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Do it yourself
Alexander Korovaev 03/17/2020
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A cat is a rather capricious animal, and it is not so easy to please it. She hates drafts, cannot stand sharp extraneous sounds, smells, and is wary of any changes in the house. Therefore, if you decide to make a house for a cat with your own hands, be sure to take into account all its whims. Otherwise, she will simply ignore the new home.
Knitted basket
The simplest and most minimalistic option. You can put such a house anywhere, and making it yourself is as easy as shelling pears (there are many video tutorials on the Internet that will show you how to easily make a basket). A voluminous knitted bed will add coziness to the interior. Just choose the right color and spend a couple of hours making it.
Photo: ebay.it
Animal bed "Cascade"
RUB 5,515
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How to make cat huts from slats and fabric
What do you need
- 5 round wooden slats;
- rope;
- square piece of fabric;
- scissors;
- 1 pin;
- litter
How to do
1. Place two slats together. Add another one on top in a criss-cross pattern. Thread a rope underneath them.
2. Place the right end of the rope over the intersection of the sticks. Then pass it under the two slats folded together.
3. Pull the same end of the rope under the resulting loop.
4. Place the rope under the two slats folded together and pull it under the same loop again.
5. Tie both ends of the rope with a strong knot.
6. Place the structure on its legs.
7. Place another one between the two slats, wrap the intersection with a rope and tie it tightly. Tie the last stick in the same way.
8. Trim one corner of the fabric in a semicircle. Wrap the material around the sticks and secure at the top front with a pin.
9. Open the fabric in front so that you can enter the hut. Place bedding inside.
House
Try to take the words “cat house” literally and make separate apartments for your pet. It could be a minimalist plywood house, stylized as a country house, or a luxurious mansion - an exact copy of some castle. Huge scope for imagination!
The advantage of such “apartments” is their aesthetic appearance. The house can be decorated with various decorative elements, such as flowers in pots. Remember: the items chosen for the design must be safe for the pet.
Photo: picclick.com
House "Zoogurman Empire" for dogs and cats
RUB 1,550
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Wall
The seller describes the house as a space capsule, and he's partly right. The body is made of wood and has openings located on both sides of the product. The dwelling is also equipped with a convex transparent hemisphere, reminiscent of a porthole.
The house is supplied as a kit of parts with the necessary fasteners for assembly. The finished product can be placed on the floor or mounted on the wall to save space in the apartment. The bolts required for installation are also included.
Price: 6,547 rubles.
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Miniature furniture
Do you like to take cute photos of your animals? Then you will appreciate this option. If your pets love to walk on the bed, in particular on the pillow, in the morning, then it will not be difficult for your cat to get used to his own small bed. You can also choose a sofa from miniature furniture. To make such furniture more interesting, purchase a small bedspread and cute pillows that will match the style of your bed linen. You will have a cute arrangement in the room.
Photo: etsy.com
Bed for dogs/cats Darell “Domino”
694 rub.
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Making a scratching post
Scolding a cat for sharpening its claws is pointless. Indeed, in the wild, when animals climb rocks and trees, they wear off automatically. In an apartment they don’t have this opportunity, and their overgrown claws get in the way.
You can protect furniture and door frames from damage by attaching a wall-mounted, floor-mounted or hanging scratching post to your house.
Let's describe how to make a house with a scratching post:
- The most convenient design is a column or rectangle with a height of 9-10 cm. Its width should also be sufficient - from 8-10 cm. At the top of such a structure you can arrange a comfortable lounger.
- The scratching post is attached using furniture corners to a cross-shaped, rectangular stand, which, in turn, is screwed to the floor.
- To cover it, you can take thick jute twine 0.5-1 cm thick, carpet or thick burlap. Synthetic rope should not be used - if an animal gets caught on its fibers, it can damage its claw. The twine is tightly glued to the surface, while being tapped with a hammer.
- As a scratching post, you can use a rug attached to the wall, a carefully sanded log, or even a piece of wood brought from the forest. Before installation, all small knots must be removed and sanded well.
Hang a couple of your favorite toys next to it - they will help attract the animal's attention.
Cardboard house
The advantage of such a house is the variety of models. You will definitely find an option that you like and will suit the interior of your apartment. It could be a wigwam, a hut, a birdhouse or a cave. There are so many options that it’s impossible to list them all. It’s not difficult to make such a shelter yourself - all you need to do is use unnecessary cardboard boxes and assemble them according to a layout that can be easily found on the Internet. To make your cat more comfortable and warmer, lay your pet's favorite blanket inside the house.
Just keep in mind: if your pet is active and very playful, such a house is unlikely to last for a long time. In this case, it is better to purchase a house made of multilayer cardboard from a special store - your four-legged friend will not be able to damage it.
Photo: blazepress.com
Cardboard cat house Forest adventure
229 rub.
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Material
For the frame, it is recommended to use plywood, cardboard or chipboards without a pungent odor. The base is made of straw or plastic.
The upholstery is made of plush, carpet, suede, velor. You can sew pillows and bedding from the same materials. Sintepon or foam rubber are used as filler.
Pet stores also sell artificial materials for stuffing recreational items. They are produced in the form of granules and retain heat well.
Fastenings are made of reinforcement. This material will ensure the strength and stability of the structure. All parts of the structure are connected with odorless glue and nails. For soft material, a stapler is used.
Other materials are also used. The most important thing is that they do not become electrified. This will cause discomfort to the pet.
Soft bed
Does your pet like to sleep on your pillow and other soft objects? Then he will definitely like the soft bed. These beds come in different colors and shapes, so you are sure to find an option that will not only please your pet, but will also suit the interior of the room.
Photo: ebay.it
Curver Pet Bed with Knitted Comfort Pillow
RUB 7,994
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Game complexes
Keeping cats gives owners a lot of trouble and problems. They play, run, sharpen their claws, thereby causing damage to furniture and interior items. To eliminate these troubles, you can build a large two-story play complex in which your pet can play.
To manufacture the complex you will need:
- boards and plywood for the frame part. If these materials are not available, then you can use drywall;
- tubes made of metal or durable plastic;
- multi-layer upholstery material, foam rubber;
- cords, ropes, rope;
- screws;
- You can use a construction stapler for fastening;
- liquid Nails.
To make an exclusive gaming complex, it is worth preparing additional materials:
- wooden houses with an entrance;
- hanging hammocks with several fastenings;
- observation decks;
- play tunnels;
- stair elements;
- ottomans;
- suspended balls;
- scratching posts;
- columns that connect the entire structure.
After preparing the materials, you can begin building the main structure. It is performed in stages:
- The main structure for the cat is built in the form of platforms and shelves. Using a jigsaw, two sheets are cut out of plywood, which will be the top and bottom. The bottom part should be larger than the top.
- Three holes are made in the blanks. The size of their diameters must correspond to the diameter of metal or plastic tubes. They will serve as supports.
- A sun lounger can be installed on the top of the structure.
- Next, all materials are upholstered with fabric.
- Then a post is installed that will serve as a scratching post and a surface for moving the cat around the play complex. To do this, take a tube and cover it with a rope cord. The last edge of the rope can be fixed with liquid nails.
At the end there are additional materials that will be used for the pet's games.
Felt house
Do you know the feeling when you want to wrap yourself in a blanket with a mug of warm tea and sit like that for an eternity? Cats are not far behind us in this regard. Of course, they don’t drink tea, but they really value warmth, coziness and comfort.
The advantage of such a house is that wool perfectly retains and releases heat, so it will be comfortable at any time of the year.
Photo: tuftandpaw.com
House for a cat made of felt “Cat House”
RUB 2,188
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Tent made from an old T-shirt
The sizes can be arbitrary. The most important thing is that the animal does not feel too cramped in it. A similar structure with a wire frame can be easily moved and placed in another place.
Cozy T-shirt tent
1Make the bottom of the tent from a piece of thick cardboard or plywood. To prevent the cardboard base from bending, glue or tape 2-3 sheets together.
2To make the frame you will need two pieces of thick wire. They will need to be bent into arcs.
3We connect them together so that the ends are located in the same plane. Secure the upper part of the frame, in the area of the crosshairs, with tape.
4To attach the frame to the bottom of the house, we make four holes in the corners of the cardboard or plywood blank. It is necessary to retreat 3.5 cm from the edges.
5After pushing the wire into the holes, its ends must be bent on the back side of the bottom and secured with tape.
6The entrance hole of the house will be the neck of the T-shirt. We turn up the lower part and sleeves. You can simply sew it on by hand, but since the T-shirt will need to be washed periodically, it is better to secure the bottom with pins under the bottom of the house.
7A soft tent for a pet can also be sewn from felt, knitted or other types of fabric. Make a pattern from newspaper, attaching it to a wire frame. When cutting, be sure to leave seam allowances.
Ball of thread
Another modern and versatile house shape for your furbaby. These fidgets love to play with threads so much that a house stylized as a ball will become their favorite place to relax.
Photo: tuftandpaw.com
Wicker basket house for animals
3,000 rub.
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Peculiarities
The cat house performs several functions:
- shelter - a place where you can hide from the other residents of the house;
- observation point - the pet should be able to view the maximum space around from it;
- a warm, cozy nest where you can sleep or just lie down and soak up;
- play area with scratching post , ribbons, tunnels and other play accessories.
An original house for a cat
Thus, in order to look attractive to cats, the house must be:
- according to the size of the cat - it should fit freely into it and be able to freely curl up into a ball, but it is important not to overdo it with the dimensions;
- consist as much as possible of natural materials - wood, cardboard, natural felt and others (synthetic materials electrify the fur of cats, and this causes discomfort - plastic, artificial fabrics);
- away from equipment and objects that produce loud sounds - away from TV, radio, music center;
- moderately warm, not exposed to drafts - cannot be installed under windows, on a windowsill, close to a radiator, near a door or passage.
IMPORTANT! The ideal option is to arrange a resting place for the cat in the far corner, relative to the entrance to the room or against the wall located opposite from the entrance.
Stylish cat house
The house should be the size of the pet
It is very important not to forget about humidifying the air in rooms where pets are kept. Read our separate article on how to make a humidifier with your own hands. And also, which humidifier is better to choose.
Fish house
This is the case when it was not the cat who ate the fish for lunch, but the fish that ate the cat. Of course, in a figurative sense. An option for owners who are not afraid to experiment with the appearance of the house and at the same time value the comfort of their pet. This composition can be played up by placing a lounger with a marine theme inside the house. So your cat will turn into the captain of the ship.
Photo: tuftandpaw.com
House "Owl"
RUB 2,575
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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.
Cat sofa gathered with ribbon bows
To sew a cat bed with your own hands, you need to take:
- fabric in two colors, used can be used;
- ribbons to match the main colors - ready-made or made independently from fabric;
- padding polyester;
- sewing tool.
Master class: how to sew a cat bed
The pattern must be made keeping the proportions suggested below. Decide on the size of the sleeping area for animals yourself, depending on the dimensions.
On the cut out parts, mark the places for threading the ribbons.
Sew around the perimeter of the sofa, leaving 12 cm open areas on each side for filling.
Turn the product inside out.
Fill all areas with filler, paying special attention to the side walls, since maintaining the shape of the sofa depends on their stability.
Sew along the perimeter of the bottom pillow, sew up the remaining open areas with a hand-blind stitch.
Tuck the side walls and tie the ribbons, securing the connection. The bed is ready!
design according to the Recommendations of a room for a pet
On the pet products market today there is a wide variety of houses for cats, their range is simply huge. In large stores, significant areas are allocated for display cases, representing multi-level buildings, simple beds, soft houses, and box houses. At the same time, all these designs cost a lot!
It is much easier to make your own, sew and pattern such a house with your own hands. Firstly, it will be exclusive, secondly, it will fit exactly into your interior and, thirdly, it will take into account all the features, needs and inclinations of your tailed friend.
Before you begin this interesting and creative work, you need to take into account several points:
- You need to choose the type of housing that is right for your pet. Some cats feel comfortable in an open space (then just a basket or a bed with soft fabric on the bottom will do), others need to feel the boundaries of the house, resting their backs and paws on the walls (then they need a box house), others need to be at a height so that everything under control (then get ready to build some kind of pedestal-stand for your home).
- Next, decide on the future size of the pet’s home. There are cat breeds of large, medium and small sizes. Depending on the breed, plan the optimal size of the house so that the occupant is both spacious and comfortable in If. If you are the owner of a cat, then foresee the situation: when she becomes a mother and kittens appear, they should find a place in the house.
- Finally, think about it: cats can be smooth-haired and fluffy. In this regard, it is necessary to choose the right material with which the house will be decorated from the inside. The main requirements for fabrics are special strength (it will be damaged by cat claws) and naturalness (without artificial fibers, which create an electrostatic charge). For smooth-haired inhabitants, a warmer and thicker fabric is suitable, for fluffy ones - less thick and warm, but both materials must be soft to the touch.
A competently and correctly made house with your own hands must still meet the following requirements:
- it can be cleaned quickly and easily;
- it can be washed or washed from the inside - outside;
- for the safety of the cat (no sharp corners and unnatural fibers from the material with a specific odor);
- acceptance of the home itself by the pet, who should be comfortable and comfortable in the house.
When creating your own house for cats, you will take into account the features of your interior and organically fit the new building into the environment of the apartment or house. Of course, when creating a home for cats, you need to take into account the quality of the materials used. Materials should be natural, soft, and retain heat. Household rags can also be used for these purposes.
Hammock
If a cat likes to be active and constantly explore the house or apartment for interesting places, you can make a hammock house.
Its design is extremely simple: on any table with high legs, four loops are tied to the legs at the same level between the table top and the floor.
A “hammock” fabric is attached to them, after which the structure is adjusted for evenness and “tested” by placing a pet in it.
Poof
In addition, there is also an option for a pet house made from a regular square ottoman.
In order to turn an ottoman into a cat's apartment, you need to remove the fabric from the bottom of it and cut a hole in it of the appropriate size for the pet to enter.
After this, the wooden part can be coated with paint that is harmless to the health of the pet, and bedding can be placed on the bottom of the pouf.
Mattress for a cat
For the simplest mattress you will need two pieces of fabric and filling (sintepon). Such a lounger will protect armchairs and sofas from the need to constantly clean them of wool.
Cut out two identical pieces of fabric and place them right sides together. Sew on three sides and turn inside out.
Cut out the insulation from padding polyester, sized so that it fits tightly into the resulting “bag”.
Carefully fold the unsewn edges inward and stitch the last side of the bed. To prevent the filling from bunching up when washing, you can stitch the mattress several times along the front side.
