For months I've been fielding questions about little miss Tula Tallulah Lou (Yes her name keeps getting added to...and I'm okay with that, she doesn't seem to mind!) and our oncoming winter here in the mountains of Southwestern Virginia.
Yes - temps can get quite cold here in the winter month.
Yes, there is ice and snow.
While we have a heated garage, she would not like to be locked up inside and I'm not putting in cat doors to invite all of the possums and racoons and other critters in.
Yes, I know they have remote control collars that will only open for the one wearing the collar. But I don't want to put a cat door in the door to the garage. I'm sure many understand.
I started seeing them going in and out of a broken window sometime around January.
By February, Tula was being fed by retreaters (smart girl!) and making her chosen home with us.
But she has always been an OUTSIDE kitty.
We found a solution!
Insulated walls and a heated fleece covered pad to keep her warm this winter - it's worth a try.
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Enticing her with treats to go in and just check it out!
So far all I've seen is two-paws-in and the back side hanging out, but I think when it gets cold enough she will find her way in there.
Heaven knows you can't force a cat to accept anything they haven't made their mind up on.
The assembly was super simple - it's all Velcro.
It's got really good ratings. I've listed the Outdoor Heated Cat House in the Pets Matter category of the of the Quiltville Amazon Affiliate Store. #ad
We like it so well that we got a second one for Ivy who has already moved in, happy as a clam.
Yes, we love you Tula!
You've been such a fun addition to our Quiltville Inn family, and we want you to be toasty warm this winter!
Just as I said it would be - yesterday was a get the Inn ready for the next group kind of day, with any other spare moment spent at my desk doing all of the things to get Silk Path ready to release on Friday.
I'm choosing photos to include and I believe this is one of them. It's a partial lay out in real time - from when I was making it.
Not everything is best as a computer drawn graphic, and that's why I love to include real photos with real fabrics in my PDF patterns. There are so many things I can include this way that I couldn't when patterns were being printed in books or in paper patterns.
It will be another desk day - but there also needs to be some grocery shopping happening or there won't be any food in this house at all.
The October Quiltvillians arrive tomorrow, and immediately after them I have 24 hours to flip and get ready for the November Quiltvillians.
November 8th I fly to Phoenix to visit family the week before Thanksgiving - and then you know what happens - let the Mystery Quilting Fun begin in earnest!
Our last retreat of the year is the December Quiltvillians the first weekend of December and that's it for our 4th retreat season.
Time does fly!
Quiltville Quote of the Day -
Don't let the hard things of this world make you hard hearted as well.
Have a terrific Tuesday, everyone!
21 comments:
What a good idea!
Bonnie, I love your Tula stories. They remind me of our sweet Andy Rooney a feral cat who adopted us. He helped me piece quilt tops for 15 years. Thank you for sharing Tulsa’s story.
I am so looking forward to the silk path pattern. I have lots of browms that I may use for it. Right now I am working on a queen size
Seven Sisters quilt for my daughter. I wish everyone a nice day
I'm intrigued with the containers on the floor next to the quilt - do you have your scraps sorted by color in bins? If so, I love it and will be imitating you for sure. Thanks for all you do, Bonnie.
Love reading your blog! I have been checking out all your patterns to see which ones are MQ’s and all the Leader Ender blocks.. is there a list of these?
Don’t fret about Tula, she will figure it out, they all do!
Your kind heart came through again! What a great thing for Tula AND Ivy. I bet when she feels the heated pad, if not before, she will scoot it,
Like the lay out. Hard to believe it is patch block.
Have thought about an outside house for my outside kitties, let us know if she finally uses the house.
Ann
Tula is such a pretty girl!
Such a pretty Kitty
Bonnie, thank you! I have also had a stray hanging out on my porch and the thought of the upcoming winter months has been killing me. I've just ordered the kitty cabin from your link. Timing is perfect, thank you! Gorgeous quilts btw, love them all.
Lucky Tula! I love how her name keeps developing as she gets more settled as the Inn kitty. I am so looking forward to release of "Silk Road". Looks like a fine way to use some of my many bits of blues and creams. I'd have to go out and buy browns, lol, and I want this for me. Blue is my favorite color.
My sister has cats, some of which prefer to be only outdoors, some only indoors & some happy to be in or outside. She has heated outdoor beds like this for her cats & has had them for many winters & her cats love them! We have a senior citizen cat, she’s 17 years old! We have indoors heated beds for her for her arthritis, which she loves to bits! All cats love warmth & comfort, our cats love to snuggle up with us, no matter which room of the house we are in. :) I’m sure your cats will love their heated beds, too!
K from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where we know snow & cold ❄️
Not Bonnie here but have you seen Bonnie's tips on her scrap savers system? It's on her blog under the tips and technique button :0)
My BIL and SIL have a group of ferals who come by regularly. They got a heated dog crate for their back porch, which has space (and food) for the five regulars.
My older S brought in a feral after it spent six months hanging out on their patio. Was definitely a power struggle for a while with two other cats in the house!
Tula clearly made the right decision in coming to Quiltville Inn! Well loved, well fed, well cared for, well housed and free to roam. Lucky Independent girl!
Tula will happily use her "house" when she deems it cold enough outside. She's a smart kitty--she chose Quiltville, and she will chose a heated house when it gets colder.
Time to start looking for the creamed pearl onions!! Marilyn Marks
Glad Tula Lou has found a good home. Her outside Porch home looks cozy. Happy End of October for the Retreaters. Sounds more fun that opening the door to costumed kiddos wanting candy. I have my Chilhowie still in the works, hate to say It's not finished and I'm starting a new Mystery. I just do what I can when I'm home in the sewing Zone. If my Coughing would just stop I'd be sew Happy. Thanks for all you do.
We have two outdoor kitties frequenting our yard the past few months. Thank you for the insight on this option. Looks terrific. Animals are a source of comfort for so many people.
Amy in NJ
My son and daughter in law have a little house with a heated blanket that for the feral cats in their KC neighborhood and when it gets cold they do definitely use it.
We had a cat adopt us as well. It took 3 years before she would go in the heated house on the back deck. But now she does and loves it. She would not want to be indoors ever.
My parents have had a "cat box" made of scrap lumber with cushions and towels in it on the back porch for as long as I remember. Outside cats just don't want to come in and the little box keeps them sheltered. I am sure Tula will be snug.
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