San Antonio Feral Cat Coalition looks to greener options to shelter cats in the cold
November kicks off the holiday season, and with it comes cold weather. For the city's stray animals, it spells danger if there is no place for them to keep warm.
The San Antonio Feral Cat Coalition (SAFCC) has provided shelter for stray cats for several years. In September, the coalition pleaded for Styrofoam boxes to keep community cats warm from the impending cold.
This year, it's using more environmentally friendly plastic bins to protect the animals.
Robert Breeze, the feral shelter program manager of the SAFCC, said the organization switched to plastic bins because many companies that donate to them are stepping away from using Styrofoam.
"We are looking more towards the plastic totes. We have started collecting an insulation that many of them use. It's called Renewliner. It is environmentally friendly. It's also safe for the cats to be involved with," he explained. "So instead of lining these totes with Styrofoam, like we normally would, we're lining them with this Renewliner, and by using the totes, those, you know, are going to be something that can be used for years. You don't have to replace them. Really, the only thing they'll have to replace is straw every year, which we also have available for $1 a bag."
The SAFCC was overwhelmed with donations earlier this fall. But Breeze said the program is still in need of totes and containers.
"So we had a total of about 40 totes that were donated to us that we're going to be making into shelters that are going to be available after Thanksgiving. So if anybody wants to donate totes to us, we'll be making those into very nice shelters, very comfortable and cozy and very warm [and] that should last a good while," he added.
People who need the bins can acquire them for a donation of $35. Breeze said the fee is worth it: "As long as we can get donations of those specific totes — and we do want this specific tote — we can let people know exactly what it looks like, where they can buy it, how much it costs, and send the link to them so they know specifically what it is we need."
The SAFCC can't afford to buy many bins for the colony feeders (those who care for stray cats), so it is asking for the community's help once again to help shelter the cats before the cold weather arrives in San Antonio.
"We're going to be kind of low on the ones that are already made, so we're going to have to be making a whole lot more. So any extra people who are interested in making Styrofoam shelters as well, we definitely can use some more volunteers for that," Breeze said.
He added that volunteer opportunities extend beyond building shelters.
"We are asking for volunteers, not only for building the totes, but winter is extremely busy for us. So if anyone has any type of customer service type experience, we need some people just to simply help with the crowds of people who come in. And it can kind of help to keep things organized when we have a lot of people coming in asking a lot of questions. That can help within [the organization]. It's probably going be about a month's worth of participation needed, but we do need that."
Breeze said the SAFCC also needs volunteers to drive large vehicles. "We also still need volunteers who have vans or trucks or SUVs to do pickups and drop offs of donations and boxes in all areas of San Antonio. So it doesn't matter where you are. We have people who need those pickups. It doesn't matter where you're located, even if you're not close to the office, we still can use you."
Email Robert Breeze at: for information on how to volunteer.
Breeze's Tips: How to keep feral cats warm during cold weather
