How to build a heated Kitty Cat Condo: An easy to make home for your feline
Our cats enjoying their house!
A few years ago my daughter begged me to let her bring home a kitten from my brother's house. I soon broke down to the relentless barrage of pleases, and "I promise I will take care of it, I'll feed it, I'll clean the litter box etc!" I agreed as long as the cat would be an outdoor cat at our house in the country. Well that was fine...for a while. Soon "Mittens" was living in my garage, coming and going as she pleased. All was well until it got cold here in Ohio. Then everyone was worried it was to cold for the cat outside! So to appease and comfort the family I decided to make kitty a nice, cozy, heated shelter inside the garage. As you will see it's really quite simple and inexpensive to provide your outdoor kitty with a beautiful heated cat condo!
How do I make this thing?
First you need a nice Rubbermaid container like the one below. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors and you can easily find them many places such as Menard's, Lowe's, Home Depot or WalMart. I personally bought a nice large blue one!
RubberMaid container
OK...so now you have this container. What next? The second step is to take a sharp utility knife (BE CAREFUL!!) and on the open edge of the top cut an entrance big enough for your cat to get in and out. The idea is you can now flip the container over on a flat surface like a little kitty igloo! Awwww isn't it cute! Your cat is probably loving you more already!
Now for the heat! The third step in this process is to add a nice outdoor heated pet pad. I recommend a waterproof version that maintains a cozy temperature underneath your cat only when in use. These can be easily obtained from various internet stores and Pet stores. I have also seen them In Menard's and Tractor Supply stores. It's a little kitty heating pad. I have read they are especially good for arthritic animals. Just don't rub BenGay on kitty, kitty may get very angry and scratch you! I have included a nice picture below for your viewing convenience! Man that cat makes that thing look good! He must be a professional!
Outdoor pet warmer
So you get it? Right? Set the container with the newly cut entrance on top of the heated pad. Bazinga! You have a heated cat house! It's simple but effective! You could stop right there! However, here are a few other options and tips:
- My extensive studies of cat behavior have shown that cats feel more secure in high places. If you can, place your new cat condo off of the ground, preferably as high as possible. I set mine up on sturdy plastic table. It also gives them a safe place to get away from evil dogs!
- You can also staple the container to a piece of plywood and use a silicone caulk to seal it to the board to hold in the heat. If you do this, you may need to punch a small hole in the container to run the heater cord through. I also throw an old rug over the top of ours for insulation.
- Ok! I admit this house is functional but not stylish. It could be used inside for that special cat or small dog in your life! Let's say your crafty. Maybe you could knit a nice cat condo cover? Sew a fancy smancy cat cozy cover? Just some ideas!
- Maybe if you wanted to make your cat feel extra special during the warm months you could turn it into a summer home with a ceiling fan! I'm just kidding! Are you people crazy? Hmmmmmm....
