I’ve never had a dog so I can’t say it’s the same for all of them, but it seems like once they find a bed they like, they will use the same one for a very long time. I watched my parents’ dear dog Duffy use his old bean-bag chair cum doggy bed for more than a decade. Not so with cats. Our boy Eddie will find a spot he loves and sleep in it for a while, but then something happens to said bed, that only he knows about, and presto, that bed is no longer any good. It is abandoned and it’s always obvious to us when this has happened because the guy spends a couple of days looking around and testing other spots, until he decides that he has found a new bed.
I used to keep cardboard boxes for bedding purposes, lined with blankets that were frequently washed. But frankly, I got tired of always having a cardboard box in our living room. I was very tempted to buy one of the adorable pet beds I’ve seen but knowing that any store-bought bed would eventually be abandoned and therefore become trash, I set out to make something that wouldn’t cost a lot of money and may have some longevity because of the easily washable bedding. I bought a new kitty litter tray and set that out with a blanket in it. It worked. The boy really liked it and used it for a long time, as long as the blanket was kept freshly laundered.
So I decided to step it up a notch and create a deluxe version of this kitty bed, which is really fit for the feline prince (or princess) that is so close to a cat parent’s heart. This special bed comes complete with a very comfortable mattress! It also features a pillow-case, the pattern of which is chosen to fit into your decor. And since pillow-cases come in pairs, there is always a fresh one ready to slip onto the mattress, while the other is in the wash.
Here’s how to make your own cat bed …
Supplies:
1 brand new, never used for its intended purpose, kitty litter tray, or similar sized and shaped plastic washtub.
A set of pillow-cases that will match your room (I bought inexpensive ones at Dollarama)
A supply of bubble wrap. I used the kind with the big bubbles, though the small bubbles would work too, but would take more layers. Our mattress is 10 layers thick.
1 trash bag
Duct tape
How to: Cut the bubble wrap to fit your tray. Put the stack of them into the trash bag, folding in the ends neatly and taping it shut. Cover this mattress with a pillow case. Tuck into the kitty litter tray.
Now, if your feline is like mine, his choice of bed has to be his decision. So show them what you have and then let the cat decide that this would make a wonderful bed. It took a day for Eddie to make his decision, but once he decided, it was a done deal. See for yourself!
An extra special feature of this bed is that you can carry it around the house (even while your cat is in it), so your pet can always be near you to enjoy some family time. I think this could also be used for a small dog too … Winnie, I’m looking at you!
Hope your Saturday is going well!
xo loulou
