The Food Station
We tried a few of the cheap and small stations sold online, but they did not work to our satisfaction. So instead we built our own at the beginning of Nov 2024. We needed something that would at least cover the food bowls and help keep rain and snow off of our guests. Putting together a small structure of our own helped dramatically with the care we offer the community cats.
Seated off the ground about 24″, this helps prevent the other critters that seem to visit our yard from attacking the dinner trays. We do have visits from many skunks, raccoons, rabbits and opossums. The extra height prevents them from reaching the food and the feral cats seem to have no issues jumping up to the platform. The height has changed a few times, so that we could monitor and decide what worked best for the station. Made of mostly all wood planks, it is heavy enough to keep the wind and heavy gusts from knocking it over.
Food Selection & Delivery
We use a warming tray that holds two stainless steel bowls. One we add wet food to and the other is for fresh drinking water. Changed twice daily we rotate different wet food flavors like beef, chicken, tuna and other selections. The warming tray uses electricity to safely keep the food and water from freezing during winter months, and it keeps the bowls from being tossed around during a feeding frenzy! We unplug the warming dish between Spring and Fall. We’ve also added a plastic dish seated to the side of the warmer with dry cat food, leaving a good daily selection for our friends.
Camera: Inside the structure, we have a motion activated camera for us to record & monitor the activity and keep an eye on our guests to ensure they appear in good health. These videos help us determine whether or not they need to be trapped immediately for a medical issue or if and when we’re ready to get them checked out for the “Trap & Release” and/or foster programs.
Lighting: We have also attached a solar LED lamp inside the station at the top underneath the roof. The light aims towards the ceiling and allows just enough extra light to showcase the selections available without scaring away our feral visitors.
