How to build a cathouse for outdoor cats?

What material will I need to build the cathouse?

Here are the 6 articles to have on hand: 

  • A styrofoam bin with lid;
  • A plastic bin with a lid that’s big enough for the styrofoam bin to fit inside;
  • Insulating material (eg straw, blankets, towels, etc.);
  • A retractable blade knife (eg X-ActoTM);
  • Tape (eg Duct tape or "Duck tape");
  • A non-erasable marker.

What are the steps to follow to build the cathouse?

There are 10: 

  1. Use the marker to draw a door on the plastic bin. Trace it to 4 inches from the ground and 8 inches wide x 8 inches tall. This size allows cats to enter, but not air and snow.
  2. Cut the door with the knife.
  3. Cover the bottom of the bin with about 4 inches of insulation material.
  4. Place the styrofoam bin in the plastic bin.
  5. Draw a door in the Styrofoam bin directly on top of the plastic bin door. Make sure both doors are perfectly stacked.
  6. Remove the styrofoam bin and cut out the marked door.
  7. Tape the duct tape on the edges of the doors so that they do not scratch the cats when they enter and exit the cathouse.
  8. Fill the gap between the two bins with insulating material (around the styrofoam bin).
  9. Close the bins with their covers. You can put insulating material between the two lids.
  10. Place the cathouse outdoors in a location protected from wind and snow.

*Do not put blankets at the bottom of the styrofoam bin because they will get wet and and very cold.

Text created of February 5th 2019.