DIY cat house made from a cardboard box and a T-shirt, multi-level. Drawings with dimensions, step-by-step instructions with photos. Master Class

It’s hard not to notice the indifference of cats to various boxes, drawers and shelves: at the first convenient opportunity, they will rush to study and fill the alluring space behind the doors of kitchen and storage cabinets, like every piece of cardboard in the house that comes to hand, that is, paws.

Caring owners, of course, want to please their pet and at the same time protect their closets from curiosity and the invasion of mustaches and stripes. To solve this issue, a homemade cat house from a cardboard box is perfect.

Why do cats need a cardboard house?

Every living organism needs personal space, a place that belongs only to it, where you can feel comfortable and be safe. House purrs are no exception, which, as you know, love to “walk on their own” and, thanks to their freedom-loving nature, are constantly looking for a secluded personal corner.

Cardboard boxes are especially good for this purpose:

They give the cat a feeling of security, covering him from all sides.
Cardboard, a natural material made from wood, has an attractive smell to cats.
Often a cat brings kittens into the world in a box, which becomes the first home for the little cat, where the mother cat protects and takes care of him in every possible way. Thanks to habit and pleasant associations, the purr wants to return to this space again.
Cute and affectionate cat lovers, although tamed by humans, remain predators in their souls, and predators need to hunt. And it doesn’t matter whether the object being caught is the owner’s tied shoelaces or a mouse sneaking into the house. For a good hunt you need a good place for an ambush, which can be a box.
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A cat house made with your own hands from a cardboard box will definitely please your tailed friend, satisfying his immediate cat needs. In addition, it can become another wonderful place not only for four-legged animals to relax, but also for exciting games with pets.

Materials and tools for making the structure

The elements of the future construction depend on the model of the chosen house and the design idea, but there are common components that will be useful in the construction of cat apartments in any case.

These include:

Cardboard or cardboard box(s)
Scissors and stationery knife
Tape measure/centimeter and pencil/pen
Brushes and glue. Particular attention should be paid to the choice of glue. With its strong, pungent smell, the cat will not want to be inside or even near the cardboard house. To prevent this, the glue must be environmentally friendly and have quality certificates. If it is not possible to find or purchase such glue, PVA glue is perfect.

Armed with the necessary materials, you can proceed to the next stage of production.

How to choose the size of a cat house

In order for a cat to feel comfortable in its house, it is necessary to make it based on the dimensions of the tailed pet, taking into account its behavioral preferences and habits. For example, owners of Bengal and Siamese cats may encounter a predilection for these breeds to stand on their hind legs, which means that the height of the structure must be calculated so that the cat can rise on its hind legs inside the house.

A good option for such a cat would be a cardboard wigwam, which will immediately arouse interest and at the same time provide comfort.

A do-it-yourself cat house made from a cardboard box must be made only with exact measurements to be sure that the cat will fit in it.
It should be remembered that the cat should have enough space not only for sleeping, but also for stretching when waking up, and since cat fans instinctively strive to mark their territory, also for the point of their claws.

The optimal size for a cat house is: base 50x60 cm and height 30 cm. British cats will feel comfortable in a house with dimensions of 50x50x20 cm, representatives of the Bengal breed will suit a design starting with a size of 42x40x50 cm, and the Maine Coon, as a large cat, will like a house with a play complex measuring 120x60x180 cm.

Housing built into furniture

You can set up a bedroom for a cat in one of the compartments of a bedside table, closet or chest of drawers. After all, even the most sociable animal needs a place for periodic solitude in which it will feel safe.

After all, even if a pet loves to lie on the sofa, when it sees a stranger, it will most likely look for a secluded place.

To create a house in your nightstand, just make a small hole in it.

It’s definitely not worth allocating space for a house in the hallway. It is better to arrange it in one of the distant rooms, preferably in the one in which the cat is most often. If you are a breeder and your animal is not sterilized, you can also set up a maternity hospital for your cat using ordinary furniture.

To do this, you just need to make a hole in the side wall of the bedside table or closet and build a soft bed from a small children's mattress or an old blanket. If your cat likes to take a nap on an elevated surface, set up a spot for her on one of the bookshelves.

To make it convenient for her to climb up there, place a small ladder nearby, covered with hemp or jute twine.

Even an old chest of drawers can be turned into a cat play set. To do this, you just need to remove the drawers, cover the free space with soft fabric and hang curtains so that the cat can rest quietly in privacy.

A home for two cats should consist of a couple of rooms or have two floors so that each of the pets has their own place.

Features of building a future home for a pet

To make a cat’s house as comfortable as possible, you need to take into account the animal’s behavioral habits and preferences. For example, some owners of purrs may have noticed their pets’ passion for climbing to the very tops of sideboards and cabinets.

This is due to several factors:

The higher the cat climbs, the more confident she feels. On an instinctive level, this is a sign of superiority over other animals and their relatives.
With the onset of cold weather, warm air rises up to the ceiling, and to keep warm, the cat climbs as high as possible.

In this case, the cat will like a design with a post one and a half meters high and a diameter of at least 10-15 cm, on which the house will be attached.

Also, based on the animal’s habits, you need to choose the size of the entrance: for cats who like to relax purely in their own company, a compact entrance is suitable, but for those who like to watch all the household and everything that happens, they need an entrance that will provide a good overview. The optimal entrance width is 15-20 cm.

Labyrinths for purring

Advertising tells us that cats are great adventurers. However, many owners already know about this, because their pet is in constant search of new discoveries, loves various puzzles and simply cannot sit in one place for a long time. What kind and how to make a house for a cat out of a box in this case? According to experts and experienced breeders, the best option is a labyrinth. It is made from several boxes and looks similar to the design shown in the photo above. Did you like this idea? Then read the instructions for implementation and start creating:

The first step is to prepare the boxes. Quantity, shape and size in this case do not matter. However, keep in mind that you need to assemble them, like Lego, into a single structure, so be guided by your abilities. At the same time, it is not necessary to choose boxes in which the pet can fit entirely. You can add several small boxes, put a ball in them and make small holes for the paws, then you will get an original homemade toy.
At the next stage, you need to assemble your idea and mark the entry/exit holes with a pencil. They can go through 2 boxes or just one - whichever you prefer.
Now all that remains is to cut out the intended holes and glue the structure.

Cardboard house options

You can make a do-it-yourself cat house from a cardboard box to suit every taste, choosing an attractive degree of intricacy, complexity and design ideas for this. The only question is the personal preferences of the owner and the cat, and the amount of free time: some houses can be made in 5 minutes, making and decorating others can take a couple of hours.

There are the following options for cardboard houses:

A wigwam is a dome-shaped hut, often consisting of a frame in the form of four to six sticks and “walls” made of fabric or cardboard.
A bed is a bed for a cat made from a box or basket covered with a mattress or thick soft cloth.
One-story and two-story cardboard houses are the simplest square-shaped cardboard buildings that provide space for sleeping and playing.
A cardboard castle is a complex structure that includes cardboard blocks interconnected into several floors with various decorative elements and cut-out windows.
A cardboard tower is a structure consisting of many layers of cardboard cut into rings, of different diameters, from larger at the bottom to smaller at the top.

A simple house made from a cardboard box. Step-by-step instruction

Performance:

Choose a suitable box and test it: the cat should fit inside freely and have space to turn around: stretch out to its full height or lie down, spreading its paws and tail in all directions.
We make an entrance. To do this, you need to attach a plate to the cardboard wall and trace it with a pencil, then cut out a round entrance along the contour.
To make a roof from the top of the box, cut the cardboard from the entrance side and the opposite side - this will provide ventilation in the house. The sides need to be connected with the vertices at the top, as shown in the picture, fastening them with glue or a stapler.
Place a pillow or cloth inside the box. The house is ready.

Decoration

You can involve children in the decorating process - then the house will sparkle with especially bright colors.
In order for a cat’s home to be pleasing to the eye, it needs to be decorated. Wallpaper or bright stickers are suitable for this. They can be used to cover the outside of a building. An interesting idea is to upholster the boxes with fabric. It can be brought to life using a stapler. Miniature soft toys will complement the decor. It is best to stick them on the outside walls of the cat’s home.

Complex house out of a box. Detailed master class

Performance:

Also, as in the previous case, choose a box that is suitable in size.
Cut out the ceiling and bottom of the box, leaving the walls on the sides. Don’t rush to throw away the leftovers: they will be useful for building a roof.
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To make windows and doors, take saucers or any other convenient object with round edges, and trace with a pencil where the opening will be. In the case of doors, we outline only the top - the arch of the door. We cut out the drawn openings along the contours.
Making a roof. To do this, we connect with tape the parts of the box that were the floor and the ceiling after - using the same tape we attach the made roof to the frame of the house
Decoration. Cut out and glue colored paper tiles to the roof.
Chimney. Glue the chimney from the remaining cardboard, cutting out a triangular opening from the bottom so that it can be placed on the roof and using tape, glue the chimney to the roof itself.
Place a piece of fabric on the floor of the house and let your pet inside.

Idea for lazy people

If you want to please your pet with a homemade house for a cat out of a box, but don’t want to go to much trouble, you will definitely like this option. It’s so easy to make that you only need to spend no more than 15 minutes of your time. And also donate a T-shirt. So, the principle of action is very simple:

You should start by preparing a box of the appropriate size.
Then use a utility knife to remove the opening part.
Now take the t-shirt and put it on the box. But it is important to do this so that the collar is in place of the removed side. As a result of performing the described steps, you will have an entry/exit hole.
Next, you need to carefully tuck the sleeves inside as in the photo above. If desired, they can be swept away with a needle and thread so that they do not come out.
Finally, all that remains is to assemble the T-shirt along the bottom edge. To do this, you can use a pin, pass a ribbon through the bottom, or gather the fabric onto a thread, and then tighten it well and tie it.
If the T-shirt is plain, it is easy to decorate it. For example, you can use special stickers or fabric paints for this purpose. But you can immediately choose a thing with a print or an unusual color, then no additional manipulations will be required. In any case, do not forget to put soft bedding in the finished house!

Cardboard tower or castle

To build a cat tower house from a cardboard box with your own hands, you need to follow these steps:

Prepare the necessary tools: corrugated cardboard or cardboard box, pencil or pen, compass, stationery knife, glue.
We take cardboard and draw on it using a compass the outlines of the disks for the future house. There should be seven or eight groups of five or four disks of the same size. We measure the largest disk with a radius of 21.5 cm, drawing subsequent disks with a distance of 4 cm from each other. Cut out using a stationery knife.
Let's make the bottom. To do this, you need to cut one solid disk with a radius of 21.5 cm and another six or seven with the same radius, but not solid, but with a hole inside, 4 cm wide.
We assemble the tower by placing one disk on top of another according to the size.
Making an entrance: measure the required height and, for convenience, remove the excess disks of the top. Decide which form of entry you like the most, and outline its boundaries on each disk of the future entry. Using these marks, draw cutting lines on the disks. Using a knife, make cuts along the lines.
Now, orienting the correct position of the disks along the input, we glue them together.
When the structure is completely dry, place a comfortable pillow or cloth inside and invite the cat to a housewarming party.

Two-story cardboard house

You will need: door and window templates (prepare and cut out first), two identical strong cardboard boxes (the larger the cat, the larger the box needed), pencil, ruler, stationery knife, hot glue.

Performance:

First, decide on the scale, draw and cut out door and window templates. Attach them to the boxes that will make up the first and second floors, and trace the contours of the templates. Take a utility knife and use the drawn lines to make an opening for the doors and windows.
Take the first box and cut off the two top flaps, located not opposite each other, but next to each other. Take the second box and cut the flaps in the same places, but from the bottom. After this, glue the doors to each other in each box. When the roof is made, you will need to connect them together and glue them.
Making a roof. To do this, draw triangles on the two smaller flaps at the top, located opposite each other, so that the two remaining parts of the flap can be bent forward. Lightly draw a knife along the drawn line and bend it forward. Then we glue them from below to two adjacent sashes, thus creating a roof. Now you can connect both boxes together.
The house is ready! Call the cat to evaluate the work. For greater comfort, you can lay a rug or pillow inside the house.

How to decorate a cardboard cat house. Decor ideas

To make the cat house more cozy and cute, you need to put in a little more effort and decorate the cardboard box yourself. To do this, you don’t have to run to the store, because most of the decorative parts can be found at home.

By the way, finding and making decorations for the house can become another little adventure and interesting activity, both for the owners and for the curious purr.

Here are some design ideas:

Using a thick needle, you can sheathe the house with fabric: completely or just inside, or in separate areas.
Glue white paper to cardboard and decorate it with cute images.
Using the same principle, the box can be covered with wallpaper, beautiful napkins or newspapers.
You can use a variety of stickers, if available. By and large, anything that can be glued or sewn to a box can become an element of decor; use your imagination and trust your creative impulse.
Soft toys will help you make a cardboard cat house a center of tenderness and comfort: select several pieces and place them inside the house, near it, or glue them to the walls of the box.
Glue a rope that your pet likes to play with to the ceiling of the house, inside or outside. You can also tie a rustling candy wrapper, paper or a toy that the cat plays with to the rope.
A scratching post near or inside the house will make this place more attractive for the cat and protect the furniture from damage.

There are many options for a cat house: from the simplest, which will take no more than five to ten minutes to make, to very intricate ones, with a variety of decorative elements, second floors and towers. However, regardless of the complexity of the house, for each owner the satisfied face of his beloved purr is the best reward for the efforts expended.

Of course, you can purchase a ready-made house, but the manufacturing process itself will be fun for family members and pets who want to participate in the process. In addition, making a cat house with your own hands from a cardboard box is much cheaper than buying a ready-made one. You will be confident in its quality and will be able to show your creativity.

Tips for owners

Now you know how to make a cat house out of a box. We hope that thanks to the detailed and step-by-step instructions, you will not have any problems with the implementation of your idea. However, before you start doing an interesting craft, you should watch your pet. For example, some cats are very sociable and easily make contact even with strangers who come to visit you. In this case, it is better to make the house open so that the pet can rest and control what is happening in the house or apartment. Other pets, on the contrary, are very timid and often hide under the sofa, especially when they see strangers or unfamiliar people. Then it is better to make a house that is more closed, so that the animal can hide in it and feel really comfortable.

In addition, people involved in breeding cats advise owners to take into account the gender characteristics of their pets. What does it mean? Cats are little lions, they are the owners of the territory, its defenders, caretakers, if you like. That is why they prefer tall houses and as open as possible. This will allow them to comfortably observe what is happening, and if necessary, not only monitor, but also intervene in the process.

The psychology of cats is structured differently. They are first and foremost mothers (even if they do not yet have offspring). For this reason, their house should be on the floor or very low. And also to seem as safe and protected as possible, to be almost completely closed.

When thinking about building a house out of a box with your own hands for a cat, a female cat, or a baby who has recently moved in with you, it is extremely important to take into account the presence of children. The animals being studied value their personal space very highly, so it is important for them to provide a place where they can simply be alone, clean themselves, or take a nap.

That is, it is important for parents to explain to their child that there is no need to take the pet out of its house. It’s better to just call, and if he doesn’t want to come out, then leave him alone.

It should also be noted that the cat should have its own place where not only the house should be placed, but also bowls with food and water, toys

The scratching post is also important. Cat claws are constantly growing and therefore must be worn down.

If your pet does not have independent access to the street, and you do not take him for walks, then he does not have the opportunity to get rid of old claws. And in this case, he will be forced to scratch and tear furniture, carpets, wallpaper on the walls and your favorite clothes.

This concludes the article. However, this does not mean that creative ideas have been exhausted. If you have imagination, then the prepared master classes will certainly give you new ideas.