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How to care for stray cats in the winter

If you find a litter of kittens or a stray cat in your backyard, there are steps you can take to help them survive the winter.

The cooler weather means dangerous conditions for stray animals like cats. 

If you find a litter of kittens or a stray cat in your backyard, there are steps you can take to help them survive the winter. 

If the feline in question seems like a house cat, check with friends and neighbors to see if they're missing a pet before assuming its a stray.

You can also take it in to a vet to see if it's microchipped.

Pound Buddies in Muskegon says if you find a stray, you can use an old cooler or box to make a temporary home for it.

"Make sure to use straw, do not put out blankets, or any sort of bedding because that gets wet and freezes. And that only adds to hypothermia," Pound Buddies Animal Shelter's Lana Carson says. "So it doesn't help it has to be Yeah, they will literally freeze so no blankets and any sort of outdoor bedding. It does have to be straw so that it's not freezing and absorbing that moisture."

The organization tells us many local shelters are full, and if you want to bring in a stray there will likely be a wait list.

If a cat has gooey eyes, or has an open wound, you are asked to contact your local veterinarian or animal control. 

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