Kingsbrook Animal Hospital’s DIY Cat Hideout!
Indoor cats benefit greatly from enrichment items, especially cat hideouts! It gives them an acceptable area to stretch their claws and provides a hiding spot for napping and/or playing. Kingsbrook RVT, Julie, has 2 cats and here is a picture of one of their well used cat hideouts. As you can see, it was time for a replacement and an upgrade! Here is step by step how Julie and her Dad built a new, bigger and even more cat-friendly cat hide out!
First- gather materials!
(Most of the materials can be found at any local Frederick hardware store.)
-Concrete tube form, 3/4 pine board, 2×4, screws, carpet, hemp rope, contact cement, recycled satellite dish
(Having a Dad or friend with some tools will make this project much easier!)
Using concrete tube form, trace the arch for internal perches onto the 3/4 pine board. Cut out with a scroll saw.
Stagger your perches inside the concrete tube form. Secure them with drywall screws.
Measure and cut out scrap carpet. Attach with contact cement. **This part is very smelly! Allow to dry for several days to help the smell to dissipate.
Measure and cut out opening in the satellite dish. Attach the dish to the concrete form tube with drywall screws.
Cut out cat doors with a scroll saw.
Measure and cut carpet scraps to fit around the concrete tube form.
Using liquid nails in a caulking gun, glue the hemp rope around the cylinder.
Wrap cylinder with bungee cords to secure carpet as it dries.
After glue is dry and oder has dissipated, present the cat hide out to your buddies!
Tip: There is no wrong way to build a cat hide out! Have fun with it 🙂
And remember to send pictures of your finished project to your favorite veterinarian- Kingsbrook Animal Hospital!