If you got a cat, then soon you may need to purchase or make a cat house yourself. Domestic cats have a tremendous love for their own houses in which they can hide, sleep or play.
Cat's house
If she does not have such a dwelling, then the cat will periodically look for secluded places in the house, but sometimes this leads to undesirable consequences. With high probability it will be in this place that it will sharpen its claws, and if it is upholstered furniture or there are wallpapers nearby, then your pet will ruin them.
Why do cats like enclosed spaces?
For many years, cats have been the subject of research. One of the questions that they wanted to find an answer was about why cats like enclosed spaces, boxes and packages.
There is still no full answer to this question, but according to some observations it turned out: due to the fact that cats are predators, the box is for them the very shelter because of which they can attack and in which they can go unnoticed at the moment of danger.
It is also important to remember that felines are often stressed. One way to deal with it is to lick your own coat. This very calms the animal, and at the same time maintains its cleanliness. But much faster, the cat calms down in some secluded place, which can become a cat's house.
In 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 you can wait out another unpleasant situation.
Feature behavior cats
Cats are social animals, as they make various sounds, possess non-verbal communication skills, but despite this, their main problem is the difficulty in resolving conflict situations. Therefore, instead of trying to smooth out the conflict, they either attack or run away and hide.
Despite the fact that they are classified as predators, domestic cats are much less aggressive creatures, compared with 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's house out 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 to normal condition. It is worth noting that frequent attempts to hide in enclosed spaces may indicate the complex nature of the cat or its nervous state.
If this behavior has been noticed for a pet, then it will not hurt to go to a veterinary clinic, where you can be offered sedative supplements based on herbal ingredients.
Why are cats experiencing stress?
These animals are very wayward, 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 a regular walk can lead the cat to a very negative state. Even regular stroking can be a factor that will lead to a deterioration in the condition of the pet.
According to the results of some studies, it turned out that cats actually do not have a great love for touch, and even vice versa. They are much more pleasant when they are not touched. This trend is observed in both cats and cats, so instead of stroking it is better to give your beloved pet the opportunity to calmly choose a place for games and relaxation.
The most correct decision in this situation is 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 could survive stress or just hide. For this purpose, many variations of cat houses have been created.
Also, such houses allow you to avoid clutter in the apartment, as the pet will play in his "house".
They are a special room for a cat, which is about 2-3 times bigger than it. These houses may contain game 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.
There are even entire game complexes, including several levels connected by transitions and awnings to create a large playing space for the cat. Do not forget that for cats it is very important to sharpen the claws, so there are models of cat houses with a claw point. They have additional devices so that the pet can itself monitor the state of its claws.
Do-it-yourself cat house will be quite simple. It is easiest to buy it in specialized stores with pet products, 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. He needs a small amount of consumables, and even the most picky cat will like the result.
To create a house you will need these materials:
- Particleboard 50 x 130 cm for the foundation.
- Chipboard 45 x 60 cm for the roof.
- Particleboard 60 x 50 cm for walls - 2 pcs.
- Chipboard 45 x 35 cm for a stove bench 2 pcs.
- Foam rubber 45 x 35 cm.
- 7-8 rails 4 x 4 x 40 cm.
- Fabric for lining.
To begin with, it is necessary to cut out the rectangles from the 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 which your cat can easily penetrate.
In the body of the workpieces, several symmetrical holes must be made in order to parallelly connect them with rails. Reiki should be made of solid wood, there should also be no release of resins if the rails are made of coniferous trees.
The next step will be pulling the pre-prepared fabric onto the wooden blanks. The fabric should be about 20% larger than the blank 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 it. Subsequently, negative associations will drive the cat away from the new house.
Then you need to take a new sheet of chipboard, on which foam rubber will be located. It should be placed closer to one of the edges. On top of the foam and visible parts of the chipboard, we lay the fabric, and then fix it with a stapler or glue.
After all the operations performed, you need to fix the remaining tissue on the rest of the body, attach 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 produce such a simple model. The disadvantage of this design is that it does not provide space for a claw point.
Making a cat house with a claw point is actually quite simple. You just need to wrap any block of wood about 50 centimeters high or the leg of a chair with an ordinary rope or a small piece of carpet. This design can be attached to the base of the house, and your cat will cease to spoil the home furniture, as now it will have its own place for sharpening claws.
A simple version of a cat house
In order for the cat to have its shelter, it is not necessary to buy expensive materials and spend a lot of time on it. For a cat, the very ability 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 in it fits along its entire length, and the height is about two times higher than the distance from the cat’s chest to the crown.
In the middle of one of the sides of the box, you need to make a hole so that the pet can freely climb inside and get out. And after that, pieces of carpet or any similar material can be glued to each side of the box.
Having made such a house, you will save a significant amount, and the cat will be happy, as she will receive a house, and a claw-claw outside.
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 himself, this option can suit him.
What can be done out of the box?
Despite the fact that boxes usually produce simple-looking homes for pets, in fact, there are a lot of options for making them from this material.
The cat house out of the box can be a kind of work of art. Owners who are not afraid to experiment create entire castles for their cats. Not only boxes are used, but also paints, various lining options and a very diverse design.
A huge plus of the houses out of the box is cheapness. You can experiment as much as you like, you can change the number of floors in a cat’s dwelling, paint walls and carry out lighting - all this can be done for a modest amount, and as a result of failure, you can always start a new project.
Knitted house
There are several other 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, the heat in such a house will remain much better. This option is rarely used, as it is difficult to implement.
Cheap cat house
Simple, lightweight and durable polystyrene is another option on how to make a cat house. This material has a lot of advantages, starting from the lightness of the finished design, ending with a long service life of the product.
Using polystyrene as the main material for creating a cat's house, you can realize the most unusual fantasies. The house 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 from unnecessary stress, as it will be in its safe area.
In winter, such a house can be additionally insulated with artificial fluff or fur. It is recommended to use foam rubber as a litter, as it provides the necessary softness and does not emit harmful substances during use.
Since such a house is lightweight, it can be attached to almost any place in the apartment. At the same time, a small weight can interfere with a pet’s comfortable rest, 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.
Care should be taken during installation of the structure, since the foam will crumble easily and may cause damage to the respiratory system of the animal. The small balls that make up the foam can easily get into his nose and mouth. Therefore, you should be very careful when decorating the finished house with a cloth or other material.
It is important to create conditions under which the animal can’t get to the foam and harm itself. In addition, this material is electrified well and can stick to the cat’s hair, and she instinctively starts licking it, harming her stomach. Therefore, deciding to make a house for a cat from such material, it is important to be as careful as possible.
Variants of execution of houses
Interesting photos of cat houses are presented below.
This house is made entirely of cardboard. Its dimensions allow it to fit inside one adult cat or several kittens.
In the next embodiment, the material for the manufacture of wood. This model includes an upper floor that can be used for games by other pets.
And this option is very suitable for games of small kittens, 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 in the first place this house should please your pet.
In fact, the process of assembling such houses is very simple. Having spent several hours on such a gift for a cat, you will receive in return its affection and calmness.
The article does not indicate 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 toilet
The house in which the 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 - it's a toilet. A considerable number of people neglect the issue of hygiene of their pet.
To make the cat feel comfortable while meeting its natural needs, it is worth providing it with clean toilet filler, and if it leaves behind solid waste, then it is worth removing it 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 cleaned. 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 toilet litter box for her so that she feels in maximum safety.
To implement this project, you need to make a higher house for the cat, but without reason. Then you can put it so that the tray with the filler is inside. The tray will be a natural base, and the rest of the house will perform a protective function for the animal.