When you live in Iowa snow is usually a given. So we have come up with some ideas to make life a little easier for our feral cats.
The only electric item we use is our K & H heated water bowls. We buy the biggest ones that Chewy sells because they are heavier and hold more. They do not freeze outside, even at -54 windchill. K & H has enclosed the heating element which I really like. I feel it is safer for both us and the animals.
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Another basic need is nutrition. We usually put out high quality dry food because these cats need all the help they can get. We recently switched from Fromm to Fussie Cat. There seems to be a higher meat content in their food. Be sure to place their bowl in an area where it will not get covered by snow. Not all feral cats feel safe eating out of an enclosed box so you might need to be creative.
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Last but not least is a safe warm dry place for them to sleep. If your lucky enough to have a building for them to get into you can keep them warm even without electricity. K & H makes a self heating bed that is very durable (we have had some of ours for almost nine years now). To keep the beds clean and dry we use a zippered waterproof pillow case cover. You can buy the covers at department stores.
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Cats are small and they require a small area to retain their body heat, so as a way to help them do this we recycle our Chewy boxes into what I call "little bedrooms".
To make one of these "bedrooms" you will need Duck tape, box cutter, an extra piece of heavy cardboard, a bed and cover, and straw (optional).
First, fold top in and place the extra piece of cardboard on top ( be sure to place writing upright). The extra cardboard allows them to sit on top of the box and helps the box to not cave in (wood works better if you have heavy or messy cats). Then tape up the box securely, Cut an appropriate size hole for cat ( no less than five inches). What side you cut the hole in does not not matter (short or long), just be sure to center it.
Place zippered cover on bed
Place bed inside box and stuff with straw if you like.
If you do buy straw make sure it is fresh; dust and mold can make cats sick. We stopped buying from the sale barn because we didn't know how old the straw was. So now we buy from our local feed store.
Standlee has good quality fresh straw sold in compressed bales.
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So there you have it!
One day it will be spring again, but until that day comes I hope these tips are helpful for both you and your cats. Stay safe and warm!