Cats are perhaps the most independent pets. By their nature, they are in dire need of their own secluded spot in the house, where nothing will disturb their sleep. In modern pet stores, a huge assortment of different beds and houses is presented. However, it will be much cheaper and more fun to make a house for a cat with your own hands.
House for a cat from a cardboard box
The easiest option is to build a cozy nest for a cat from the most ordinary cardboard box. For this case, a box from under a printer, microwave oven, multicooker, TV and other overall household appliances is ideal. Some cat owners manage to use the "Russian Post" parcel box as a house. The most important thing is that the size of the box allows the cat to stand inside at full height, as well as turn around its axis.
Materials and tools
To build a house for a cat you will need:
- a box made of thick cardboard;
- carpet or old rug;
- waterproofing material;
- a sharp knife;
- glue;
- pencil and ruler;
- wide tape.
A special underlay for the roof and wooden floors can act as a waterproofing material. You can easily find it in almost any building supermarket. If you decide to use a new carpet and waterproofing material, keep in mind that at first they will give off a pungent odor, which is unlikely to please your pet. That is why let the material "lie down". This usually takes at least two weeks.
Out of the box cat house: step by step guide
entrance
Carefully cut a hole in one of the sides of the box. It will be a future entry. This hole should be quite spacious so that the pet can easily climb into the house, but not too large for the cat to feel comfortable in its den.
Secure with tape all the folding flaps on the sides of the box so that they cannot open and interfere with further work.
Interior decoration
Carefully cut a piece of waterproofing material. It should be wide and long enough to wrap around the two side walls and the bottom of the box. The width of the material must match the width of the box. Slide the material into the box through the inlet. Expand it and glue it, gradually applying glue to the bottom and sides of the box. For these purposes, it is better to use hot glue.
Cut three more pieces of waterproofing material. Glue one of them to the ceiling of the house from the inside, the other to the back wall, and the third to the floor again to keep the cat warmer. Then cut another piece of material to a suitable size to cover the space around the entrance. It will be useful to stick a waterproofing material on the joint between the floor and the back wall of the house so that there are no gaps. This kind of insulation will keep the heat inside the house.
Exterior decor
Cover the outside of the house with carpet. After gluing it to the front, let it dry well, and then carefully cut the opening of the entrance with a sharp knife, stepping back slightly from the edges. Make diagonal cuts in the corners of the "false" contour and fold the strips of carpet inside the house. Then glue them down.
Now let the house dry well. This takes 3-5 days. Place a warm blanket or small pillow inside and invite your cat to housewarming.
Of course, you can do much easier - do not use carpet for external decoration, but simply paint the box with paint or paste over with wallpaper. However, using a carpet, you will kill two birds with one stone: you will get both a shelter and a scratching post for your beloved pet in one bottle.
