How to Make a Cat Bed They'll Actually Use

[SoDesuKa]

Cats love to sleep off the ground, the better to watch what's going on all around them. I discovered a simple cat bed by accident, and they love it.

You need two boxes, one larger than the other. Put the smaller box, closed side at the top, inside the larger box. Then put a blanket over the smaller box so that it makes a crater in the center. My cats are delighted. If there's something going on they can cock their head to the side and open one eye.

Of course, I never heard of a cat with insomnia . . .

[kentauros]

1. Cool trick

:)

I think the only elevation my cat likes for sleeping is on top of my feet :P

[petronius]

2. In our experience, the best way to make a bed a cat will use is to make it

out of something you really really really don't want the cat to be lying on.

(See tomorrow's installment for the best way to make a urinal a cat will use.)

[ThomCat]

3. My cats will only sleep on my bed or in chairs that I use frequently.

It apparently has to have my scent on it or they won't sleep there.

One of my cats has fallen in love with the cushion seat in my manual wheelchair. :)

[graywarrior]

7. Yeah, mine like to sleep on either my bathrobe or PJ's during the day

I have to put a pair of flannel pants on the bed at night because that's where he plants himself.

[ThomCat]

8. Even in their habits they claim us.

:)

They tell us that they love us and that they are glad that they own us. :P

[graywarrior]

9. And we'd better behave or else

[LoveMyCali]

12. My boy usually sleeps on my bed or favorite chair too

since he outgrew his cat bed long ago and I can't seem to find the giant-mutant cat size anywhere.




Oh, he has also claimed this tacky bath mat that I must now leave in my living room so his lord and master can lay on it.

[ThomCat]

15. Wow! He's a gorgeous, beautiful cat.

:)

I imagine it's worth a little bit of tacky in the house to keep that beautiful beast happy.

[LoveMyCali]

21. The only problem is

he knows he's gorgeous and thinks that means he can do whatever he wants. (which of course he can) :)

[On the Road]

23. Maybe Once You've Made the Bed

you have to pee in it, or spray musk or something.

[ThomCat]

33. I certainly hope not.

:wow:

I hope I would notice if any of us were doing something like that. :P

[krispos42]

26. Mine sleeps on my Swiss military-surplus backpack

I got back from visiting my family in Connecticut last week. I use the backpack as a suitcase so that I have my hands free to chase down my kid and carry other stuff.

So I got back last week but just kind of kept the empty backpack on the floor 'cuz I'm lazy.

And now she curls up on it and naps on it.

She sleeps on me, but she'll take a good long nap on the backpack.


And it most definately does NOT smell like me.

If I smelled like my backpack, I'd shower a hell of a lot more often! :-)

[ThomCat]

34. Does it smell like a very strong, dirty you?

maybe she likes it because it's lots of you.

I think that's why cats often like to sleep on my dirty laundry, and towels after they've been used.

I don't think they think of it as stink. It's just more of that delightful mommy/daddy smell. :P

[krispos42]

37. Ah, not that I can tell

It smells like rubberized canvas kept in a warehouse for a while... :-)


Mine spends a fair amount of time on my lap when I'm home and awake, and she curls up behind/between my knees when I'm sleeping.

It's funny when I roll around... she surfs on the blanket until I stop moving :rofl:

[NV Whino]

4. I bought a bargain kitty bed over Thanksgiving

Six bucks for this large kitty bed or small doggy bed. I figured I couldn't lose. If they didn't like it, I would donate it to our local kitty/doggy shelter.

I brought it home and Millie claimed it immediately. She has seldom been out of it. I don't think I've ever had a kitty present appreciated so much. And I have to tell you this is an absolute first--having the cats (well one cat) accept a store-bought bed.

Of course, it's made in China so it's probably filled with asbestos or something.

[Jamastiene]

5. Or Melamine.

Everything from China seems to be tainted with that lately.

[Submariner]

6. Easy.....kick the dog out of his bed

You didn't actually think the kitty would lay on a cold hard floor did you?

[applegrove]

10. I put a wool sweater over a large napsack on the floor to dry after a wash. Needless to say

it needs to be washed again after a week. The cats fight over it. They love wool it seems and how the sides of the napsack make a sorta nest.

[mainegreen]

11. I just throw a coat or shirt destined for the trash in a corner.

Instant cat bed they will spend 90% of their time on.

[AwakeAtLast]

13. Any empty box is an instant kitty bed

They do use kitty beds we bought, too, but they like to change their favorites.

[ashling]

14. Not hard really. Here are few sure fire things to try:

1) line it with folded clean towels

2) neatly lay across it a freshly ironed shirt you are going to wear to a super important meeting

3) fix a place right in the middle of your spot on your bed

I am sure you can get one of these to work; if not, I have tons more.












:rofl:

[SoDesuKa]

17. Freshly Ironed Shirt

The darker the shirt the better. That way the cat hairs really stand out. You want everyone in the room to know you let your cats sleep on your clothing - especially the boss's wife who's allergic to cats.

[ashling]

20. New mail

... or ...






old male


:rofl:

[meow2u3]

16. Making a cat bed they'll actually sleep on--finished product

[reyd reid reed]

18. Mine would sleep in that....

until I got up. The minute I get up from wherever I'm sitting -- even for just a minute -- it becomes an instant cat bed. One of them particularly likes my lap...when I pick up my beads. Without the beads, she waits for me to move and then takes my seat.

[Lex]

19. I took a picture just today of my cat doing that in my bed.

The instant I get up to take a shower, my cat gets in the warmth of where I was sleeping. I should upload that pic and post it.

[TommyO]

22. The best cat bed is freshly washed, anywhere!

Followed only by underwear that has been worn, I have one boy that can't get enough of the dirty laundry!!!

Edited to add the sheepskin that I have on a table in the living room. All three of the guys sleep on that from time to time, and even groom it as if it were one of them.

[HopeFor2006]

24. Just tell them to stay off...

They'll indignantly sleep on that spot whenever possible.

[Arkansas Granny]

31. Or put the newspaper on that spot and pretend to read it.

[HopeFor2006]

25. Our princesses

Lying directly in front of the tv when the kids are trying to play a game.



Lying on my daughter's new sled Christmas morning.

[bobmorr1]

27. Max

[ScreamingMeemie]

30. I like the "so what're you going to do about it" look on the second one.

:)

[Arkansas Granny]

28. I already have a bed that my cat actually uses and she shares it with me at night.

It's almost impossible to remove her from that bed when I have a crocheted afghan on it. That's her idea of heaven.

[mikeytherat]

29. Location, location, location

mikey_the_rat

[unpossibles]

32. I was thinking of making one out of books, an old laptop, and my favorite shirt

they seem to love all of the above.

[DS1]

35. Or, as I call it "The Box of Awesome"

been doing it for years

[Rhiannon12866]

36. Each cat seems to have their own preferences.

Of my three cats, one preferred behind the couch, on the dog's bed or next to somebody on the couch. It took me ages to coax her up on my lap. :-)

My beloved second cat loved the window kitty seat and spent most of the day there, then slept on my pillow at night. This was a pretty amazing cat, would come when she was called, the one cat I didn't need a carrier with, and was so cooperative that I could have used her as a hat, if I was so inclined... :D

And she'd wake me up at all hours, requesting a glass of water from the bathroom... :D

My third cat was pretty skittish, was rescued from outside, though she got better in time (and after needed dental surgery). But she needed a safe hiding place, so I got her this stuffed igloo sort of bed, where she could sleep or hide, but during the day she'd often sit in the bay window, in the sun, probably feeling grateful to be back inside... :-)

This kitty, as she got braver, would sit next to my keyboard while I typed. I felt nervous about leaving the room because I was afraid she was going to fire off an e-mail, or post on DU...:D

[Skittles]

38. my cats use cat beds!