How to Build an Outdoor Cat Shelter
Building a shelter for a cat outdoors will protect it from inclement weather. You can actually turn a pet kennel into a shelter simply by using vinyl siding. This project takes only several hours to finish and requires minimal equipment and tools.
Things you will need:
- Pet cage
- Measuring tape
- Vinyl house siding
- Drill
- Drill bits
- Rope
- Carpeting
- Utility knife
- Paint
- Straw
- Circular saw
- Gather your materials and assemble the pet cage. To figure out how big to make the shelter, determine how many cats will use it. A large pet cage should be able to fit 2 or 3 cats. Follow the directions to assemble the cage.
- Cut the vinyl siding. Using a circular saw, cut the siding into sections that match the sides, top and back of the pet cage.
- Cut holes into the siding. Using a drill bit, bore holes every 4 inches on the edges of the siding. Weave the rope through the holes in the siding and connect the siding to the pet cage.
- Cut the carpet into squares. Using a utility knife, cut the carpeting into squares and lay it into the cage. Next, place a layer of straw on top of the squares.
- Find a location for the shelter. Place the cage in an outdoor area where the cats like to roam. To encourage use, place the cat food and water bowl inside the new shelter. You can also add other items like a ball of yarn or other toys that cats enjoy playing with.