DIY cat house, types of designs, choice of material

Almost every family has pets. Some have dogs, chinchillas, hamsters or guinea pigs, while others have cats. To make your animal feel comfortable, you need to buy or make a cat house with your own hands. A pet needs a small, cozy personal space for relaxation and entertainment. The cat will appreciate your care for it and will respond with unique devotion, affection and love.

Features of an animal's personal space

What functions does a cat house perform? This is certain:

A soft, warm bed where your pet can sleep or lie quietly, away from noisy children.
A refuge from other family members and their intrusive attention.
The house, complete with ribbons, scratching post and tunnels, is perceived by the cat as a playground for entertainment and gymnastic exercises.
The observation and observation point allows the furry to monitor what is happening in the room without disturbing anyone.

For an animal to feel comfortable and love its house, it must be:

Made from natural materials - felt, cardboard, woolen coverings, wood. Synthetic materials cause pets' fur to become electrified. An animal will feel uncomfortable on a bedding made of artificial fabrics and in a plastic house.
Suitable size for cat. In a space that is too spacious, the pet will feel uncomfortable. At the same time, the animal should easily enter the house and be able to turn around in it.
Located at a distance of more than 2 m from household appliances, TV, or music center that produce loud sounds.
Installed in a cozy place where there are no drafts and always warm.

Place your pet's resting place in a far corner where he will not disturb anyone and no one will disturb him.

A house and nothing more?

Cats, like people, are completely different not only in the color of their fur or its fluffiness, but also in their habits and character. A playful pet definitely needs an entertainment area so that it can occupy itself when the owners have other concerns. Often, for some reason, a four-legged friend begins to intensively sharpen his claws on the furniture. Homemade scratching posts located in the pet's relaxation and play area will help protect expensive bedroom sets, armchairs and sofas from damage. This will also help maintain a good relationship between man and animal.

This means your pet needs not just a house to sleep in, but a whole complex consisting of:

Special equipment for the exercise of an energetic cat. Next to the house it is necessary to mark out a structure of posts and tabletops. Pillars wrapped in thick twine will replace chairs and sofas that the pet uses to sharpen its claws.
A cat's house must have at least two moves. The second move will be useful for the animal in case of danger and for playing with a friend.
The dimensions of the house are in accordance with the size of the four-legged friend. For a medium-sized pet, the entrance diameter should be up to 20 cm. The sleeping area (in the form of a cube) should have a side of at least 40 cm. The larger the cat, the larger the house for it.
The scratching post is made of durable material to withstand the vigorous pressure of the animal. The location of the structure should be such that the pet can easily find and use it at any time.
The design of the house will differ depending on the breed of cat. After all, each breed has its own behavioral characteristics and habits. Bengal or Siamese cats are given a tall wigwam house. For playful animals who love to hunt, a sleeve house is best suited.

For a mother cat, a two-level design would be an excellent choice. Mom sometimes needs to take a break from the kittens and vigilantly monitor their safety.

Necessity or whim?

By nature, our favorite furballs, namely cats, are predators. They need a lot of space to train and play. In this case, a cat enclosure is the optimal solution. Quite often, when constructing such structures, a separate place is allocated for the playing area. Loving cat owners create entire playgrounds and even towns, without spending money on expensive materials, but using only boxes.

You can even create an unusual house by sewing it yourself. There are many options, and numerous photos from the Internet serve as proof of this. But why do you need a cat cage and is it really necessary?

Most people are accustomed to taking their animals to their dacha, where they move for the summer. And even if no problems arise during transportation, they may begin after arrival. Usually the problem appears in the form of neighborhood cats who ardently want to meet your kitty. After meeting the village folk, your pet may be rewarded with fleas and even unplanned offspring.

Another danger for pets is stray dogs and cars. According to statistics, animals that live primarily on the street live much shorter lives. This same chance is halved given the fact that your domesticated animal is unlikely to know what to do if attacked and what damage vehicles can cause.

How to make a wooden cat house

A wooden structure is mainly installed outdoors in the warm season, and in winter, if possible, it is moved indoors. Only a person who is interested in carpentry can make a house for a cat out of wood with his own hands. In this case, you will get an excellent design made from natural, environmentally friendly material.

For work, boards, slats or plywood are used. First of all, a drawing of the future structure is drawn up. To ensure that the house retains its attractive appearance for a long time, the exterior is treated with varnish, drying oil or high-quality paint. Water-repellent high-quality materials are used to decorate the interior of the building. A bedding made of natural fabrics is laid on the floor.

When creating an entertainment complex for your pet, scratching posts, swings, and ladders are installed next to the house, and hammocks are hung for outdoor recreation.

Variety of models

Stationary design Source pinterest.com

Grand decision Source hatchfest.org

Aviary with a wooden frame Source idei-dekoru.com

With a combined floor Source idei-dekoru.com

Loft style Source pinterest.com

The aviary can fit into any landscape Source pinterest.com

DIY cardboard cat house

To work you need to prepare:

large box – 2 pcs.;
bedding;
twine;
stationery knife and scissors;
yellow and white paint;
marker;
adhesive tape;
glue gun;
paper with a pattern;
brush.

The process of making a simple house:

Tape the seam of the bottom of one of the boxes inside and out.
Cut off the two top flaps. Trim the remaining flaps so that you get identical triangles.
From the side of one triangle on the wall of the box, draw a rectangular double door. Cut along the lines and open the doors.
Draw a window on the side and also cut along the contour.
Cut a small round window in the triangle above the door.
Cut off 2 sides of the second box and glue them end to end with self-adhesive tape.
Using tape, connect the roof elements into a single structure.
Using white paint, paint the walls of the house. Use yellow paint to paint windows and doors.
Cut not too small rectangles from colored paper. On one side they need to be rounded. Cover the roof of the house with details using a glue gun. Place house tiles in rows.
Decorate the cat's house using patterned paper.
Place a soft, warm rug inside.

A house made of cardboard boxes is the most budget-friendly option for creating an individual area for a cat.

Making a cat house from newspaper tubes with your own hands

To make such an unusual home for your pet, you need to have perseverance and patience. First you need to collect a decent stack of newspapers. To work, prepare a long knitting needle, scissors, PVA glue and varnish or glue.

Step-by-step instruction:

The first step will, of course, be preparing tubes from newspapers.
First you need to weave the round base of the house.
To attach the main frame, attach tubes along the edges of the circle and raise a small side around the bottom.
Gradually removing the tubes, weave a cocoon, as if lifting the back of the domed basket.
Leave the tubes freed from work. They will be useful for decorating the house at the final stage of work.
When the cat’s housing takes the shape you want, it must be painted with paint that is harmless to the animal’s body.
After the coating has dried, place a warm pet mat in the house.

The shape of a house made from newspaper tubes can be completely different.

DIY multifunctional cat house

Step-by-step instruction:

Preparation of materials. The base of the house is a hardboard fiberboard measuring 122 by 40 cm. The roof and walls are particle boards measuring 44 by 61 cm and 55 by 44 cm. For spacers, use slats (7 pcs.) measuring 3x4x37 cm. You will also need two beams, slabs for a bed , foam rubber cloth. For a scratching post you need a rope or rope. The house is decorated using leatherette, carpet, fabric and faux fur.
Cut out individual parts of the future structure from the slabs, having previously drawn out the prepared blanks. Make one wall blank, and cut out windows on the second, an entrance for the cat.
Preparing parts for joining. Evenly mark out the places for attaching the slats and drill holes. Sand the slats thoroughly. Thicker parts are chosen for the base. Use self-tapping screws to attach the slats.
Upholstery of a cat's home. A soft carpet is best suited for the walls of the house. Line the bottom of the house with faux fur. Use a glue gun to attach the fabric. The areas around the entrance and windows are secured more carefully.
Bed for a cat. To do this, glue a piece of foam rubber to the plate, and secure the fabric on top using a stapler. To prevent the material from crumbling, it is necessary to carefully secure it along the edges.
The roof of the house is also covered with fabric, but there is no need to use foam rubber.
Cover the inside of the house with strips of fabric. Using self-tapping screws, attach the house to the base.
The scratching post is made of a plastic pipe and a wooden block. Insert the block into the pipe and secure it. Cut out sun loungers from pieces of slab. Attach the lounger to the blank for the scratching post. Attach the pipe with the block firmly to the base. Cover the lounger with foam rubber and fabric. Wrap the pipe with rope. When installing an inclined scratching post, use a board covered with fabric.

Cat house built into furniture

You can save your family budget and create a cozy corner for your friend by using old examples of home furniture.

Design options:

A bedside table or a small hallway cabinet will become an excellent sitting area if you cut a hole in the door and put a soft rug or ottoman on the bottom.
When restoring an old sofa, instead of a backrest, make and install tunnels made of cardboard or thick fabric.
Attach shelves at different levels or a convenient slanting ladder to the side back so that the animal can hide from the annoying attention of others.
Secure a soft fabric hammock under a table or chair. On it, the animal will take the position of an observer and will be able to sleep.
Remake a coffee table by making an additional shelf under the tabletop.
Find space on open shelves and place a few cute small boxes or baskets with a couple of cute toys in there.
To prevent your pet from encroaching on indoor plants, they can be raised on stands, creating a cozy corner below.

Recommendations for location and application

This is the cage of your dreams! Now we just have to figure out where to put this structure. Agree, a do-it-yourself enclosure will not always fit harmoniously into the apartment and interior. However, there are several ways to disguise it.

To keep the dog's enclosure from being conspicuous, you can design it as a small table or cabinet. To do this, a custom-made countertop to match the interior is placed on the roof. However, this option is only suitable for enclosures with a closed top. But in general it is not recommended to close the enclosure. Therefore, it is better to come up with another way to fit it into the interior.
It’s good if there is a corner in the apartment where the aviary will fit without problems, will not interfere and will not spoil the appearance of the room.
Mesh enclosures without a roof can no longer be hidden so easily. But, if you manage to make it foldable, the easiest way is to remove it when not needed.

Where should the enclosure be located so that the dog feels comfortable in it?

Choose a place where your dog can see most of the apartment.
Avoid sunny places and drafts. The best option for placing the enclosure is one of the shaded corners of a large room.
Under no circumstances place the cage near a battery or household appliance.
The enclosure must be designed in such a way that it can be easily disassembled and transported or removed altogether.

And finally, it’s worth dwelling a little on the rules for using and training a dog in an enclosure. It is possible that the animal will not perceive it as something familiar the first time, so you cannot simply lock the dog in a cage.

Start by letting the finished enclosure just sit in the room with the door open for some time. The dog must understand that he will not harm her.
After some time, put your favorite toy or animal treat inside. It may not be right away, but the dog will still go inside for an attractive object. Be sure to praise her.
After some time, involve the enclosure in games, that is, forcing the dog to bring a toy, periodically throw it into the cage.
Next, training moves to a more complex level - the dog is taken into a crate and, praising it and treating it with treats, is kept in it. When the animal sits quietly in an open structure for more than 5 minutes, close the door briefly. When the dog is released again, it must be praised and treated.

Cozy corner for a kitten

The appearance of a small kitten in the house is always pleasant, but still a hassle. The baby also needs his favorite corner and he must be taught this from the first days of his stay in the new territory. The more good habits a pet is instilled in, the fewer problems the owners will have later. Kids need not just a home, but a whole play complex, because they will grow and develop.

The kitten will be most comfortable at first in a soft cubby house. It must be attached not too high from the floor so that the pet can easily climb into it.

You cannot make large wooden structures. They will be uncomfortable.

A small house made of durable materials is too expensive to build. In addition, in a few months you will have to build a new house, and this is an additional expense.

A house for growth is also unacceptable. What may please an adult cat will be uncomfortable for a small one.

Usually the first home for a kitten is the large box in which its mother cat brought it into the world:

A box from a microwave or vacuum cleaner is suitable as a base. The main requirement is that it must be high.
Place water-repellent material or a baby absorbent diaper on the bottom.
For the mother living with the kitten, make an entrance at the top of the box. A small kitten should not jump up to it.
You can use cardboard or thick fabric as a roof.

For the first time, a baby separated from his mother will feel comfortable in a shoebox lined with fabric. Next, the box should be replaced with a pillow or soft bed.

A children's pet house differs not only in size, but also in service life.

Fixture functions

What reasons lead to the need to purchase a cage for keeping a cat at home? Among them:

prenatal period, because in the last week of pregnancy the cat is given rest, and the family may have restless babies who bother the animal;
recent lambing, and a cat with newborn kittens would benefit from a secluded, protected and safe home;
the postoperative period, when the patient needs to maintain peace, sterility and cleanliness;
safety, because a separate enclosure at the dacha protects the kitten from communicating with stray animals and getting lost.