The Kitty Tube-Double Insulation Option-with Scratch Gaurd

This is a difficult review to write. I'm not rich or even 'middle class' so this was an expensive item. But I thought this extra insulation might help the fixed half-feral cat living on my porch. I have two tubes, one underneath the ramp and one above. The one above has had this extra insulated version for about a month now (it's now March in Ontario) and right now she prefers the double-insulated one. It's about 25 F outside so I hope she is comfy. I keep checking on her and she gives me that approving 'squint'. I don't think the tube itself is all that warm. Rather, it takes the body heat of whatever creature is inhabiting it and kind of 'secures it' from escaping, if that makes sense. I threw a thermometer inside on a cold night just to see how arm it was and came away unimpressed. But then i realized Kitty wasn't in there to 'heat it up'. Straw (not hay) helps with this. It's quite cozy in there right now.As for other cats sharing this, I think anything more than 2 cats would be a tight squeeze. Kittens on the other hand, to quote Hicks from Aliens, "It looks like a gd town meeting!"

Great Buy! It's not very attractive, but is oh so functional and warm. I bought the extra layer of insulation and feel so good knowing that the family of wild cats I've adopted is safe and warm inside on cold rainy and snowy nights. It's roomy inside with a nice cushion and will fit at least three cats, maybe four if they're not too big. It has a nice small entry ensuring safety from other larger animals. It's durable and looks like it will hold up well over the years. Watch the video on this item and you'll be sold. It's a bit pricey, but well worth it. Your kitties will appreciate your generosity-and they deserve it!

The media could not be loaded.  This is a great second layer of insulation for the kitty tube. I have one cat, in particular, that uses this tube a lot. I just wish it had an additional bottom layer of insulation to thicken up the bottom of the tube, especially if it is out on the cold frozen ground. As another reviewer said, an optional plastic door would be nice too, for some, but optional because not all cats use them. There is another bed I have that is a heated unit by K&H and it has the optional doors that attach with velcro, but if I put those doors on, the cats will not go thru it - they like to see what is inside I think. You could always purchase some velcro and material and make your own door flap. This second layer of insulation does make the inside dimensions smaller, of course, but the cats aren't in there to stand up and run around, more to hunker down, stay warm and sleep/rest. I am glad I bought this additional layer. Just today, I went out, and the one cat came out of it, and her fur is cool on top (it's 15 degrees) but her belly was warm which tells me she is staying warm inside this tube and under her fur.Kitty tube approximate dimensions:Outside dimensions: 25'' diameter, 22'' tallInside with the single insulation: 21.5'' diameter, 16 ¾'' tallInside with second layer of insulation (sold separately) : 19'' diameter, 12 ¼ `' tallPart of my overall review of the Kitty Tube:After having it a couple of weeks, I can say, I really like this kitty tube and a couple of the cats do too but I have not seen all of them go in it (but that could be a territory thing). We have taken in 5 cats that have been dumped and just shown up at our rural home. They typically live in our detached garage but the recently dumped cat (I watched this jerk dump her but he was gone before I could get in my car and get him!), I believe, was an inside cat and does not care for the other cats. She is not mean to the others but wants to be away from them, likes people and dogs more than other cats, likes clean stuff and not to share beds. I was in search for a home for her when I bought this because she spends many nights outside (she is the one in the video), and for our others, that get left out at night... We lock up the garage at night because we keep food out for them, and to keep other animals from making homes in the garage and keep the cats safe.I like the simplicity of the kitty tube. It is just a round, plastic "igloo" with a 1'' layer of foam insulation. The plastic will last forever. The insulation I was worried about being scratched on but they have not touched it, outside of a feral spraying in it but I sprayed bleach water on it and the bleach didn't hurt the insulation, thankfully, so I believe the insulation will hold up for years, as well. There is only one door, which I was not a fan of, but it works and is easy to maintain. I like the little eve over the entrance and I think it helps a little to keep out some blowing rain (we get terrible wind our on the farm). My fear is not of big animals, like coyotes, getting the cats, but more like the opossums (or skunks) that I have seen go in the other outdoor beds, and a opossum could easily get in the kitty tube, so that is why I have always been a fan of having an escape entrance.The entrance is about 4'' off the ground. The issue I see with this is that the rain could bounce off the ground, saturating the bed, or even blowing snow can enter. I wish the door was twice as high as it is. I think a higher door would be nicer because of the wind coming in and even rain bouncing off the ground and being able to come in contact with the bedding. If the door was higher, the cat could still easily see what is in the bed already and could easily climb in as well and then hunker down. It is all give and take though. Some cats (maybe more wild or feral) might like a lower door because they could see out easier. My cats are pets and around the house there isn't a lot to be worried about for our cats. A solution to the weather elements is putting the kitty tub under a covered porch, like we did, or even on some bricks, or supports, and place it facing the wall of the house where the eve/gutters of the house over hang the kitty tube entrance. We built a cat house with 2 entrances and the main entrance is under our gutters about 12'' from the house, and we have the entrance about 8'' from the ground and we put the house on 2 by 4 supports to get it off the ground so rain or snow will drain away. We also covered it with a tarp and the back "escape" exit is fully covered by the tarp (so no wind, rain, or snow can get it, and they themselves can't enter this way, but if they needed to get out of the box, they can leave, and then get under the tarp we have being held down by some bricks, except one looser corner.There is a heated bed made for this kitty tube and it is a circle and would fit in nicely but is costly so I have not made that purchase yet. The Kitty Tube has a little hole specifically made for there heated bed's cord to fit thru so it would probably be a snug fit and air couldn't get in around the cord. When not using the heated bed, there is a plug to place in the hole and it comes with the purchase of the Kitty Tube and is made out of the same plastic as the tube. We have used the plug. There are other small heated beds out there, which I like and use in our garage, that are not round but would fit in the tube at a lower cost; you would just have to run the cord through the entrance of the tube, which is no big deal.I would recommend this tube and will purchase another in the future.

We have a stray cat that lives on our side porch in a Kitty Tube. I added the additional insulation to keep her warm when zero degrees hits. I put a wireless thermometer in the hut to see what her temps are and it usually runs about 20 degrees (F) warmer in the KittyTube than the temp is outside. Super easy to install and works with existing insulation and door flap with no problems. Keep your kitty extra warm!

What I dislike about it is that it is SO GOOD, another feral cat decided to take it over scaring my three semi-feral cats completely out of the back yard and deck!!! My cats LOVED the KITTY TUBE. I highly recommend it for outdoor cats. You have an excellent product, albeit very expensive, but well worth it !! Thank you somebody who cares about animals.

This is a sturdy and weather proof enclosure. Safe and easy to access. I added the heating pad, and frankly the thing was almost as comfortable as being in the house! We did have a mild winter, so I actually had to unplug the heating pad as the kitty tube on its own with the extra foam was sufficiently warm. The door overhang and flap helps keep out the weather as well.

I used this for a little homeless kitty that was hanging out at the garage for a place that I worked for at a local airport. Before l started to work there all the homeless kitty had to live in was a plastic container with some straw in it. Needless to say that a plastic container with no insulation in a northeast Ohio winter doesn't quite get it. When I brought the Kitty Tube into work and set it down the kitty moved in right away and seems to be quite happy with it. Hopefully it will last her a long time.

Extremely disappointed. The double insulation should have been included with the Kitty Tube. The cost of the Kitty Tube with the double insulation, shipping and tax came to $214.00. It's a hunk of cheap plastic with cheap foam inside. My outside cats won't go near it.I could have bought a plastic garbage can, cut a hole in it, add insulation, all for about $30 and it would have been an improvement over the Kitty Tube with the double insulation. I would never recommend this product.