Representatives of the cat world not only love to walk on their own, but also prefer to have their own home on the street. In such a structure they will be happy to wait out the summer heat or hide from the winter cold. Housing for pets is not always necessary, but in some cases it is simply necessary. An outdoor cathouse in winter helps her hide from the frost and protects her from dogs.
Owners who have several cats at once should take special care of the house. Keeping everyone in the house at once is not very convenient, but a cat house will immediately solve the problem.
Or, for example, a child or even an adult is allergic to cat fur, but wants to have a pet. So let the cat live in his own house! This is a good way out.
If you want to do a good deed to take care of animals that do not have owners, a cat house for the winter will also come in handy. Although, in addition to the house, they will also need food and water. In any case, housing will not hurt, but will only be a plus in your help to our little brothers. We'll tell you how to do it.
Materials
To build a house on a garden or summer cottage that will please the eye and surprise guests and neighbors with its architecture, you will need high-quality building materials:
- lining (for wall cladding),
- slats (for making a frame),
- plywood (you can use it to upholster the inside of the house),
- tongue and groove boards (for flooring),
- roofing felt or ondulin (for the roof),
- metal corners (for fastening structures).
Be sure to calculate the size of the house: too big is not needed - the cat will be uncomfortable and cool in it; too cramped is also not suitable - its occupant should be able to easily turn around inside and take a comfortable position (most often they focus on the parameters 1.5 x 1.2 x 0.5 m).
Based on the intended dimensions, stock up on the required amount of material. Also provide means to protect your cat's home from fungus so that the structure will last longer. And in order for a winter house to reliably warm its owner, the walls must be insulated with some suitable material.
To build a cat house with your own hands in the courtyard of a city residential building, you can focus on the economical option. Suitable building materials:
- a large cardboard box (as an option - an old bedside table that has become unnecessary);
- duct tape;
- pieces of foam;
- thick film or a piece of an old waterproof tablecloth.
What should an insulated winter house for cats be like?
- The main thing is to be warm and waterproof! What is important is not aesthetics for the human eye, but warmth for the cat. Make it look whatever you want on the outside, as long as it helps keep the cats warm!
- It is insulated inside with heat-insulating material: polyethylene foam, polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam, foam rubber (any material can be bought in sheets at construction stores).
- Raised above the ground to preserve heat, from snow drifts and water (30-40 cm will be enough). If the house will stand on legs, they must be stable.
- With a small entrance to preserve heat, approximately 15*15 cm. The entrance can be covered with a curtain.
- Small in volume so that approximately 4-6 cats, curled up in it, warm the house.
Tools
In addition to the traditional hammer and saw, it would be nice to use such modern tools as staplers (for nails and staples), a pneumatic hammer - the work will go faster and bring more pleasure. You will also need good scissors.
Step-by-step production of a complex for two cats
When an owner has two cats, it is necessary to build a house for them taking into account their behavior, and so that they do not interfere with each other. The behavior of cats can be different: some cats are friends and easily get along on the same site, and there are times when one of them dominates. In this case, we can assume that one of them will want to take the most comfortable and highest place. If the cats are not friends, then it is better to separate the platforms, but if they are friends, then you can build one common, but large platform at the very top of the structure.
Materials and finished house
For this design, plywood up to 12 mm thick is suitable, as well as pillars made of wooden beams measuring 50 by 70 mm and at least 4 meters long. You will also need a jute-based carpet, about 2 and a half square meters, and a rope up to 20 meters long. Corners with a side of 15 by 20 mm for the house and 40 by 45 mm for attaching platforms are suitable as fasteners. For fastening to the wall, you can use a pair of large corners, measuring 50 by 50 mm.
Fastening the main elements
The basis is a structure consisting of 3 pillars of different heights: 220 cm, 120 cm and 80 cm. The pillars are securely attached to the base, which is a plywood sheet. These load-bearing elements are placed so that the longest one is as close to the wall as possible in order to securely secure the entire structure. The placement of the posts is marked directly on the plywood sheet using a pencil. The posts can be secured using long nails driven into the back of the sheet, but first holes of the appropriate diameter are drilled for them. For reliability, the pillars are fastened with metal corners of the appropriate size.
Marking
Using the same method, holes are marked in the platforms through which the pillars should pass. It is better to make the holes slightly larger than the size of the posts, since they are still attached using corners. If the holes turn out to be somewhat smaller, then they will then have to be further processed either with a file, or a jigsaw, or sandpaper.
Fastening platforms
Before attaching the platform, it should be tried on and, if necessary, adjusted to size. It is desirable that the platform, and all other elements, be fixed strictly horizontally. To do this, you can use a building level. For reliability, the platform is attached using corners. After this, all platforms are covered with carpet, and this must also be done reliably, otherwise the animals will tear it away from the base.
House assembly
The body of the house is assembled from 4 rectangular pieces of plywood, which serve as the walls of the house, and a hole should be cut in one of the rectangles so that the cat can crawl through it. For the floor and roof, another rectangular section is cut out. To connect all the elements of the house, it is enough to use small metal corners and self-tapping screws. The fasteners must be such that none of the elements, especially the sharp ones, come out, although many of the fastener elements will be located under the skin.
Ship assembly
The most important thing is not to forget to upholster the house from the inside, after which you can fasten the roof, which is also sheathed with the same material. The finished house is attached to the planned location using the same metal corners as in the case of platforms.
Wrapping ropes around poles
The last stage is wrapping the poles with ropes, which will serve as scratching posts for the animals. In addition, design elements for animals will be more attractive. Before wrapping the rope around the pole, it is secured with a bracket. Staples are also used for intermediate fastening of ropes, as well as for final fastening. The rope should be wound tightly, otherwise it will loosen over time. To prevent this from happening, each turn or several are compacted at once with a hammer.
Wrapping poles with ropes
Building a cat house with your own hands does not take much time and can take no more than half a day, although more complex designs take much longer. In the following video you can see how a similar structure is assembled.
How I built a cat house with my own hands. The cat is SHOCKED! /How To Make a Cat House
Watch this video on YouTube
Option from boxes
An insulated outdoor house can be made from ordinary cardboard boxes. You will need two, which can be nested one inside the other like a nesting doll. There must be a small space between them. Newspapers or foam plastic are placed at the bottom of a large box; this is a good insulation. At the bottom of the smaller one (in which the animal will be located) - soft fabric, old items of clothing.
It is important that they are natural (cotton, flannel, or even better, fleece), and not synthetic, since synthetics do not keep you warm in cold weather.
Natural wool could be ideal for bedding, since it is warm, but it has one drawback - when wet (and this can happen if a cat brings snow into the house on its paws), its fibers take too long to dry.
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After the structure is insulated from the inside, the doors of the small (inner) box need to be closed, and an entrance must be cut out in its lid, in the corner. A convenient size is 14x14 cm. The edges of the inlet hole should be taped with tape so that they do not fray too quickly. The lid and walls of a large box will create a kind of canopy and protect the cat’s house from the wind along with its mustachioed and striped inhabitant.
Then you need to place the box in a thick plastic bag, press it against the walls of the large box, and seal the seams with wide tape.
Also use tape to secure the “canopy”. Then you will need to find a secluded place for the house, where rain, snow and wind do not reach. Do not place the structure directly on the ground, try to place it on boards or bricks, this will add reliability to it.
You can make a cat house from an old wooden box. One of the sides will become the base, and the open part will become the entrance. This “winter apartment” is placed on a tree, tightly screwed to the trunk and branches with twine, or on the ground. However, in the latter case, it is advisable to nail “legs” to the box - 10-20 cm bars. If they are stuck into the ground, the house will confidently stand on its “legs”.
If you have any unnecessary plastic container on hand, it is quite possible to build a house in it, providing insulation from the inside, as shown in the photo.
And also take a closer look at the body of an old unnecessary computer monitor or a large wicker basket - you can also use them to make a home for a cat.
Photo with dimensions
No matter how much we talk about the design of a cat house, the best way to understand the dimensions is by drawings with dimensions. If you look at them carefully, you will notice a solid run-up. This is understandable - there are large and small cats, and accordingly the size of the cat's house will be larger/smaller. You can adjust them yourself depending on the size of your pets or the available space.
Photos of cat houses with dimensions
Three options for cat corners with sizes
The height of the presented structures is quite large - 180 cm and above, but you can reduce it by removing floors that you think are unnecessary. All these dimensions can be taken as a basis to develop your own layout and put down approximate dimensions. Having the drawing in hand, you can begin purchasing materials and manufacturing.
Insulation with foam tiles
It is convenient to insulate a cardboard house with polystyrene boards. They are fastened with wide adhesive tape; it is very important to fix the parts well so that the structure does not “shake.” It is also important to design the entrance well: polystyrene foam should cover the cardboard completely (so that water does not get on it). The visor above it can be made of plexiglass or rubber.
The entire structure, as in the first option, must be tightly covered with a thick film or a piece of waterproof tablecloth. The seams must be taped in the same way.
For needlewomen with a sense of humor
Those who know how to sew can make a unique and original soft cat house of any shape and size. I offer several fun ideas that can decorate your home interior. For example, how do you like this silver “shark”?
Fish house, photo from cdn.theanimals.pics
And here is also a variation on the “fish” theme. It may not look so chic, but who is stopping us from choosing a more effective material or making the tail and fins brighter... Here we can give free rein to our imagination - it is limited only by our own skill. For experienced needlewomen, nothing is impossible.
Another fish, photo from cdn.instructables.com
And here are detailed instructions on how to sew such a funny house. The text is in English, but there are a lot of visual step-by-step photos, so everything is clear without words, if anything.
The “Cat Hamburger” from the next collage may not pretend to be a full-fledged cat’s home, but as a sleeping place for a pet it may be a very good idea. And sewing it is also not too difficult.
Hamburger House, photo from thepariscat.files.wordpress.com
How do you like these funny “fruits”? Animals seem to like it... And bright, cozy houses will look great in the interior.
These are the fruits... photo from remals.com
It's time for autumn... Our cats will certainly appreciate the warm and soft shelters sewn by the caring hands of the owner, don't you agree?
“Capital” option
Such a house can be made by someone who is used to working with tools and building materials such as wood. They start, as they should, with the project, carefully thinking through all the details - the presence of internal partitions, the location of the window, the door.
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The next step is to build a frame and fill it with some kind of insulation; polystyrene foam works very well (you can use packaging from household appliances or a computer). Then they move on to interior decoration - sheathing the walls of the structure from the inside with pieces of plywood. And after that they move on to the exterior decoration of the cat’s housing with clapboard. Do not confuse the order of these types of work - this is how you will do everything faster and better.
Then it’s time to connect the walls of the house with metal corners. The structure must be durable, since the animal will not want to move into the structure if it shakes. After this, they take the floor, a tongue-and-groove board was stored for it, and at the very end of the work, they take the roof.
If you place the finished structure at a height of 15 centimeters above the ground, the floor will freeze less, this will add comfort and warmth to the cat’s housing. The most convenient foundation is concrete cubes. They need to be covered with a layer of roofing felt, and only then the house should be placed on it.
Step by step instructions 2
The structure will require three pillars: one 220 cm, the second – 120 cm and the third – 80 cm. On paper, mark the location of the supports, in which the longest one should be closer to the wall.
The pillars are arranged in a triangle from highest to lowest. Transfer the markings from the stencil onto the surface of the plywood. Attach each post with four long nails, drilling holes of a smaller diameter. Secure the outside supports with corners 55x20 for the large one and 35x40 for the remaining ones.
Then make the same markup for other platforms. A 12 mm feather drill will ensure a straight hole. The slots should be a couple of millimeters larger than the posts.
Create five to six platforms of any shape - maybe semicircular. Place the platforms on the posts and secure them at the desired level with the corners. At the end, cover the areas with carpet.
For the house you will need 2 sheets of plywood 75x50 cm, cut into 4 rectangles. The floor, roof and side walls are attached to each other with metal corners using short self-tapping screws. Make a semicircular hole on one of the walls - the future entrance.
Wrap the posts with rope. It is most convenient to attach the rope with staples and then wrap it tightly. To keep them tight, tap them with a hammer every few turns. The scratching posts are ready.
Useful tips and ideas
A house designed for not one, but two inhabitants should be either two-room or two-story. By the way, a building with internal partitions is much warmer than a one-room option.
Be prepared for the fact that the house needs to be cleaned from time to time. To simplify the process, you can open one of the walls like a door. Another option is a removable roof or a folding roof equipped with hinges.
The door of such a home should conveniently open from the inside and slam shut when the owner goes for a walk.
A cat in any circumstances, and especially when it finds itself in nature, begins to hunt. It is more convenient to observe the prey from a height, so a convenient observation post can be provided on the roof.
Don't try to make your cat's home too bright. Your pet will like his home more if it looks natural - just coat the boards with varnish and complete the exterior decoration.
* * *
A warm winter house for a cat is your opportunity to give a gift to your pet or help a mustachioed tabby who, by the will of fate, finds himself without a “permanent place of residence.”
The topic is actively discussed on the Internet, it also has opponents, but most of the participants in the discussion agree: if it is not yet possible to resolve the issue of placing all ownerless animals in nurseries, we need to help at least in this way - by building housing for cats and dogs. After all, they are our brothers. Smaller ones.
Comments3 comments
- Irina:
10/17/2017 at 01:33Hello! Thanks for the good advice. The house was built, everyone was accommodated (3 abandoned kittens), but trouble happened to one, the dog tore it to pieces and the others were scared and did not stay in the house for a long time. What to do, because winter is coming?
- Love:
10.24.2017 at 12:48
Thank you, useful information!
- Elena:
04/01/2018 at 22:31
Cool! Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely use it.
: Connecting the house
When the box is ready, you need to secure the lid so that it does not come off during bad weather.
- In a well-ventilated area, apply glue around the perimeter of the lid Photo 1
- Align the lid with the box and apply slight force.
- Connect the lid and box with tape, make sure you do not block the drainage holes Photo 2
- Then wrap tape around the perimeter where the lid and box meet, this will help prevent possible displacement. Photo 3-5
Purchasing a ready-made solution
Not everyone has the capabilities, necessary tools and work space to make a cat house for the winter with their own hands. Today, manufacturers are becoming increasingly aware that the demand for such products is constantly growing. So they're starting to offer a more diverse selection. Here are the features that ready-made cat winter houses may have, which you can buy from manufacturers or order online:
- Among the most popular materials for exterior decoration are decorative boards or lining, and for interior decoration - plywood or other sheet material.
- According to their configuration, structures are most often divided into simple ones, made for temporary purposes, as well as one- and two-story, larger, more spacious and solid, in all respects, booths. In this environment, animals can comfortably survive even the coldest winter.
- It is important to remember about the possibility of additional equipment for cat housing. These could be doors, windows, beautiful decorative finishing of the roof, walls, the presence of steps, etc.
Advice! A good and affordable insulation for summer residents, which can be used as internal bedding, is ordinary hay or straw.
As for providing heat, it can be achieved in two ways. Firstly, in most cases it is enough to simply properly insulate the walls, ceiling and floor. If this is not enough, then you can consider the possibility of additional heating. The price of the latter option, of course, will be higher.
In any case, it is worth considering the fact that it is better to buy (or do it yourself) and install housing for furry friends in advance, before the late autumn and winter cold sets in. The fact is that it may take some time to get used to and adapt to a new place, even a warm, dry and comfortable one.
Dimensions of winter houses for cats
When considering ready-made solutions made by manufacturers, just like when making a structure yourself, it is important to take care of the correct size of the cat’s home. On the one hand, it should not be too large, since in this case the cat (or even several cats) simply will not be able to warm the interior space. After all, it is important to understand that, as a rule, the “heating system” of cat houses is the heat generated by the animals themselves. However, too small a space will also be inconvenient. In other words, it is advisable to take into account the approximate number of future inhabitants.
It is also desirable to make the inlet hole optimal in size. It should not be made more than 15 cm in diameter or cross-section. But it shouldn’t be too small either. There are no generally accepted sizes, but it is advisable not to make the space too cramped. That is, 30 cm in length and 25 in width or 15 in height is too small. And such a confined space can hardly fit one cat. It will be difficult for her to change position, not to mention the possible presence of small kittens or several animals.
Built into furniture
Universal pieces of furniture that include sitting areas for the cat. This could well be a closet with three compartments, two of which contain the owners’ personal belongings, and the third section is equipped as a resting place for a mustachioed friend. A good idea on how to make a house for a cat is bookshelves, where scratchers love to sleep.
Such models can hardly be found in pet stores, but loving owners will always come up with something to make a house for a cat from. They are ready to allocate a free part of the furniture for the rest of their furry friend.
How to arrange it?
In order for the new den to attract the cat even more, it is recommended to create all the conditions for a comfortable life inside. Equip the house with a cozy bed, scratching post, toys, bowls. There are individuals who are accustomed to pee exclusively in the litter box, even if there is a mountain of sand, so don’t forget about the cat potty. True, it is better to place this thing outside rather than inside, otherwise cleaning the toilet will take more effort and time. You can use an ordinary log or driftwood as a scratching post.
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A cat is a predatory animal. She loves to lie in wait for prey, watching what is happening from her hiding place. Therefore, a street pet will be happy if you make a porch-like structure near the entrance, from where it can control everything that happens without leaving the house. A soft rug placed on this miniature porch will create even more comfort. If it is possible to make a door at the entrance, this will allow maximum warmth to be retained, and the cat will feel more comfortable and safer in an enclosed space.
The door must open and close in both directions when pushed. If the structure of the house does not allow such a door, then you can limit yourself to a blanket that overlaps the opening.
