build a sturdier structure. This time, they opted for plastic deck boxes, filling them with straw and adding heating pads and cameras inside. The cats took to their upgraded shelter even more enthusiastically.
As time passed, Karle and her husband became familiar with the shelter’s regular visitors, even giving them names and learning about their distinct personalities.
One of the frequent visitors was a senior cat known as Old Tom Morris, or OTM. He showed up daily for a whole year, munching on the food Karle left out and using the shelter for warmth, but he was wary and seldom allowed her to touch him.
One day, Karle noticed a serious bite wound on OTM’s shoulder. After coaxing him into a kennel, she took him to the vet, where they shaved his shoulder and treated his injury. Concerned for his well-being, especially since he was missing fur and the cold would be even harsher on him, Karle decided to see how he would fare as an indoor cat.
To her surprise, OTM adapted to indoor life almost instantly. “Within two days, it was clear he was completely relaxed,” Karle recounted. “He was like, ‘I live here now… It’s warm, you’re feeding me, and I’m not leaving.’”
OTM has been a cherished member of Karle’s family for two years, and they continue to expand their family. Recently, they took in two additional backyard cats named Winston and Patrick. “We didn’t plan on adopting them,” Karle explained. “We already had cats, and initially, we thought these two weren’t friendly.”
However, OTM, Winston, and Patrick won their hearts. While they’ve welcomed three of their former outdoor cats into their home, the couple remains dedicated to caring for the others still outside. They continue to provide food and shelter for daily visitors and have helped many find forever homes through collaborations with local vets and rescues to spay and neuter the cats.
Karle encourages anyone living in colder climates to consider building a backyard shelter for strays. Though it might seem daunting, she reassures that she and her husband are not expert builders but simply people trying their best. Plus, local animal rescues may offer assistance with low-cost resources and materials.
“Even if it’s not perfect, it’s better than nothing,” Karle emphasized. “Whatever you can do is good enough.”
And who knows? If you build a shelter, you might just end up adopting a new cat—or two!