Who doesn't love cats? Everyone loves cats! And many owners try to provide the best living conditions for their pets. Expensive bowls, good dry food, regular medical care. Of course, you still need a good sleeping place. They are expensive, but this is not a problem - you can do it yourself. This will be discussed in the article.
Which house to choose for a cat: types of houses, tips for arrangement
If you become the owner of a cat, sooner or later you will have to think about arranging a cat’s home. A cat needs a home, just like a person needs personal space. In its house, the cat will be able to rest peacefully; no one will touch it here.
If the cat does not have its own house, it will find a place for itself on its own. An animal may choose your closet with clothes as a home or find a place for itself on the sofa or table. If you don’t want this state of affairs, then it’s time to arrange a cozy house for your pet.
You can buy a ready-made cat house. Or you can make it with your own hands, putting your love and care into it. There are many advantages to a house made by yourself:
- They are easy to make;
- You can make a house of any size and configuration;
- For production, improvised materials that can be found in your home are suitable;
- Materials can be purchased, their cost will be significantly lower than that of a finished house;
- If you like to make things, this activity will allow you to spend your leisure time in an interesting way;
- Only the owner knows about the desires and habits of his pet, so he can easily make the house as comfortable as possible for the pet.
Important: Before you find a place for a house in your house or apartment, watch your cat. Surely there is a place in the apartment where she prefers to be most often. This is where you should place the house.
Also, if the cat is not litter box trained, it should be trained before it moves into its new home. Otherwise, the house will have to be washed regularly.
A cat house must meet the following criteria:
- Space . The dimensions of the cat's home must correspond to the size of the pet. In a small apartment it can be difficult to find a place for a large house, but a cat will not be comfortable in a house that is too cramped.
- Materials . To create a house, choose natural, breathable materials that can be easily cleaned if necessary.
- Place for games . It’s a good idea to make sure your cat has a place to sharpen its claws or play with a ball. The play complexes look original, and pets really like them.
- It is advisable that the cat house have a back door . Although this animal has long been a domestic animal, its instincts for survival and procreation come first. Having a back door will provide the animal with peace of mind and safety.
- The cats' housing should be slightly elevated. This will provide the cat with an overview of the territory , which is very important for the male. The cat’s home, on the contrary, should be lower. Such a house will satisfy the instinct of preserving the cat's offspring.
There are different types of cat houses. The choice of a certain type of house largely depends on the habits of the cat. Let's look at what types of houses there are for cats.
Beds
Looks like a miniature bed or sofa. This house does not have a roof. A cat will not be able to fully retire in such a house, but many pets get used to this type of house. The bed can be easily moved from one place to another, and you can take it with you on a trip. This is the advantage of this type of house.
Cat bed - a comfortable and compact house
Hammock
It is a mini version of a hammock for people. A hammock for cats can be placed without hesitation without compromising the area of the apartment. For example, under the seat of a chair by tying the edges of a hammock to the legs of the chair. Making a hammock with your own hands is as easy as shelling pears. It is enough to take a fairly thick piece of fabric, sew strings to its edges, and the hammock is ready.
Hammock for cat
Booths
Such a house with a roof is closed and allows the pet to be in complete privacy and tranquility at any time of the day. If the area of your apartment or house is large, the booth can become an interior decoration. Some people place similar houses in the courtyard of a private house.
Cat booth
Wigwam
A house with a pointed roof. Houses of this type are suitable for Siamese, Abyssinian or Bengal cats. Cats of these breeds love to stand on their tiptoes.
Types of houses for cats
Complexes for games
Such a cozy corner is a real joy for an active pet. Such complexes are especially necessary if there are several cats in the house. Complexes can consist of various devices for cats, for example, stairs, beds, scratching posts, etc. The sizes of the complexes are also very different: from miniature to real labyrinths. If you have somewhere to place such a complex, your pet will have an extremely fun time.
House with scratching post and ball
House built into furniture
An excellent solution for those who want to save space in their home or apartment. When arranging a cat's house with furniture, you should take into account the character and size of the pet. A cat that is too large and energetic can topple the structure.
Cat house built into furniture
Wood
Building a wooden cat house with your own hands requires skills in working with wood and other tools. It can be used at home or installed outdoors like regular dog houses. Of course, this needs to be done only in the warm season.
Plywood house
First, you should design the entire structure and make blanks from boards, having previously sanded them.
Some craftsmen make similar houses using wooden slats, which allows them to create quite interesting and somewhat complicated structures. So, you can find an outdoor house for a cat with a staircase, a veranda, a carved roof and other attributes resembling an old Russian hut.
Street house BoxDogRu
The inside of the house is covered with a water-repellent material, and then the outside is treated with a composition that is protective against rot and mold. Here you can treat the entire house with drying oil, varnish, or simply paint it, creating an unsurpassed design.
After all the chemical solutions have evaporated, you can put a pillow on the cat and invite him to a housewarming party.
Wooden cat house
How to make a house for a cat with your own hands from cardboard and boxes: step-by-step description, photo
Cardboard packaging is the cheapest material for a cat house. A house like this can be made very quickly. The advantage of housing made from cardboard packaging is that the material is inexpensive. Finding a box of the required dimensions is not a problem. It is enough to cut holes in it for entry and exit, put a soft mattress, and the house is considered ready. The cardboard house is lightweight. If necessary, you can move it to another location. These factors can be attributed to the positive aspects of a house made of this material.
The disadvantages of the house include its fragility. During active pet play, cardboard is easily damaged. A house like this cannot be washed or cleaned. Based on this, you will have to frequently update the cat’s home.
Simple box house for a cat
Many people don’t like the way a cardboard house looks. The appearance of ordinary cardboard packaging really does not have any aesthetics. But it can be beautifully decorated. Colored paper, fabric, buttons, bows and other decorative elements are suitable for this. The cardboard box can be covered with fabric; the fabric can be secured with glue or a stapler. Buttons and other decorative elements can be sewn on or glued on. The inside of the box can be painted and lined with soft fabric to keep the cat warm and comfortable. The end result is a pretty little house.
Cardboard house
You can make a house from corrugated cardboard. It is not difficult. For production you need the following materials:
- Corrugated cardboard
- Stationery knife
- Compass
- Glue
Manufacturing process:
- Draw a circle on a sheet of cardboard, and there are many more circles of smaller diameter in it.
- Then you need to cut out these circles using a stationery knife.
- Glue the rings together.
- Finally, glue the bottom of the house.
- Once the glue has dried, cut a hole for the entrance.
The good thing about this type of house is that, thanks to its textured surface, your pet can sharpen its claws. Typically, cats choose furniture for such purposes. But with such a house you won’t have to spoil the furniture.
Step-by-step making of a cardboard cat house House made of corrugated cardboard
Small and simple house
For a kitten
A house for a kitten is just as necessary as for an adult cat. Here it is better to build a real play complex , if possible supplementing it with soft attributes - a place to relax and spend the night.
You can also build a regular sleeve house , which is attached to the wall at a small height from the floor so that the kitten can climb into it on its own.
Sleeve house for a kitten
It is better not to use large-sized and labor-intensive wooden structures.
Firstly, a house for a kitten should not be “for growth” . Otherwise, the little cub will not show interest in it, because it will be uncomfortable for him.
Secondly, in just a few months you will have to build a new house, which requires a lot of effort and time. Here it is better to give preference to weaving their newspaper tubes or cardboard blanks.
The first home for kittens is usually a large box in which they are born and kept for the first month of life.
A simple house for a kitten out of a box
The instructions for creating a house for a kitten contain the following steps:
- take a cardboard box , for example, from a vacuum cleaner or microwave, the main thing is that it is high enough so that the kittens do not jump out of it;
- cover the bottom with water-repellent material , for example, oilcloth and fabric, or ordinary baby absorbent diapers, since the baby has yet to learn how to walk in the tray;
- if his mother also lives with the kitten, then an entrance is cut into the house for her , at such a height that the baby cannot jump to it;
- make a roof - from fabric or cardboard (just secure it with stationery clips).
Another option for the first shelter can be a shoebox - a small pet will love to sleep and hide in it. It will serve until the baby grows up. The bottom is covered with a soft cloth, the lid does not close.
The next resting place could be a soft bed or pillow .
Soft bed for a kitten
The main difference between a children's house and an adult one is its small size and short service life , firstly, because the animal is growing, and secondly, kittens do not yet know how to go to the toilet in a litter tray, which leads to the unusability of the same cardboard.
House for a kitten from an old suitcase
Do not forget to take care of the absence of drafts, which are so dangerous for the baby, especially in the cold season. In our separate article, we will tell you how to adjust plastic windows for the winter.
How to make a house for a cat with your own hands from old clothes: step-by-step description, master class
Unnecessary clothes, namely a T-shirt or sweater, can get a chance for a second life. You can quickly make a tent house for your cat from these clothes.
To make such a house you will need:
- Old T-shirt
- Aluminum wire
- Large sheet of thick cardboard or plywood
- Glue
- Scotch
- Awl
- Threads, needle
Step-by-step production:
- Take a sheet of cardboard measuring 40*40 cm. To make the cardboard more durable, cover it with tape. Instead of cardboard, you can take a sheet of plywood. This will be the basis for the future house. Use an awl to make holes in all corners of the base.
- Then take two pieces of aluminum wire of the same length. Make two identical arcs and connect them crosswise with tape.
- Then thread the edges of the wire through the holes in the base. Fold the edges and secure them very securely with tape. The pet should not get hurt on the edges of the wire.
- Now examine the frame of the cat house. It should be symmetrical. If the house is uneven, you can fix it. To do this, one of the uneven edges of the wire should be lowered lower or raised higher and fixed. But it’s better to immediately do everything evenly and symmetrically.
- Then you should put a T-shirt on the frame. The hole for the head should be placed in the center, and preferably closer to the bottom edge. This way it will be convenient for the cat to climb into the house.
- The sleeves of the T-shirt and free edges should be carefully folded down and sewn with a thread and a needle.
- Place a soft cloth inside that fits the size of the house.
Materials needed to make a house
Step 1: making the frame
Step 2: Insert the wire into the base of the house
Step 3: Fix the frame well
Step 4: Place the T-shirt on the finished frame
Step 5: hide the edges of the T-shirt Photo of the finished house made from a T-shirt and a happy pet
Important: Large size T-shirts are suitable for making a house; children's T-shirts are definitely not suitable. The item must be ironed, without stains, without holes, so that the pet’s house looks beautiful and neat.
- Another important point: the T-shirt must be made of cotton. Synthetic clothing can accumulate static charges. It is unlikely that your pet will like such a house.
- Using the same principle, you can make a house out of a sweater. But it is better to shorten the sleeves so that they do not interfere when tucking them down. Such a house will become a warm refuge for your pet.
- Instead of cardboard or plywood, you can use a small soft pillow. The wire can be made not arched, but pointed upward. Then you will get a wigwam house.
- If you don’t know where to get the wire of the required length, wire hangers, which many people have at home, will come to the rescue. The hangers can be straightened using pliers, and you will get the necessary material for needlework.
- You can make a soft, cozy cat house from an old sweater. You will also need a small soft pillow that can fit inside the sweater, foam rubber.
How to make a cat house from a sweater
First, you need to sew the neck of the sweater. Then sew the sweater in a circle and sew the sleeves to the body.
Step 1: Sew the edges of the neckline and sew the sleeves to the body
The sleeves should be stuffed with foam rubber and sewn together.
Step 2: Sew the Sleeves
Then a pillow is placed inside the sweater and the edge is sewn together.
Step 4: Place the pillow inside and sew the edges of the product
The last step is to sew the sleeves together and hide the seam. To do this, the junction of the sleeves is sheathed with some kind of fabric. The soft cat bed is ready.
Step 5: Hide the Seams
Photo of a finished soft bed for a pet
Compact furniture
This piece of furniture will be appreciated by owners who love to photograph their pets. Their sleeping places are real beds or sofas, only of miniature size. As a decoration, the crib is covered with a bedspread of unprecedented beauty, the pillows are embroidered with multi-colored patterns. A miniature crib that has become an exact copy of the owners’ bed will look impressive.
How to sew a simple house for a cat with your own hands: step-by-step description, pattern diagram, drawing
If you notice that your pet loves to bask on a pillow, a soft little bed will please the cat. Sewing such a bed will not be difficult even for inexperienced seamstresses. You can do this on a sewing machine or by hand.
You will need the following materials:
- Cut of fabric
- Foam rubber
- Sheet of cardboard
- Scissors
- Threads with a needle
- Chalk
Step-by-step production:
- First, use chalk to draw a pattern diagram on the wrong side of the fabric, making a 1 cm seam allowance.
- Cut the foam for inserts.
- It is better to lay cardboard on the bottom of the bed, then the bed will be stable.
- Insert foam rubber, sew the parts.
- Then sew all the parts of the bed together.
Choose natural fabric, you can take warm dense fabric or thin cotton, knitwear.
Soft cat bed made of fabric and foam rubber
How to sew a cat bed: patterns
You can also sew a transforming bed . It is easier to sew such a bed than the previous model. The advantage of such a bed is that you can fold it and take it with you on the road if your pet travels with you. Follow the diagram shown in the photo below. Sizes may vary, please consider your pet's measurements.
Transformable house
A round cat house made of warm fabric is easy to make You will need:
- Warm fur fabric
- Foam rubber
- Ribbon
- Scissors
- Threads with a needle
Step by step description:
- On the wrong side of the fabric, draw a pattern as in the photo.
- Cut out two of these pieces.
- Cut a circle with a diameter of 40 cm from foam rubber.
- Place foam rubber in the center of the pattern, sew two parts of the part around the foam rubber.
- Sew the edges of the pattern, leaving a slit for the ribbon.
- At a distance of 1 cm from the edge of the pattern, make a seam for the ribbon.
- Insert the braid and pull the product to the desired size.
Pattern for a cat bed Warm soft bed with pompoms
If you sew pompoms on a rope, the cat will have something to play with. In addition, pompoms will decorate the bed.
Features of connecting parts
- First, we sew the front side, which will be located at the entrance to the furry pet’s future home. The trick to working with these pieces is to decorate them with decorative ribbon. You can use any ribbons you like.
Now the important part! Sew each long panel (B) folded in half from the right side of the fabric, taking into account the thickness of the tubes on which the fabric will be placed.
How to make a cat house with a play complex: materials, photos, description
Cats are notorious pranksters. They love to play. They also need a scratching post to sharpen their claws. You can make an effort and build a whole complex for your pet.
Important : If you decide to make a house of this type, it is better to make it from wood or plywood. Short-lived material such as cardboard is not at all suitable for such a large house. After all, cardboard houses wear out quickly, and you will be sorry for the spoiled results of your work.
The design of a house with a play complex can be simple or complex. Typically this includes:
- Bed, house
- scratching post
- Game ball
- An area where a pet can climb
In order to build a scratching post, you will need a metal or plastic pipe, as well as a thick jute rope. The parts are covered with soft dense fabric. It is advisable to choose colors to match the interior, then the house will not only be practical, but will also fit perfectly into the design of your apartment.
House with play complex
If you make several platforms in a complex, the animal will climb onto them, which will expand the options for games. Your pet will also have fun chasing a ball on a rope. After all, a cat doesn’t sleep all the time; sometimes she wants to play pranks. The gaming complex is especially appropriate if there are two pets.
Pet house
Option for arranging a house for a cat How to make a house with a play complex for a pet
Scratching post - to be or not to be?
How to make a scratching post for a cat with your own hands? Yes, our pets love to sharpen their claws in any convenient place, so it wouldn’t hurt to make a scratching post that will become an excellent lightning rod and won’t damage your furniture. To make it, you need to take a skein of rope and a strong board/possibly a round pipe. It is advisable to watch how your cat sharpens its claws in order to understand what type of structure it needs - vertical or horizontal, and then fix the future device in the required position and wrap it with a rope. It is advisable to take natural rope, as it looks aesthetically pleasing even in its tattered form.
What if you need to make a stationary scratching post? To do this, we wrap a small piece of pipe with jute rope, and then place it on a stand; inside the pipe we place a bag of sand for stability. Next, you can see what interesting design options there are for the scratching post. Also, a scratching post (not a stationary one) can be installed instead of the roof of the house, and it will look original, and the pet will also like it.
How to make a house for a cat from scrap materials: ideas, photos
The flight of your imagination determines how the pet’s resting area will be made. Many owners want to save space in their homes and build cat houses into furniture. It looks original. In such a house there will be enough space for the pet, and it will not disturb anyone. However, it is necessary to take into account the pet's temperament. A large, playful cat can easily knock over such a structure if it is not stable enough.
Pet house built into furniture
Some owners make furniture to order, building in a home for pets. There is a feeder with food in the drawer. And in the closet there is a cozy place for the cat to rest. It is immediately obvious that in this house a special place of honor is reserved for the pet.
Exquisite housing for a cat
If you like handmade things, try making a cat's home or an old suitcase. It can have two floors, which is suitable for two pets.
Two-story house for cats
A cat house set up in an old TV looks creative. This type of house is ideal to place in your country house if you are moving there in the summer. This option is also suitable for lovers of everything unusual.
House for a cat on TV
Some people set up miniature houses on the walls. The main condition is that the cat can climb there quickly and easily. You can make a special ladder.
Compact house on the wall
An old, unwanted sheepskin coat can turn into an excellent warm home for a cat. It is necessary to cut off part of it and alter it in a simple way.
Warm sheepskin house
Hammocks and beds
A small hammock for cats looks original and cute, similar to a real one, designed for humans. The fabric can be hung anywhere by securing it firmly at the four corners. For example, a hammock under a chair will allow you to watch your pussy during moments of relaxation.
The bed is an original bed for pets, made in the form of baskets or boxes. For the comfort of the animal, a soft mattress is included. A mustachioed friend will appreciate such a piece of furniture and will be happy to relax there.
Beautiful do-it-yourself cat houses: ideas, photos
In addition to practicality, your pet’s home may well become a decoration for your home. A design of this type is suitable for those who, in addition to a cat, also have dogs. In a house located on the wall, the cat can take a break from the dog or hide. The cat will climb on a specially equipped scratching post. Also, houses of this type are suitable for those who do not want to clutter up the square footage of their apartment.
Castle for cats
Many people strive to ensure that all the furniture in the apartment is harmonious and perfectly matched. And your pet’s house is no exception. A round house to match the interior will look beautiful indoors.
An original cat house as an interior decoration
If you don’t mind space in your apartment for your cat, you can set up a real sports complex.
Sports complex for pets
Cats' homes may be compact, but very comfortable and cute. You can verify this by looking at a selection of photos.
Compact house
Soft pink house for a cat
Cat boudoir
Cozy knitted house Sleeping place for a cat
The main requirement that a cat house must meet is the safety of the pet. And, as you have already seen, there are a lot of possibilities for making a beautiful simple house. Try to implement your ideas and give your pet a comfortable apartment.
Installation of cat housing
The main thing when installing a house for a cat is the stability of the entire structure. The height of the placement is also important, since cats prefer to watch what is happening from above. It is for this reason that the most optimal height for cat apartments will be about two meters from the floor of the room.
Sustainable cat house
Thus, to make your pet’s life more comfortable, you don’t have to be an experienced sewing expert or spend a lot of money buying store-bought options. A pet will be able to feel loved when its owner builds a house or bed for it with his own hands. Fortunately, there are a large number of master classes on this topic on the Internet.
Selection of base material
DIY dog clothes: patterns
Houses for cats can vary in shape, volume and material from which they are made. As a rule, every homemade house requires a base. Depending on the design and size of the decorative cat’s home, the material for its frame is selected. Suitable for these purposes:
- cardboard;
- foam rubber or multi-layer quilted padding polyester;
- plywood;
- furniture panels.
Materials for making a place where a cat can be alone can be very diverse.
