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Shuggaloaf t1_j6nnu6x wrote

Reply to comment by i_am_fear_itself in One of my outdoor feral cats warm and cozy in a heated shelter I built. by i_am_fear_itself

Looks like the floor of the actual enclosure is raised off the ground? If there is any space underneath you can put the lights there.

Many people do this with enclosures (strays, chickens, etc.) because heat rises up through the floor. It also keeps the light source away so the animal doesn't touch it (probably not an issue with your LEDs though). And of course also because it allows it to be dark for the animals.

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i_am_fear_itself OP t1_j6nvwqg wrote

Interesting. I can see where just having bulbs under a raised floor would work well.

Don’t have any current pics of the floor setup, but here’s the “ceiling” w light and electrical cat-proofing.

cat proofing

e: over to under 😂

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Shuggaloaf t1_j6nzgm5 wrote

I was saying under a raised floor (you said over, but not sure if just a typo). Also want to make sure you know I wasn't calling your skills or the kitty's safety into question. :)

I like the way you did the LED strands. I'm a big fan of "keep it simple" and the screws work perfectly. The whole electrical setup looks really well done. (Personally if I had already done all that I wouldn't be thinking of making any big changes either. haha)

Crazy that that little strand of lights is increasing the temperature that much. I'm sure the little guy is nice and toasty and very grateful.

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i_am_fear_itself OP t1_j6o5cdx wrote

> but not sure if just a typo

It was indeed. Fixed.

> Crazy that that little strand of lights is increasing the temperature that much

Guess I probably should’ve posted a picture of the floor.

The lights are simply for illumination. The floor is heated with a heating pad designed for plant seedlings.

So it’s:

  1. foam insulation
  2. aluminum foil
  3. 3/4 maple scrap
  4. Heating pad
  5. Maple scrap (over 100 holes drilled to make sure the heat radiates through.)
  6. carpet

Floor setup

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