Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

In the past I have used Feralvilla outdoor wooden houses for feral cats, which they love because they can climb up inside, be completely hidden and stay toasty warm in cold weather. They are also less expensive, better insulated and sturdier than the Kitty Tube, in my opinion. That being said, I now live in a townhome community with neighbors in close proximity and needed a house for 2 feral toms (recently trapped and neutered) who have been hanging around my street. I needed a house that would not be obvious as a cat shelter, which unfortunately the Feralvillas are, so I wouldn't draw too much attention from my neighbors. The Kitty Tube looks like a composting bin or a small garbage can, so it blends in with the shrubs and recycle bin in my small front yard. I added a second layer of non-toxic Reflectix insulation around the interior and floor, and then some straw. I haven't seen the cats use it yet, but feral cats generally will not use shelters in warm weather, but in cold, wet, snowy and windy weather. The flaws in this design are all the drain and ventilation holes. All the extra holes are access points for moisture to get in, especially the roof vent cap, which I don't understand at all. And something is wrong with the design if you need drainage holes in the bottom. The wooden houses I have used never had water seeping, but this one does. I sealed all the holes with Gorilla tape on both sides. However, we had a lot of rain recently and the roof vent cap, even with all the tape covering it, leaked. The roof is slightly concave, not domed, so water sits on the roof and slowly seeps in. I went back and added silicone around the gaskets in the roof vent cap, door awning and floor holes and resealed with more Gorilla tape. If the silicone and tape don't work, I'm tossing the Kitty Tube and going back to Feralvilla. Expensive lesson! O.k., update a couple weeks and a few rainstorms later. I'm sorry to say, but I have downgraded my opinion of the Kitty Tube to piece of expensive junk! I was right about the roof vent cap- it leaks no matter how you try to modify it. With the vent cap in place, it leaks. Without it, using a thick piece of plastic on both sides to cover the hole and sealed with Gorilla tape, it leaks. With the vent cap back on and silicone added around the gasket, it leaks. With still more silicone and then more Gorilla tape around the cap, it leaks. I guess if you live in an area where it never rains or snows, the Kitty Tube would work outdoors, or if you keep it in a barn, garage or maybe even a carport where no rain or snow will settle on the roof, then perhaps. But as an outdoor house, while the concept is good, the fabrication stinks. I contacted the company to see if they can make a replacement lid without a hole in the roof, but they said no. And then asked me to make sure I had installed everything correctly, like the handle awnings, to make sure it wasn't leaking somewhere else. I am not an idiot: I know how to snap on handle awnings and I know exactly where this thing leaks. I also have a strong feeling that sitting on wet ground, water will also eventually pool up inside the floor of the Kitty Tube. This company needs to pay attention to these reviews and get rid of all the extra holes to fix the leaks! For me, this house was a complete waste of money. The Kitty Tube is going back to the recycling center and I'm going back to Feralvilla, and not worry about what my neighbors think!