Keeping outdoor cat warm in garage?

[Tierne]

I have a cat who is a one person animal: sometimes if I'm not home to let her in she will refuse to go inside! She likes to spend most of her time outdoors. Our garden is connected to the house via a garage with a small door that is left permanently open, so basically she moves between the garden and garage as she pleases and then we let her in and out of the house on demand.
Over this autumn I have to go away a few times and I want to line a box for her in the garage with something warm for the times when she won't come inside or if my boyfriend is working very late and cant be there to let her in until late evening.
Is there something that does a better job than just towels?

Personally I’d put a cat flap in the door between the garage and the house and let her come and go for warmth.

but failing that, assuming you have power to the garage, you can get heated electric pet beds. They don’t get as warm as human ones but should do the job. Also put her bed on a camping roll or other Ian not just concrete floor.

There’s lots of videos that show you how to convert a cool box into a cat house online. This is mainly for outdoor feral cats.

Or a big cardboard box lined with polystyrene, assuming it’s dry in the garage.

Or a cat flap as suggested.

Drafts and damp are really what makes it feel cold. Raise a box off the floor, face it away from any drafts. If you can fill a box with straw that would make a very cosy bed.

Get vet bedding - it doesn't freeze.

Can get special pet microwave pads, they keep warm for hours!

If there is an enclosed bed/basket that's good too.

Thanks everyone for all these ideas! Unfortunately LL won't let me have a cat flap. Hadn't thought to make sure a box would be raised off the floor. I really like the idea of a heating pad but too paranoid to get an electric one. Just looking on Amazon now and see you can get self heating ones that reflect the cat's heat back. Has anyone tried these? Do they actually work?

If she's an outdoor cat I don't think she'll be too affected by the cold. A cardboard box with an old towel in is probably fine. Maybe out some old newspaper between the floor and box if it's cold concrete.
We have 2 cats that live sleeping indoors but also happily spend all day outside in the freezing cold catching mice! They're pretty hardy animals.

I have the self heating mats, they're good
A hooded bed would be warm
Skye skyns do sheepskin offcuts if you want to spoil said cat!

I've got two barn cats and have bought two SnuggleSafe microwave heating pads for them for the winter, haven't used them yet but they stay warm for 12 hours. Other than that ours will have a house we're building that'll have a load of straw in it.

I made a nest out of an old duvet. Raised box. Keeps draughts out beautifully. You can also get igloo shaped cat beds which look very cosy. I'd give cat options, because I'm soft like that!

If you can afford it, I'd get her an outdoor cat kennel for the garage. A smaller enclosed space will be quite cosy without needing heating. Cheap fleece blanket. Happy toasty kitty.
Failing that, you could make something similar from a sturdy cardboard box. Raising it off the ground will keep it much warmer and drier.

Yes they work we had one in a katden ‘house’ the local feral cats loved it.

Sheepskin rug in a cardboard box?

These are all great ideas! These outdoor cats are probably much hardier than we assume, plus mine is long haired. I still want to make her something though just in case! I'll have a look at all these options but so far I'm leaning towards a raised cardboard box with a self heating mat plus possibly an old duvet or sheepskin. Will come back with some pics! I just hope the neighbours (sweet but over confident) cat doesnt take it over.

Hi all! So the self heating mat came and its lovely, super fleecy and fluffy she really.loves it. I put one cardboard box inside another, then lined it with those thin cushions you put on outdoor furniture (was thinking they must be good against humidity even though the garage is very dry). Then it put the mat on top and put the whole thing on a chest of drawers with the box lying against the wall of the house, as far away from her entry/exit door as possible.

Well she hopped right in! Because I was going to bed late and getting up early today, I decided to let her sleep there as a test. When I opened the door this morning she was in the box! She came in to eat and then wanted to go straight back out again and went to the box.

The only thing is when I stuck my hand in there to stroke her this morning I was expecting it to be warmer. Instead it wasnt cold in the box but I wouldn't describe it as warm either. It just felt neutral to me. The mat has good reviews, was i being unrealistic in thinking it would heat up water bottle style? Pics to reward you for reading

@Tierne Yes you are being unrealistic!! They aren’t a thermal store like a hot water bottle. They are reflective and heat only the body of the cat/s when sat on it. Not a thermal store.
she’s happy !!! It’s a win win.

We had a deaf, incontinent cat with only two or three brain cells. She had to sleep outdoors so we lined an old tea chest (remember them?) with thin sheets of polystyrene before putting a cat carrier inside. That had nice soft bedding. To the open end we attached strips of thick polythene so it was like those screens you go through into hospital corridors. Placed in a corner outside with the open end turned to a wall so wind driven rain couldn't get it made it as snug as anything. She spent many an hour in there, but as she was deaf we had to tap on it in the morning for her to come in for breakfast

Ours were real outsiders, boxes are good and keep off the drafts as others have said.

If they are out all the time then their fur gets much thicker as the weather gets colder so they are much better protected anyway.