DIY cat bed - 11 ideas on how to make, instructions and master classes (photos)

Photo: dekormyhome.ru Your beloved pet probably needs its own place in the house - a small and cozy bed where you can warm up and hide. In search of a comfortable corner, cats go around upholstered furniture, cabinets and the most unexpected places in the apartment. But it’s much better and easier when your pet has its own place, carefully and lovingly made with your own hands. Moreover, it is not difficult at all!

A bed made from an old blanket or pillow

If you still have old unnecessary bedding with safe filling, you can use it to make the simplest and fastest cat bed. Fold the blanket in several layers or redistribute the filling in the pillow to make the middle softer and the sides higher. And make a few lines around the perimeter to secure the result, like quilting. It is advisable to choose synthetic material so that the bed can be easily washed without extra effort.

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What you need to know

A dog bed is designed in the same way as a cat bed. But in order to properly make a dog bed, you need to keep in mind that:

The dog was domesticated by man much earlier than the cat. If domestic cats freely interbreed with wild forest cats and produce viable fertile offspring, then nothing is heard of dog-wolf hybrids. Therefore, genetic connections with ancestors (ancestral memory) in dogs are much weaker than in cats.
Dogs are exclusively terrestrial animals. A poodle or lapdog can jump on a cabinet, but they cannot climb a tree.
Dogs' claws do not retract. They are thicker, stronger, less curved than cat ones and therefore almost never get tangled or stuck.
The skin glands of dogs, by their nature active pack hunter-drivers, are more developed than those of cats - ambush predators. If a wild cat needs to hide and wait in order to feed itself, then a wolf or wild dog must clearly mark its path so that the leader can properly organize the hunt of the pack.
A pack of canine predators is a terrible force in nature: neither a bear, nor a tiger, nor a wild buffalo or elephant can cope with it. Dogs do not need to disguise themselves while on vacation. On the contrary, members of the pack must smell each other. All dog lovers have smelled a dog, but who has ever heard the smell of a cat? Therefore, dogs are not as neat as cats: they do not wash themselves and their toilet skills are less developed.

At home, these differences do not affect so much and a cat bed will generally fit a dog of the same size. The main difference is the padding. Sintepon or holofiber are definitely not suitable: they tightly hold grease and fall off from it. Furniture foam rubber grades from 35 to 45 are more suitable. But the best option is coconut fiber. Under the dog it is practically forever, and the padded bed does not need to be washed: just rinse vigorously in hot water or rinse under a strong hot shower; The coconut filling dries quickly, almost simultaneously with the fabric. You can often buy coconut fiber much cheaper than new at a car service center. Due to the same qualities, coconut is used to make the top padding of car seats.

The second is the origin of the dog breed. We will touch on some nuances of this kind further, but for now let’s wrap it up: dogs of indoor decorative breeds have almost completely lost the memory of their ancestors and, while resting, sometimes fall apart in the most shameless way, see fig. on right. Therefore, a bed for a miniature lap dog should be approximately the same size as for a medium-sized mongrel.

How to make a large bed for a small dog, see the video below:

With bigger ones there are more problems

With a bed for a large dog, the situation is more complicated, but not much, you just need to know what’s what. And the main thing is that the dog is sleeping. He will not sleep well, will not feel the full care of his owner and will not be able to respond with the same canine affection.

Each dog has its own preferred sleeping position, see fig. And depending on the breed and personal, individual.

How do dogs sleep?

But, just like humans, a dog’s favorite sleeping position can change with age and depending on circumstances. It is advisable to arrange a sleeping place for a dog so that the dog can sleep sweetly on it once and for all, from puppyhood to senile decrepitude. There is a way, this is a transforming bed, see below.

The second problem is the weight of the dog. More precisely, the mass of her body, which may be greater than that of a human. If you've ever slept on the floor, have you woken up stretching sweetly? And why? Because people toss and turn in their sleep. Dogs too. And the hard floor seems to transfer every movement of the sleeper back into his body.

Simply put, for a more or less large dog to sleep normally, he needs a kind of bed that “plays” a little under the one lying on it. Therefore, branded dog beds are often made on a rigid frame (item 1 in the figure) with an elastic bottom raised above the floor.

Beds for large dogs

For a puppy, it is possible to replace this with a wooden cat bed (item 2), only the mattress padding needs to be different, see above. For an adult dog, it is advisable to make a simple bed (item 3) with slats from planks or strips of plywood 6-12 mm thick. Dogs do not understand human aesthetics, and ergonomics are simpler for them, so a dog bed can be a very simple wooden frame with slats and a mattress, pos. 4.

From a dog’s point of view, a rookery on slats is generally a royal luxury, but not completely obligatory. And a person could have a great night's sleep on a wide bench in an old peasant hut, if there was at least some kind of damper between the mattress with the body and the floor, a kind of spring of at least 2 plates. Therefore, a bed for a large dog can be made in different ways, see for example. video clip:

Bed made from newspaper tubes

If your pet loves baskets and you like to experiment with your hands, combine the two. Weaving a real basket for your cat from old newspapers and waste paper is not difficult. Roll the sheets into thick tubes and assemble them into a snowflake frame on a thick cardboard bottom. And then braid it with a lattice around the perimeter until the walls reach the desired height.

Once you get the hang of the process, you can try different shapes and configurations. Fixing the entire structure and edges is as easy as shelling pears - just regular PVA glue is enough. And when weaving, insert the ends of the tubes into each other - this way you will be able to avoid joints and weak connections. Such a bed can be painted with hypoallergenic food dyes, decorated with fabric, and toys can be attached to it.

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Basic materials for work

Before sewing a cat bed with your own hands, prepare the fabric. Corduroy, cotton or knitted fabric, jeans, calico, knitted fabrics, plush are suitable. The main thing is that the texture is soft and resistant to wear.

For example, seamstresses do not recommend using boucle material to make a cat bed with your own hands, since cats will dig their claws into it. Because of this, clues will appear.

The filling can be any synthetic raw material. It is known that natural feather litter can harbor mites and other parasites. In addition to fabric and stuffing, you will need a simple pencil or chalk for drawing patterns, scissors, a needle, a skein of thread, an awl.

Additional materials are selected depending on the shape of the cat bed for the apartment.

Bed with sides

This is another simple option that does not require any special sewing skills. You will need dense and unpretentious fabric, synthetic filler and only two parts. To strengthen the bottom, cut it out of thick or corrugated cardboard, and calculate the side taking into account the required height and add a few centimeters in length.

Stitch the long sides of the border, turn it right side out and fill it with a long rectangle of foam rubber or a thin layer of filler. You can sew the edges by hand - it will be neater and less noticeable. After this, sew the side to the bottom already covered with fabric and put a pillow inside according to size.

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Hanging bed

Beds suspended from the ceiling or a hook in the wall look interesting and unusual: such swings delight most furry friends. Decide how many tiers you want and sew several mattresses of the same or different sizes for them. Connect them together with wide ribbons of thick, durable fabric, gathered at the top into a loop for hanging. Or build something like an Indian house and use several rings of different diameters - for example, a needlework hoop.

Photo: housejournal.ru

DIY dog bed: 9 great ideas

Bed from an old suitcase

If you still have an unnecessary suitcase or a hard bag of a similar shape, you can make a beautiful and cozy bed out of it in literally 15 minutes. Remove or trim the top, place a pillow inside, and you're ready for a luxurious pet bed. Even a large cat can easily fit into a suitcase, you just need a thinner pillow.

The design is easy to modernize: screw the legs to it or glue them with construction glue. You can make an upper tier from the lid by assembling a support for it from old boards. Even a pillow or mattress can be easily sewn from any natural fabric and a piece of foam rubber.

Photo: magnat-home.ru

Simple house options

The simplest houses for cats are secluded places where the animal can rest from the care of its owner. These can be hammocks, beds and bedding located in the far corners of the apartment. A hammock, for example, can be attached to the legs of a chair, where no one will disturb the cat. This will not only bring joy to your pet, but will also save space in the house.

Beds are another simple and cheap way of arranging space for a cat. They should be soft, warm and natural, as synthetic materials are electrified, and cats do not like this. Having received an electric shock once, your pet will not approach the object a second time, because these animals are very smart. Beds can be in the form of baskets and mattresses, heart-shaped or simply round, regular or with sides. If your cat has become a mother, then such sides will initially allow you to keep the kittens near the cat so as not to irritate her.

Cardboard houses, closed on all sides and having one or more openings for entry and exit, will become a personal space for the cat, which a person will not be able to invade. Such houses allow air to pass through well and at the same time protect the cat from light and prying eyes, creating the illusion of an enclosed space. As practice shows, this option is the most favorite among furry pets. What cat hasn't climbed into a box as soon as a shoe, coffee machine, or other purchase has been taken out of it?

Knitted round bed

If you still have unnecessary sweaters, but have free time, you can use them on a cheesecake bed for your cat. You don’t even have to knit everything yourself: the base of the work is already ready. Cut off the collar of the sweater, sew up the neckline with strong thread and lay a stitch over the chest at the same width as the sleeves - these are the future sides of the couch.

Fill the sleeves and the resulting hole with holofiber or padding polyester in a circle, monitoring the even distribution of the filler. To strengthen the bottom, cut out a shape from thick cardboard or thin plywood. It will be more comfortable for the cat if you put a thin layer of litter or an old towel inside.

Sew all the edges and then loop the tightly stuffed sleeves around the bottom to make an impromptu cheesecake. Make sure that there are no sloppy folds or seals anywhere. You can sew all the details directly on a machine or even manually using strong nylon or silk thread.

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Step-by-step instruction

Now let's move on to a description of the manufacturing technology of the bed itself.

Lay out the jacket on a flat surface (table or bed). If the item has a collar, it will either need to be cut off or tucked inside the sweater. And sew up the neckline (it’s better from the wrong side so that the seams are not very visible).
Then you need to divide the jacket into 2 zones: the future wall and bottom of the bed. To do this, we go through threads and a needle from one sleeve to the other at armpit level. You can first mark the line with chalk or special sewing soap. It can be flat or curved in a semicircle in the direction of the neck.
The next step is to create a soft bottom of the bed. This is done very simply. We insert the pillow into the bottom of the sweater and sew up its edges to secure the pillow inside.
Next we will make the wall of the lounger from the sleeves of the jacket. They need to be filled with the “insides” of the second pillow or jacket. The filling can be different: holofiber, down, feather, padding polyester, at your discretion. And if there is none of the above, then you can simply stuff your sleeves with old scarves, hats and crumpled newspapers. The main thing is to distribute the contents evenly around the entire circumference of the board. We fill the sleeves to such a state that they are voluminous and hold their shape well, but are not too hard and rigid.
Then we sew the sleeves to each other, placing the edge of one on the edge of the second. The joint area can be decorated with an interesting sticker or trimmed around the circumference with a piece of fabric so that it is not so noticeable.
And finally, the last stage. The base of the lounger must be connected to its sides, sewing both parts of the product around the entire perimeter. We also do this using thread and needle. Or you can simply fasten them with safety pins.

A homemade cat bed can become a universal, unique and irreplaceable product. Any available means and materials can be used as a basis. Therefore, the cost of the item will be reduced to pennies. The thing should be done immediately after a small kitten appears in the house. Your pet should immediately get used to sleeping in a certain place.

Sofa bed for cats

If your furry pet has long been in love with sofas and armchairs, you can make her your own sofa in miniature. To do this, you only need fabric, foam rubber and foam plastic with a simple set of tools. Cut foam sheets into several blocks, from which you can assemble an impromptu sofa according to the size of the cat.

Glue all the elements together, put foam pillows on top and cover them with fabric. If you want to disassemble and wash the bed from time to time, sew a cover with a zipper or ties - then it will be easy to remove. At the same time, you can change the foam layer as needed.

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Patterns

There are a large number of different patterns for dog beds. It all depends on the size of the dog and the shape of the future product. We suggest viewing the best options for patterns of beds.

As you can see, decorating a resting place for a dog with your own hands is not difficult if you choose the right pattern and choose a manufacturing technique. But you won’t spend extra money, spend your time creatively, and make your pet happy.

Bed for battery

It’s no secret that cats are constantly looking for shelter in the warmth, and especially in winter, when they settle down under or on the radiator. To make your pet more comfortable, softer and warmer, you can make a small hanging bed. For example, from a piece of PVC pipe of sufficiently large diameter, and from several hooks for hanging.

To make the lounger beautiful on the outside and comfortable on the inside, cover the plastic with soft fabric and a thin layer of foam rubber or other filler. Keep in mind that the pipe is smooth and slippery, so it is better to secure the edges inconspicuously inside with construction glue. Make sure that the filler does not bunch up, otherwise it will be uncomfortable for the cat.

If you want to remove and wash the upholstery, secure it with Velcro. You don’t have to buy fabric specially: old towels, bathrobes, an unnecessary blanket—anything will do. Hooks and rings can be of any shape and configuration - study the assortment of your nearest hardware store and choose something that fits the size of your battery.

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Kinds

To understand what exactly you can do for your pet, you need to have an idea of what types of beds are. A bed can be a flat pillow of round, oval, square, and sometimes in the shape of a heart. Options with greater thickness are called poufs. These beds are denser, but no less comfortable for cats.

In addition to them, the bed can look like a small crib with sides. Here the form can be very diverse. As a rule, it is rare that a housewife chooses a simple basis when caring for her pet. Thematic products look much more interesting in the interior of the room, for example, in the form of a large shoe, pumpkin, book, soft toy. This is unusual, and cats have somewhere to hide, because many of them love to sit in ambush during games.
Some models are similar to a semi-house: such beds have not only a soft cushion and sides, but also a partial roof. Completely closed products imply the presence of a kind of hole with space inside for a comfortable position for the pet. The most open options are hammock beds.
Despite the fact that outwardly they do not seem comfortable, cats often sleep in them, and while awake they observe what is going on around them.

A bed made from an old blanket or pillow

It is advisable to choose synthetic material so that the bed can be easily washed without unnecessary effort.

Bed made from newspaper tubes

Once you get the hang of the process, you can try different shapes and configurations.

Fixing the entire structure and edges is as easy as shelling pears - just regular PVA glue is enough. And when weaving, insert the ends of the tubes into each other - this way you will be able to avoid joints and weak connections. Such a bed can be painted with hypoallergenic food dyes, decorated with fabric, and toys can be attached to it.

Bed with sides

Hanging bed

Bed from an old suitcase

Knitted round bed

Sofa bed for cats

Bed for battery

Bed on the windowsill

To do this, you will need a sheet of plywood, a regular decorative pillow or foam rubber with a piece of fabric, and corner supports for wall shelves. Place the frame in a pillow or cover it with foam rubber and soft fabric or fur, and place the entire structure on one side on the windowsill. And from below - screw or glue the supporting corners. You can even make a folding bed - according to the same principle that folding tables are made on balconies or small kitchens.

How to make a hammock?

A homemade hammock bed is convenient because it does not interfere with air circulation from below, and the presence of a canopy, depending on the model, allows for shade. Hammocks for pets can be very diverse in the way they are attached. For example, they can be ordinary, installed on the floor, in addition, they can be installed on a radiator or attached to window glass.

In the latter case, the fasteners are large suction cups that firmly hold the compact bed.

Such modifications can be made from thick wire or pipe. It is used to create a frame with hooks through which it will be attached, for example, to a radiator. The size of the frame must be sufficient to accommodate the animal. After the frame is bent, we begin sewing the textile cover, taking measurements on the finished frame. For ease of washing or cleaning, the cover can be sewn with a Velcro fastener. Next, all that remains is to put the cover on the frame and secure the bed with hooks to the battery.

If there is enough space between the battery and the wall, you can make a wooden frame with supports hiding behind the battery. Otherwise, all that remains is to simply sew a cover from thick material or pull an old sweater over the frame, tucking its sleeves inside the resulting hammock. If you have a chair with high legs at home, it will be perfect as a ready-made frame for a future structure. You will need to sew a fabric to it and secure its ends to the crossbars.

An original solution could be a bed suspended from the ceiling. Moreover, it can be either single-tiered or consisting of two or even three floors. A characteristic feature of such products is the narrowing of the size upwards. To make such beds, textiles, foam rubber, and synthetic winterizer are used. The product can be attached to a ceiling hook using wide ribbons made of thick textile.

It’s difficult to call such beds comfortable, but cats are not afraid of difficulties: during the day they manage to lie down wherever they can.

Making a scratching post house

In the classic version, the scratching post is a pipe wrapped in jute rope. For stability, the pipe is filled with sand, placing it in a bag made of dense polyethylene. A bed with a scratching post made from a box is made using the following technology: a box of a suitable size is sealed with tape from the bottom, making an entry hole on two sides, and gluing the bottom of the box. The bottom folds are glued with hot melt adhesive or construction adhesive.
After this, the product is supplemented with foam rubber, followed by textiles. Then the structure can be glued to a larger wooden panel prepared in advance (for example, a sheet of chipboard). Next to the house they glue or insert the pipe into the hole made and fix it with glue. The scratching post is wrapped with twine, trying to do it as firmly and tightly as possible so that the cat cannot tear off the rope too quickly.
You can glue a small wooden panel to the top edge of the scratching post. It can also be supplemented with foam rubber and soft bedding, and, if desired, made with sides. So that the cat can play in this corner, it is recommended to supplement it with a fluffy ball, attaching it to a strong rope.
Inside the house you can lay either a thin or soft pillow-bedding, making it the size of the bottom of the box.

Bed on the windowsill

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Hammock bed

The hammock is convenient because it allows air to pass through from below, and the cat will always be comfortable. Fastenings can be very different: from two hooks or supports to a rectangular frame made of metal rods or wood. Select the size of the frame taking into account the size of your pet, but take extra fabric for the hammock so that it lies freely.

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Where to install the sun lounger

The main condition is the preferences of the cat itself. If they are used to sleeping with their owners, it is worth placing a lounger next to the bed. It is a great idea to place a cushion at the bottom of the house if pets like to be alone and value their personal space. In cold seasons, it is more pleasant for them to sleep near a warm radiator, so you can build a shelf for a bed, with hooks for attaching to the radiator.

The most important thing is that it is convenient for pets to get to their sleeping place, so you should not install the lounger too high.

"Royal" bed

If you want to give your cat a real royal bed or make a bed that will fit into the most complex classic interior, you will need an old table or stool with legs. Carefully sand and paint the furniture in the desired color, use wooden decorations and varnish the structure. Turn it upside down, put a mattress made of beautiful fabric inside, and if you want, hang a canopy on top.

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Original ideas

Booth from a nightstand

In principle, a pet bed can have any geometric shape: it can be made not only in the form of a circle, rectangle or square, but also a pentagon or polygon. But still, you shouldn’t think too much - wool and debris will constantly accumulate in numerous corners, which will be problematic to remove. And such a design will take up much more space.

A variety of materials can be used as a frame for a sleeping bed for a dog:

Booth from a nightstand

for a medium-sized animal, an old suitcase with bedding placed inside is ideal
a small dog can be placed in a small basket
turn over the old table and saw off its legs - and you will get an original wooden bed for your pet
you can use a bedside table for these purposes if you remove a couple of bottom drawers from it
You can get a real house if you cut out an entrance for the dog in the side table and put soft bedding inside the new home; so that the entrance to the home is not too conspicuous, it can be curtained with a decorative curtain made of thick cotton or linen
when replacing furniture, do not throw away table or chest of drawers - they will make a ready-made sleeping bed for an animal; You just need to lay a mattress on the bottom
“place” your pet on the bottom shelf of a closed coffee table - the dog will only be happy to be close to you
You can also use an old ottoman with a hole made on one side for a manhole.
if you unscrew the legs from an old office chair or a regular chair with armrests, you can get another original look for a dog bed
Have you had an old baby bath lying around for a long time? you can easily use it as a sleeping place for your pet
your dog will definitely love a bed crocheted from thick yarn

Cat bed – photos and ideas

There are many more ways to make a comfortable and cozy cat bed than meets the eye. For ideas and inspiration, we offer you an even larger selection of photos!

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