Heat Pad For Outdoor Shelter That You Can Heat In Coventional Oven

[Honeysuckle]

I put the snuggly in the rabbit hutch wrapped in an old bath towel and it stays warm for a good 6 hours.  All the kitties love it.

6 hours!? That would do through the night.  Maybe a combination of options?  Some sort of flectabed or even electric gentle heat pad in the shelter and a Snugglepad as well for extreme weather or for when he sits on the porch or beside the shelter.

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

I put the snuggly in the rabbit hutch wrapped in an old bath towel and it stays warm for a good 6 hours.  All the kitties love it.

[Kay and Penny]

I personally don't want to go down the Snugglesafe route, as I would worry if I was away for a night or two, and also the cat might be in the kennel when it's time to put the pad in, and I would hate to scare it away on a cold night

is an electrically heated pad left on all the time? is it self-regulating according to the ambient temperature?

[Honeysuckle]

A human electric underblanket uses about the same amount of electricity as a light bulb; heated pet beds do not reach the same temperature so presumably do not use even that amount of electricity. I am pretty sure that it was someone on Purrs who posted they could not feel any heat when they put their hand on a heated pet bed!  Providing you purchase a product with a safety cut out and/ or water resistant or washable and/ or use a plug in circuit breaker I would say the risks are miniscule.

We have an electrician coming round at the weekend to wire up our hall and I will talk to him about putting in a socket by the front door and whether an outdoor pad would be safe.  I have an indoor heated pad for my indoor cat (her choice to be indoors) and yes I agree with others in that you can hardly feel the heat however if you put it between blankets for a little while the heat does build up and it is nice and cosy. 

[Honeysuckle]

If you think a snuglesafe is ideal .. which I have to say, they  are fab, why not buy a cheap microvwave 

You can pick one up new for about £30 from currys.  It might not be the best for cooking but would work fine for heating a snugglesafe 

Thanks Sam, I was thinking that continually heating up grain pads in a conventional oven for 15-20 minutes was going to work out very expensive and it might be cheaper in the long run to buy a cheap microwave. I just don't like them though but maybe it is the best thing to do. 

How long do the Snugglepads stay warm for? 

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

If you think a snuglesafe is ideal .. which I have to say, they  are fab, why not buy a cheap microvwave 

You can pick one up new for about £30 from currys.  It might not be the best for cooking but would work fine for heating a snugglesafe 

[Fire Fox]

I was wondering whether anyone had any ideas or suggestions for a heat pad for my outdoor cat's shelter that I could heat in a conventional oven?  I don't have a microwave so can't use a Snugglepad which would be ideal. I'm a bit wary about using an electric pad in case it shorts out or goes faulty.  Does anyone have experience of using an outdoor electrically heated pad? Are they safe?

I have experimented with making my own heat pad by wrapping wheat grains, rice and ceramic baking balls in kitchen foil in the oven and then wrapping them in double socks but they only stay warm for an hour or two at the most. My shelter is thermally lined and filled with straw and he does use it when it rains but with the temperature is getting colder and I want to make sure he is nice and cosy.

I would appreciate any suggestions.

Here is his shelter.

A human electric underblanket uses about the same amount of electricity as a light bulb; heated pet beds do not reach the same temperature so presumably do not use even that amount of electricity. I am pretty sure that it was someone on Purrs who posted they could not feel any heat when they put their hand on a heated pet bed!  Providing you purchase a product with a safety cut out and/ or water resistant or washable and/ or use a plug in circuit breaker I would say the risks are miniscule.

[Mark]

There are some ideas in the thread below this. I can't recommend Flectabeds enough http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,34673.0.html

In the centre, they have a special foil sheet (developed by NASA) that reflects body heat. The foil is actually used by a lot of emergency services around the world.

The great thing is, they don't need any power or pre-heating - they just refect the cat's body heat back. They really do get warm. One of my cats loves them  - I also have one in my Kylie's outside house.

Is your cat a stray you look after?

[Honeysuckle]

I was wondering whether anyone had any ideas or suggestions for a heat pad for my outdoor cat's shelter that I could heat in a conventional oven?  I don't have a microwave so can't use a Snugglepad which would be ideal. I'm a bit wary about using an electric pad in case it shorts out or goes faulty.  Does anyone have experience of using an outdoor electrically heated pad? Are they safe?

I have experimented with making my own heat pad by wrapping wheat grains, rice and ceramic baking balls in kitchen foil in the oven and then wrapping them in double socks but they only stay warm for an hour or two at the most. My shelter is thermally lined and filled with straw and he does use it when it rains but with the temperature is getting colder and I want to make sure he is nice and cosy.

I would appreciate any suggestions.

Here is his shelter.