A House That Will Last 9 Lives

If you have a cat, then you probably have noticed how they sleep where they want, eat what they want, and pretty much do whatever they want whenever they want. As cat owners, we find ourselves adjusting to their preferences probably ninety percent of the time. However, that other ten percent is when we go above and beyond for our furry beasts because we want to.

If you’re like me, then not everyone you live with may be cat-friendly for a variety of reasons. They could be allergic, they might not handle the smell of cat litter, or perhaps they’re the absolute enemy of all cats on the planet; aka dogs. Whatever the reason, if you absolutely cannot part with your cat and want to be able to see them every day, you may want to think about building them an outdoor house.

This is what I did several years ago, and just last fall, I finished the brand new model that was so luxurious, it looks like a mini house! Before the house that you see, I had built a cheap shelter out of plywood, a butt-load of blankets, some pillows, and a few tarps. Thankfully, with the help of some relatives and a very handy partner, I was able to design and build this more permanent house fairly quickly.

Overall, the project took about a month to plan (while I was working part-time and doing school full-time) between several design changes, choices between materials, etc. However, building the frame and roof only took about half a day while the siding took about a few hours; between two people.

While some of the materials were leftover from renovations done on the house I am currently living in that were generously donated, the wood for the frame, the roofing materials, and a few other materials were bought from my local hardware store. Altogether, the project only cost me just shy of two hundred dollars.

True, it can be easy to find one online or in a pet store that costs less, but I live in an area where it can snow and get fairly cold around the winter and wanted something that would keep my fur baby completely projected from the elements and comfortable.

After many hours, this is the result:

Things I learned as/after I had finished this project:

Quality over cost: The materials are definitely worth the cost when it comes to having a home that will last a long time without any maintenance (cleaning excluded).

Extra hands may be needed:

At first, I had planned to do the project by myself, but my partner, being the handy-man and project-lover that he is, gave me a look that said “please”. It would be like if he had said he was going to write a story/book without me...so needless to say, I had relented with a grin. He probably took one look at the design and thought I was out of my mind. Rightfully so, I should add. I couldn’t even imagine doing it without his help now. Especially when it came to moving it in place when we were done with the construction of it all; it ended up weighing somewhere near one hundred to one-hundred-fifty pounds.

Always keep extra supplies handy:

I was a bit of a rookie in this aspect. We kept having to go back to the hardware store because I had initially not bought enough nails.

If you plan on finishing it in one day, build it where you want it:

If your project ends up being about as big as mine did, you can almost guarantee it’ll be big, heavy, and awkward to move on your own or even for two people. It didn’t help that we build this in the garage and then had to climb two sets of stairs, go around corners, and then position it. I didn’t think we’d finish it as quickly as we did, but if I had known it would go as smoothly, I definitely would have built it on the deck so I’d only have to move it a few feet as opposed to carrying it for about a thirty-foot walk.

Make sure you have a good plan for the legs:

I originally designed the legs to be bigger and more sturdy, but we forgot to get the wood for them. So, my partner dug up some old blocks from a former project of his and screwed them on. They’re to stop the bottom from getting/staying wet when it rains, but they’re barely on there when the house is lifted. In the future, I’ll replace them, but they work well enough for now and don’t give me or my fur baby any trouble.

Steps and tips to building your cat (or other pet) a house:

1. Sketch out a design that your pet will like.

I went with a roof-loft to keep the design simple and fit my cat’s personality. When he gets too warm from the blankets and/or heating pad, he’ll jump into the top and lay down on the blanket(s) up there.

2. Take the weather into consideration.

I live on the east coast of the US. So we get a bit of everything; rain, thunderstorms, hail, snow, ice, strong winds, etc. To handle everything, I designed the house to be very well insulated (several pieces of insulation paneling between the interior and exterior walls along with several layers of foam padding and blankets) and heated from his heating pad. I didn’t concern myself with weather-proofing the top too much since the lip of the roof extends just enough to prevent most rain and snow from entering the roof; except for when it’s coming in sideways during some intense storms.

3. Make sure you have extra materials and then some.

I will never stop putting emphasis on having enough nails. When it’s eight-thirty at night, you run out of nails, the hardware store closes at nine, and it’s a twenty-five-minute drive...needless to say it’s a bit of a pain in the butt.

4. Always follow the golden rule(s).

Measure twice and cut once. We had to get one more piece of wood because we did an oopsie by not following this step. Thankfully, it wasn’t too expensive and there was plenty in stock.

5. Remember to wear protective equipment.

I can’t emphasize this step enough. Mainly, I mean gloves when it comes to this step because carrying something as big and as heavy as this without them, for the five seconds that I did it, cut into my hands a little bit. If you’re like me and you’re not used to building things, the rough roofing material can also scratch your hands pretty well while you’re applying it.

Thanks for reading! If you thought this was helpful, please give this a like and share it. It really helps. If you’re interested in more of my work, check out my Twitter for live updates when articles, stories, and poems are available.

This is Jake, by the way. He is my kitty of eleven (turning twelve in four months).

How I became a mother to this furry child:

I’ve had him since he was two weeks old. The mother cat was owned by my mother’s coworker, and shortly after he and his siblings were born, she realized he was the runt of the litter and hated him. The vet said that he was fine, but needed to be fed and cared for every few hours of the day. My mother knew I had wanted a pet and brought him home with her.

Admittedly, I had wanted a puppy, but the second he went into my lap, my maternal instincts kicked in fairly quickly. I fed him, bathed him, and played with him every second of the day. I still thank the pet gods that it was in the middle of summer when I got him since I had barely slept for two months until he was only enough to start eating cat food by himself.

Now, he’s a lazy outdoor cat who lounges on the deck nearly all day when he’s not exploring the property or treating every visitor like they are the chosen one by running up to them and rubbing against their legs. It’s really fun watching their surprise after I tell them that he’s shy and doesn’t like people too much.