Do-it-yourself cat house

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

If you have a cat, then soon you may need to purchase or make a cat house with your own hands. Domestic cats have a great love for their own houses in which they can hide, sleep or play.

Cat house

If she does not have such a home, the cat will periodically look for secluded places in the house, but sometimes this leads to undesirable consequences. With a high probability, it is in this place that she will sharpen her claws, and if it is upholstered furniture or wallpaper is nearby, then your pet will ruin them.

Why do cats like closed spaces?

Cats have been the subject of research for many years. One of the questions they wanted to answer was why cats love enclosed spaces, boxes and bags.

There is still no full answer to this question, but according to some observations, it turned out that due to the fact that cats are predators, the box is the very shelter for them, because of which they can attack and in which they can stay unnoticed at the moment of danger.

It is also important to rememberthat members of the cat family often experience stress. One way to deal with it is to lick your own fur. This is very soothing to the animal, and at the same time keeps it clean. But much faster the cat calms down in some secluded place, which can be a cat house.

Almost any cat, both wild and domestic, in a stressful situation, the first reaction will be an attempt to run away and hide. Therefore, it is important for them to have access to a box or a special house where they can wait out the next unpleasant situation.

Features of cat behavior

Cats are social animals, as they make different sounds, have non-verbal communication skills, but despite this, their main problem is the difficulty in resolving conflict situations. So instead of trying to smooth out the conflict, they either attack or run and hide.

Despite the fact that they are classified as predators, domestic cats are much less aggressive creatures compared to their large counterparts. And their social skills are much better developed, as they spend a lot of time side by side with people.

A cat house made of boxes or any other object in which a cat can hide from an unpleasant situation will be a safe place for her, and it is there that she will bring herself back to normal. It is worth noting that frequent attempts to hide in enclosed spaces may indicate a complex nature of the cat or its nervous state.

If this behavior has been observed in a pet, thenIt doesn't hurt to visit a veterinary clinic, where they can offer you calming supplements based on herbal ingredients.

Why do cats get stressed?

These animals are very capricious, so any little thing that does not fit into their picture of the world will be a cause for stress.

Moving, going to the doctor or going for a walk can put a cat in a very negative state. Even simple strokes can become a factor that will lead to a deterioration in the pet's condition.

According to the results of some studies, it turned out that cats do not really have a great love for touch, but rather the opposite. They are much more pleasant when they are not touched. This trend is observed in both cats and cats, so instead of petting, it is better to give your beloved pet the opportunity to calmly choose a place to play and relax.

The most correct decision in this situation would be to purchase a cat house or create it on your own.

What is a cat house?

Earlier in the article it was said that it is very important for a cat to have access to enclosed spaces in which she can survive stress or just hide. For this purpose, many variations of cat houses have been created.

Also, these houses allow you to avoid clutter in the apartment, as the pet will play in his "home".

They are a special room for a cat, which is about 2-3 times larger than her. These houses may contain playrooms.elements: ropes, ribbons, feathers and balls. Most often, such houses are made of chipboard sheets, covered with almost any soft material, and inside are upholstered with foam rubber.

There are even whole play complexes that include several levels connected by transitions and canopies to create a large playing space for the cat. Do not forget that it is very important for cats to sharpen their claws, so there are models of cat houses with a scratching post. They have additional devices so that the pet can monitor the condition of its claws.

It will be quite easy to make a cat house with your own hands. The easiest way is to buy it in speci alty stores with goods for animals, but you can try to build it yourself.

How to make a cat house with your own hands?

You can find many options for making houses, one of the simplest is presented below. It requires a small amount of consumables, and even the most picky cat will like the result.

To create a house you will need these materials:

• chipboard 50 x 130 cm for the foundation.
• chipboard 45 x 60 cm for the roof.
• Particleboard 60 x 50 cm for walls - 2 pcs
• Particleboard 45 x 35 cm for a couch 2 pcs
• Foam rubber 45 x 35 cm.
• 7-8 slats 4 x 4 x 40 cm.
• Upholstery fabric.

To begin with, cut out rectangles from chipboard, and then make 2 semicircles from them, the diameter of which will be approximately 50 centimeters. After that, it is necessary to cut a hole in one semicircle into whichyour cat can easily get in.

In the body of the blanks, several symmetrical holes must be made in order to connect them in parallel with rails. The slats must be made from durable wood, and must be free of tar if the slats are made from coniferous trees.

The next step is to stretch the pre-prepared fabric on wooden blanks. The fabric should be about 20% larger than the piece itself.

It can be attached to the body of the future house with a construction stapler or glue gun. In the latter case, make sure that the pet does not come into contact with the glue, as it may have an unpleasant odor for him. Subsequently, negative associations will drive the cat away from the new house.

Then you need to take a new sheet of chipboard, on which the foam rubber will be located. It should be placed closer to one of the edges. We put a fabric on top of the foam rubber and visible parts of the chipboard, and then fix it with a stapler or glue.

After all the operations performed, you need to fix the remaining fabric on the rest of the body, attach it to the base, and the cat house will be ready.

At first glance, this procedure seems complicated, but it takes only 2-3 hours to make such a simple model. The disadvantage of this design is that it does not provide a place for a scratching post.

Making a cat house with a scratching post is actually quite simple. You just need to wrap any piece of wood about 50 centimeters high or a leg from a chair with an ordinary rope or a small piece of carpet. This designcan be attached to the base of the house, and your cat will stop ruining home furniture, as now she will have her own place to sharpen her claws.

A simple version of a cat house

In order for a cat to have its own shelter, it is not necessary to buy expensive materials and spend a lot of time on it. For a cat, the very opportunity to hide from adversity in such a place is important. Therefore, you can make a cat house with a scratching post with your own hands from the simplest materials. For example, out of the box.

To create such a house you will need a large box. Its volume should be such that the cat fits in it along its entire length, and the height should be approximately twice as high as the distance from the cat's chest to the top of the head.

In the middle of one of the sides of the box, you need to make a hole so that the pet can freely climb in and out. And after that, pieces of carpet or any similar material can be glued to each side of the box.

By making such a house, you will save a significant amount, and the cat will be happy, as she will receive a house, and outside of it - a scratching post.

An even simpler option would be to purchase a regular box, in the center of one of the sides of which a hole for the cat will be made. Since the main criterion for a pet is the ability to be alone with itself, then this option can suit him.

What can be made out of the box?

Despite the fact that boxes usually make simple-looking homes for pets, in fact, options for making them from this materi althere is a great variety.

A cat house out of the box can be a kind of work of art. The owners, who are not afraid to experiment, create entire castles for their cats. Not only boxes are used, but also paints, various plating options and a very diverse design.

A huge plus of houses out of the box is cheapness. You can experiment as much as you want, you can change the number of floors in the cat's house, paint the walls and install lighting - all this will be possible to do for a modest amount, and as a result of failure, you can always start a new project.

Knitted house

There are several more ways to create a cat house. An inexpensive option would be to use wool yarn. In this case, you can make a multilayer "cocoon" in which the animal will feel comfortable. In addition, heat in such a house will be preserved much better. This option is rarely used, as it is difficult to implement.

Cheap cat house

Simple, lightweight and durable Styrofoam is another option for making a cat house. This material has a lot of advantages, ranging from the lightness of the finished structure to the long service life of the product.

Using polystyrene as the main material for creating a cat house, you can realize the most unusual fantasies. The home for the cat will be durable, warm, and it will also be possible to take this house with you over long distances. In this case, you will protect the cat fromunnecessary stress, as she will be in her safe zone.

In winter, such a house can be additionally insulated with artificial down or fur. Foam rubber is recommended as a bedding, as it provides the necessary softness and does not emit harmful substances during use.

Since such a house is lightweight, it can be mounted almost anywhere in the apartment. At the same time, a small weight can interfere with a comfortable rest for a pet, since during especially active games it can simply turn it over. Therefore, it is necessary in one way or another to fix such a house and protect the cat from possible injuries.

You should be careful during the installation of the structure, as the foam crumbles easily and can cause damage to the animal's respiratory system. The small balls that make up the foam can easily get into his nose and mouth. Therefore, you should be as careful as possible when finishing the finished house with fabric or other material.

It is important to create conditions under which the animal cannot get to the foam and harm itself. In addition, this material is well electrified and can stick to the cat's fur, and she will instinctively begin to lick it off, harming her stomach. Therefore, when deciding to make a cat house from such material, it is important to be as careful as possible.

House options

Interesting photos of cat houses are presented below.

This house is made entirely of cardboard. Its dimensions allow it to fit inside one adulta cat or several kittens.

In the next version, wood served as the material for manufacturing. This model includes an upper floor that can be used for other pets to play with.

And this option is very well suited for small kittens to play, as it has several floors, allowing them to fully play, hide and hunt each other.

Despite the huge variety of shapes and sizes, it should be noted that first of all this house should please your pet.

In fact, the process of assembling such houses is very simple. After spending several hours on such a gift for a cat, you will receive her affection and calmness in return.

The article does not list all the ways that you can use to make something like this. After all, it is much more interesting to come up with a model of the house yourself. Then your pet will have a unique home with an individual design.

Cat litter box

A house in which a cat feels safe is the key to her good mood and long life. But there is one thing that is no less important for your pet - this is a toilet. A considerable number of people are negligent about the hygiene of their pet.

For a cat to feel comfortable peeing, it is worth providing her with clean litter, and if she leaves behind solid waste, thenit is worth removing them as soon as possible.

In many families, cats experience stress only because their toilet is in an uncomfortable and noisy place, and waste is rarely removed. In such a situation, having your own house will be an outlet for the cat, but it is much more correct to make a closed litter box for her so that she feels as safe as possible.

To make this project a reality, you need to make a higher house for the cat, but without a foundation. Then it will be possible to put it so that the tray with the filler is inside. The tray will be the natural base and the rest of the house will serve as a protective function for the animal.